'G-spot Tornado' by Zappa Frank - Guitar Tutorial

            #----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

                  G-Spot Tornado   -   Frank Zappa
                -------------------------------------
                                     tabbed by Howard Wright
                                     H[email protected]


This is a classic Zappa song - fast, manic, exhilarating tune, quirky
harmonies and rhythmns and lots of his favourite interval - the 4th !

The instrument names I've written down obviously refer to the Yellow
Shark version.

I've tabbed the different variations of the main tune rather than try
and do the whole piece.
To save repeating myself and creating a huge long file,
I've just tabbed out the parts in the variations that are
different from the previous versions.

Once you've got the first two bits sussed (what I've called
tune 1A and 1B) the rest is nearly all repeats of this
with literally just a handful of notes changed.

I've labelled the different lines for tunes 1A and 1B and then just
referred to these later on - e.g in the 3rd tune I've just typed
out one new line and then put - repeat lines 2A to 12A.
I hope this is easy enough to follow.

The rhythmn for this is basically all 8th notes (quavers if you prefer).
Note that the first 8th notes of most bars is a rest - so a lot of
the phrases have 7 notes.

I find it sounds best when you pick all the notes individually rather
than use hammer-ons or pull-offs. If you use one finger per fret
(1st finger - 9th fret, 2nd finger - 10th fret etc) then you can play about
90% of it without changing position.

Tune 1A :
---------


E----------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10------------------12----10---------------|
G------11----9--11---------------11----9-------------|
D------------------12---9-----------------11--9------|    line 1A
A------------------------------------------------12--|
E----------------------------------------------------|

E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10----------------------------------------|
G------11----9------------9-------------------------|
D---------------11--9--11---11--9--9--9--11---------|    line 2A
A--------------------------------------------12--9--|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B------12--10----------------12----10---------------|
G---11--------9-----------------11----9-------------|
D---------------11--9--9-----------------11--9------|    line 3A
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10----------------------------------------|
G------11----9-----------9----------9---------------|
D---------------11--9-------11--9------11--9--------|    line 4A
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E-------------------------12--------------------------|
B---12--------10-------------12--10--------12---------|
G---------11-----9------------------11--------11--9---|
D------11---------------------------------------------|    line 5A
A-----------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12-------11-------------------------------------|
G------11--9----9-----------------------------------|
D-----------------11----9--9--11----9----9----------|    line 6A
A--------------------12----------12---12------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E---------9--11-12--9------------------------------|
B---12----------------10------12----10-------------|
G------11------------------------11----9-----------|
D----------------------------------------11--9-----|    line 7A
A----------------------------------------------12--|
E--------------------------------------------------|


E---------9--11-12--9--11-----9----------------------|
B---12---------------------12---10-------------------|
G------11--------------------------9--8--11----------|
D-------------------------------------------11-9-----|    line 8A
A----------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------|

E----------------------------------------------------|
B------12--10------------------12-----10-------------|
G---11--------9--------------------11-----9----------|
D----------------11--9-----------------------11--9---|    line 9A
A-----------------------12---------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12-----10---------------------------------------|
G------11------9----------9-----------11--9---------|
D----------------11--9------11--9------------11-----|    line 10A
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E------------------------12----------------------------|
B--------------10------------12--10---------12---------|
G----------11-----9------------------11---------11--9--|
D---9--11----------------------------------------------|    line 11A
A------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------|


E----------9-------------------------------------------|
B---12-------10----------------------------------------|
G------11-------9--------------------------------------|
D------------------11-----9--9--11-----9-----9---------|    line 12A
A---------------------12------------12---12------------|
E------------------------------------------------------|


(Insert cymbal crash here !)


Tune 1B :
---------

Piano and mandolin.

First line is slightly different from line 1A. Lines 2 & 3 are the same as
for tune 1A. Last three lines are again slightly different from tune 1A.


E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10----10----------12----10----------------|
G------11----9-----9-----------11-----9-------------|
D---------------------11-----------------11--9------| line 1B
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G------11----9------------9----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---------------11--9--11---11--9--9--9--11--------- (line 2A) A--------------------------------------------12--9--|
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B------12--10----------------12----10---------------|
G---11--------9-----------------11----9-------------|
D---------------11--9--9-----------------11--9------| (line 3A)
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------|
B---12----10----------------------------------------|
G------11----9-----------9----------11--9-----------|
D---------------11--9-------11--9---------11--------| line 4B
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|


E-------------------------12--------------------------|
B-------------10-------------12--10--------12---------|
G---------11-----9------------------11--------11--9---|
D---9--11---------------------------------------------| line 5B
A-----------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------|


E---------11--12---9----------------------------------|
B---12---------------10-------------------------------|
G------11---------------9--------------------8--9-----|
D-------------------------9--9--11-----9--9-----------| line 6B
A----------------------------------12-----------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------|


Quirky harmony bit
-------------------

Clarinet and Xylophone

Now it's basically the same tune again but played up two frets so
its in C#m instead of Bm. There is also a two part harmony going with
a few 'quirky' notes stuck in.

