
It’s not easy. But it’s worth the work.
Advanced
Intermediate
- Demonstrate a variety of Frank Zappa-esque guitar licks.
- Examine Zappa’s chord progressions and use of modes.
- Discuss Zappa’s guitar tone and rhythm sections.
This lesson simplifies Zappa’s ideas to make them more approachable and playable. Almost all of the examples begin on the downbeat, making them a bit stiff compared to Frank’s unpredictability, but easier to comprehend. I also repeated them several times, which Frank rarely did unless stating a theme or melody. This is the irony of Frank’s compositions versus his solos: The composed pieces are exacting and played meticulously, the solos are loose and performed with wild abandon.
That Ol’ Dorian, Santana, Zappa Thing
Before we get to the licks, we’re obliged to discuss the chord progressions and audio examples used in this lesson. Most of the time Frank would solo over a two-chord vamp and occasionally over one chord, or a one-note pedal. Check out “Cosmik Debris” below for an “occasional” 12-bar framework.
In the first few examples, the Dm7 to G7 chord progression implies the key of D Dorian (D–E–F–G–A–B–C), which is minor, yet more laidback than Aeolian. This is a mode Carlos Santana frequently solos in, so Zappa’s “Variations on the Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression” is a pretty accurate name. My example’s vamp is based on Zappa’s “Son of Mr. Green Genes” and “Po-Jama People,” slightly slower.
Ex. 1 is common in Frank’s playing. Here, I use pull-offs to open-strings with a combination of triplet-based rhythms. You should also hear that I am subtly moving a wah-wah pedal. Nothing dramatic, just enough to highlight certain frequencies. A touch of wah is a key element of Zappa’s tone throughout his career.
Variation is key when dealing with repeated motifs. In Ex. 2 I moved the idea from Ex. 1 down an octave and tweaked the rhythm a bit. There is a triplet followed by four 16th-notes, then another triplet followed by two more 16th-notes. This grouping of different rhythmic figures is textbook Zappa.
Tremolo picking is a great technique that you can use to build energy and tension, while also adding a new melodic texture. In Ex. 3 I take a stab at something that Frank might play on the amazing live album, The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life.
One of Zappa’s most adventurous solos is on the title track of the Apostrophe (') album. In Ex. 4 you can see how I emulated the off-kilter rhythms and combined them with open strings.
As you can tell by now, mixing rhythms is a hallmark of Zappa’s style. In Ex. 5 I leaned on both 16th-note and eighth-note triplets to give the lick an uneasy, frantic feeling. (Don’t forget to tremolo pick on beat 2 of the last measure.)
Ex. 6 is one of the most challenging licks in this solo. It features a combination of rhythms as well as tremolo picking. Use the slow-down feature to get this one right.
Ex. 7 introduces Zappa’s two-handed pick-tapping move. Several years before Eddie Van Halen’s two-handed tapping changed the world of guitar, Zappa was performing his own version of the technique. He would tap the frets with the round side of his pick, typically staying on one note for an extended period of time, while holding down a second note, or trilling (alternating between two notes) with his left hand. Full disclosure, I had to use a considerable amount of compression and gain to recreate this sound.
Finally, you can hear all these phrases in context in the complete solo below.
Two-Chord Mixolydian Vamp
These next examples emulate the solo section of what many consider to be one of the exemplary Zappa songs, “Inca Roads.” I might suggest that this could be the quintessential Zappa solo except for the fact that there are many versions of Frank improvising over this two-chord, IV–V Mixolydian vamp (this example features the chords D to E in the key of A major thus E Mixolydian). Note: I hate to contradict the master, as Zappa referred to this solo as being in the Lydian mode, but, at the risk of nitpicking, I hear this solo resolving to the V chord, thus Mixolydian, not Lydian.
In addition to several officially released versions of “Inca Roads,” this vamp, out of context, constitutes all three variations of “Shut Up ’n Play Yer Guitar” as well as “Gee, I Like Your Pants,” “A Cold Dark Matter,” and “Systems of Edges.” A similar vamp is also used in “Son of Orange County.” It might not be the definitive Zappa solo but it’s the definitive Zappa vamp. Let’s see what we can do with it.
Ex. 8 is another open-string lick, with a fast, grace-note slide that’s similar to the opening lick of “Son of Orange County” from Roxy & Elsewhere.
Just like we did in the Dorian examples, I took the motif in Ex. 8 and moved it up an octave for Ex. 9.
Ex. 10 is another pick-tapping lick, with more movement than the first one we played. You can hear this influence in Joe Satriani’s playing.
Ex. 11 features more unusual rhythmic groupings, alternating eighth-notes and eighth-note triplets. Though relatively manageable to play on their own, this combination of rhythms can be tricky to perform if you’re not used to interspersing them. One thought to keep in mind while working on these seemingly uncommon rhythms (I’m paraphrasing Zappa here): People don’t speak in 4/4 time or in straight eighths. The rhythms of human speech, in one way sound weird, but they also sound totally natural. If you keep this in mind in general, your solos could become more rhythmically imaginative.
