Zappa scales

[Nick and Poop]

Does anybody know about special scales that Zappa used to compose charts and guitar solos? My ear is not that great, and FZ's playing is so over my head, I would like a little bit of help. I've occassionally heard some modes like Lydian, Phrygian, and Dorian, but everything he does seems so out there...

[VCF]

Major, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Minor, and Locrian.  They all use the same pitches.  Start on "C" and play "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do" and you're playing C major (do to do).  If you start on "D" and play the exact same pitches to the next D, you're playing D Dorian (re to re).  Do the same thing with the other pitches and VIOLA you know all the normal modes/scales/whatever you wanna call them.

FZ strayed outside these sometimes.  Treacherous Cretins uses the following pitches for the "scale":
A, B, C#, D, E, F, G.  It's not A major cuz of the flat vii (the G).  It's not A minor cuz the major III (the C#).  I've heard it called Hungarian Phrygian or something like that, but just play those pitches and it'll sound thoroughly bitchen.

VCF

[josh]

He also used the pentatonic scales a lot.

in C that would be:

C-D-E-G-A major
C-Eb-F-G-Bb minor


Good luck  

[guacamole]

Jeezo ! well gag me with a spoon ! - He played the VIOLA as well ?!!

[Nick and Poop]

thanks a lot. a friend of mine also supposedly noticed frank using the diminished scales but didn't know which songs. so how about searching those songs with Dominant 7th flat 9 chords? i'm on the lookout, but i've only heard sharp 9 chords which i think are in his rock tunes. can't remember them either. the clavinet line in "honey don't you want a man like me?"? i'm not sure...

[dkaplowitz]

FZ strayed outside these sometimes.  Treacherous Cretins uses the following pitches for the "scale":
A, B, C#, D, E, F, G.  It's not A major cuz of the flat vii (the G).  It's not A minor cuz the major III (the C#).  I've heard it called Hungarian Phrygian or something like that, but just play those pitches and it'll sound thoroughly bitchen.

Hi (is this Scott? If so, hey buddy!),

I'd probably think of that as derived from D melodic minor. Thus it's melodic minor's equivalent of mixo, so "mixo flat 6". Just my $0.02.

Also, Frank quite deftly used the whole tone scale. The one that sticks out the most in my mind is in "The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" where he starts playing a bunch of septuplets not too far into the song. He used that scale all over the place though. As soon as I click submit I'll think of 30 more.

[swiftkicknow]

Frank used the whole-tone scale, too. The whole tone scale gets its name because it's built of only whole steps.

C D E F# G# A#.

If you're looking for a chord to play it over, use an augmented chord. Of course, you can stick it anywhere you think it might sound good. Frank usually just tossed this in for a moment here and there during a solo-- it's not like he used it for an entire solo. It adds a nice "wtf?" moment during a solo.

P.S. I just saw dkaplowitz already mentioned the whole tone scale. I didn't see it on first scan. Oh well, here's s'more then.

[solipsism]

Frank used the whole-tone scale, too. The whole tone scale gets its name because it's built of only whole steps.

C D E F# G# A#.

If you're looking for a chord to play it over, use an augmented chord. Of course, you can stick it anywhere you think it might sound good. Frank usually just tossed this in for a moment here and there during a solo-- it's not like he used it for an entire solo. It adds a nice "wtf?" moment during a solo.

P.S. I just saw dkaplowitz already mentioned the whole tone scale. I didn't see it on first scan. Oh well, here's s'more then.

hello mr llama  

[swiftkicknow]

hello mr llama  

Herro Mr. Hory Stone. I have assumed my new non-rrama identity.

[solipsism]

hello mr llama  

Herro Mr. Hory Stone. I have assumed my new non-rrama identity.

where's isaac???  

[wheatgurm]

hello mr llama  

Herro Mr. Hory Stone. I have assumed my new non-rrama identity.

where's isaac???  

LMFAO       \m/ \m/