Play line 1B, then lines 2A-6A all moved up 2 frets and that will be
about right.  If you want to be *really* picky, there is a note missed
out from line 6A (the third note - 9th fret G string).


Tune 1C
---------

Strings and flute. Back in Bm.


This is a note-for-note copy of tune 1A except that the
first line has a few different notes.


E------------------------------------------------------|
B---10--12-----10-----------------12----10-------------|
G-----------11----9--11--------------11----9-----------|
D-----------------------12--9----------------11--9-----|  line 1C
A------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------|


Then repeat lines 2A to 12A

Tune 2
--------

Clarinet and trombone.

A new, slower tune is introduced here.


E------------------------------------------------------------|
B------------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------12-10-------------------------12--12--|
A------10-10----------------10--10-10--11--11----------12----|
E--10---------13-10-10-------------------10--11---10---------|


E-----------------------------------------------------|
B-----------------------------------------------------|
G-----------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------10-12----10----12-------12---|
A----11-10---------------------10----10---------------|
E--10-----13--12-8-10-10-------------------10-10------|


E-----------------------------------------------------|
B-----------------------------------------------------|
G-----------------------------------------------------|
D---10-10-10--------------------------10-12-----------|
A------------10------8----------10-10--------12-------|
E-----------------10----10-10-------------------------|

Tune 1D
--------

Glockenspiel


This variation is made up entirely of repeats of previous bits.
First play line 1B, then lines 2A - 6A.

(But miss out the third note in line 6A)

That tricky middle section
----------------------------

It would take me a long time to tab all of this part,
but it starts off like this :


E---------------------------------------------------|
B-------10--12--10--12--10--12--------10--12--10----|
G--9-11--------------------------9-11---------------|
D---------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|

E--------------9----------------9----------------------|
B-------10-12--------12--12--10---10-12-10-------------|
G--9-11------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------9--------------------|
B----------------10-12-10----------12---12-12--10-----|
G--9-11--9-9--11------------9-11----------------------|
D-----------------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------|

E----------9-------------14-14-12--------------------------|
B-------10----12----12------------14----12--12-------------|
G--9-11------------------------------14---------11--11--9--|
D----------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------|

etc etc

(N.B This whole tune is played in parallel 4ths. It's easier to
play the single notes as I've tabbed above, but if you want a
challenge try playing the two harmony parts on the lower strings.
Move the tune down an octave and then add a harmony part a 4th below.

It would start like this :


E-------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------|
G------2-4--2--4--2--4-----2-4-2------2-4-6-|
D--2-4-2-4--2--4--2--4-2-4-2-4-2--2-4-2-4-6-| etc )
A--2-4-----------------2-4--------2-4-------|
E-------------------------------------------|


To get the hang of the rhythm here all I can suggest is practise
a lot !  After a lot of careful listening I was able to play along
up to this point - but it's hard to keep it going for the whole section!

It's made easier by the fact that the percussion beats out a steady
4/4 beat throughout this section to use as a reference.

The stuff that I've left out after here is quite a large chunk.
After a while the whole ensemble plays this little tune in unison :


E---------------------------------------------9--------|
B---12-12-10-12-12-10-12-12-10-12-12-10-12-12---10-12--|
G------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------|

E---10-9---------------9-------------------|
B--------12-10-12--12-------10--12---------|
G------------------------11----------------|
D------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------|

As before, this tune is actually played in 4ths. It's harder to play
the two parts at the proper speed, but if you want to try, here
is the 2-part version of the same tune :


E--7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-9-5-7---10-9-7-5-7--7--9-----5--7--|
B--7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-5-7-7-9-5-7---10-9-7-5-7--7--9--7--5--7--|
G--------------------------------------------------------6--------|
D-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------------------|


After a few little phrases on the brass, there is another little tune
in 4ths (played on the piano). This one is OK to play at full speed as
it uses a couple of open strings to make it easier.

E---7--7-----7-7------2-2-4-0----------------14-14--|
B---7--7-----7-7-7----2-2-4-0----------------12-12--|
G----------------6--------------------2-4----11-11--|
D---------------------------------2-4-2-4-----------|
A---------------------------------2-4---------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|

E---7-7-0-0-2-2-4-0--------------------------|
B---7-7-0-0-2-2-4-0--------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|

Quirky harmony bit
-------------------

Here it shifts key to C#m and you hear the trumpets play some long,
loud notes.

Play lines 1B then 2A-6A moving all notes up a whole tone (2 frets).
(Miss out 3rd note in line 6A).


Last time for Tune 1 !
------------------------

Back to Bm.

Only the last line is different here, so repeat lines
1A - 11A then play this as the last line :

E----------9-----------------------------------------|
B---12-------10--------------12----------------------|
G------11-------9----------9-------------------------|
D---------------------9-11---------------------------|
A------------------11--------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------|

Optional gong crash on the last note !


That's all folks.