drumstinytranscriptions

drumstinytranscriptions

drum play reviews with transcriptions


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Hop, step, and Frank Zappa - Keep It Greasy (You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3)

Hi-ho Silver!! (see "5. Bobby Brown Goes Down" in this site for example) So, it's time for Frank Zappa again! Also see the previous article: 

In order to introduce his song for the last post I listened to Frank Zappa after a long interval. I was kind of nostalgic and then I listened to most of his songs again. What a nostalgic moment.

I wrote a transcript of the song "Keep It Greasy" this time. It was about when I was a high school student. I was thinking about what the score looked like and was planning to write it on the score in the near future but did not come true. More than 20 years from then. It finally materialized here!

In the original version (that may be the first release) from the album "Joe's Garage", for the first time in human history, 19/16 and 21/16 show up. For now let us set it aside for the next time, I'm going to show you the live recording version from the album "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3". The drummer is "Chad Wackerman" guessing from the drum sound, phrases, etc. 

Vol. 3-You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore

Vol. 3-You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore

 

The whole song has a straightforward time that is far different from the original version. Rhythm guitar, sax, rhythm sections are cooked to make the song fast speeding groove. Frank Zappa and guys on vocals (Ike Willis?) are laughing out loud with "Hi-ho Silver" insistently repeated. That is really infectious and makes me lol.

The following part is the section which is 19/16 in the original Joe's Garage version. Boldly Zappa rewrote it to simple 4/4, and also put quite different things from the original version. 

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The red colored notes represent the rhythm of the ensemble phrase. It is a new idea for me to color notes because scores must be traditionally expressed only in black and white.

Once I finished transcribing it, I was a bit surprised at the fact that this is under 4/4. I used to imagine the time would change in the 3rd bar, but now I find it is 4/4 all the time. The ensemble phrase is just embedded into the first beat of the 3rd bar. Twenty years' long task is completed successfully. Because I'm just satisfied, skipping a detailed review of drum play!

Thanks,