One of the most intriguing parts of Zappa’s playing and musicianship is the use of dynamics. Rather than solo at a continuous, steady volume, he would play from very quiet to extremely loud and all points in between. He would do this both throughout his solos and also in short, discreet phrases such as Ex. 12.
Ex. 13 is our first example of low-string playing. Many players find this range too muddy for solos, but Frank spent considerable time improvising at the low end of his register.
Lydian Arpeggio Vamp
This final set of examples exhibit three different Zappa tendencies:
- Odd-metered progressions. Frank composed too many of these to count them all. This example is in 7/4.
- An arpeggio vamp. You can hear this in “Treacherous Cretins,” “The Deathless Horsie,” and “Watermelon in Easter Hay.”
- The Lydian mode. As mentioned earlier, the Mixolydian sound emphasizes the V chord in a IV–V progression.
The Lydian sound conversely emphasizes the IV or the 4th degree of the scale in the bass, as demonstrated in Ex. 14. These two chords, Add9 and Badd11/A are the IV and the V in the key of E, however, as the bass continues to drone the note A throughout, the tonal center of A Lydian is firmly established.
Ex. 15 provides more open-strings and bursts of notes. This particular lick shows how you can move around the fretboard, sustaining certain notes over others, all the while continuing to use the same phrasing and open-string ideas.
Ex. 16 is similar to a phrase heard in “Watermelon in Easter Hay,” with another dynamic, tremolo note to finish the line.
Ex. 17 is harder than it looks. It appears to run straight up the minor pentatonic scale at the 9th fret, but the double-picked notes, the added A(creating a hexatonic scale), and the unusual rhythmic groupings produce an unexpected challenge.
Ex. 18 has a combination of numerous approaches we’ve already covered: low-note playing, open-string pull-offs, and quintuplets…not to mention the slides to end.
Ex. 19 proves that Zappa wasn’t one to neglect classic blues-rock cliches. This example is like countless pentatonic blues licks yet with the added dimension of starting in an unexpected place, the second note of an eighth-note triplet figure, followed by unusual rhythmic groupings. For as Zappa-esque as this lick is, it would not be unusual to hear Jimi Hendrix to play such a phrase.
Zappa’s Rhythm Section
To faithfully imitate Zappa, you need a world-class rhythm section. Throughout his career, Frank’s various band lineups included outstanding bass players and drummers. So, while a drum loop and rudimentary vamp might serve the purposes of practice and a lesson, to recreate the Zappa sound, find yourself a like-minded bass player and drummer who are as committed to Zappa as you are—it will make all the difference.
Zappa Recommendations for the Newcomer
For those of you that are new to Zappa, here are a list of tracks that highlight his guitar playing within the context of unique songs and instrumental compositions.
“Son of Mr. Green Genes” Hot Rats (1969)
“The Grand Wazoo” The Grand Wazoo (1972)
“I’m the Slime” Over-Nite Sensation (1973)
“Stink Foot,” “Uncle Remus,” “Cosmik Debris” Apostrophe (’) (1974)
“Son of Orange County” Roxy & Elsewhere (1974)
“Inca Roads,” “Po-Jama People” One Size Fits All (1975)
“Black Napkins” Zoot Allures (1976)
“Inca Roads,” “Pygmy Twylyte” You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (Recorded 1974, Released 1988)
“Watermelon in Easter Hay” Joe’s Garage (1979)
“Heavy Duty Judy,” “Andy,” “Inca Roads,” “Zomby Woof” The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life (1991)
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PG contributor Tom Butwin profiles three versatile - and affordable - acoustic guitars from Cort, Epiphone, and Gold Tone. These classic designs and appointments offer pro-level sound for an accessible price.
Cort Essence Series ES-GA4 Grand Auditorium Cutaway Acoustic Electric Guitar, Natural Semi Gloss (GA4NSG)
Epiphone Slash J-45 Acoustic Guitar - November Burst
The classic J-45 has been the choice of legendary musicians ever since it was first introduced in 1942. Known as The Workhorse, it is Gibson's most famous and most popular acoustic guitar model. Now Epiphone has released a new Inspired by Gibson"' J-45"' with all of the features players want, including all solid wood construction, a comfortable rounded C neck profile, 20 medium jumbo frets, the 60s style Kalamazoo headstock shape and a gorgeous Aged Vintage Sunburst finish. The Fishman® Sonicore under-saddle pickup and Sonitone preamp make this Workhorse stage-ready too. Optional hardshell or Epilite"' case available separately. A battery is not included. To power your pickup, you will need a 9-volt battery.
Gold Tone The Bell Acoustic-electric Guitar - Natural
Gold Tone’s Festival Series: The Bell stands out by blending classic craftsmanship with stage-ready versatility. Its all-solid wood construction—featuring a Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides—produces a rich, balanced tone that shines in any setting. The slope-shoulder design offers both comfort and clarity, perfect for fingerstyle or strumming. With a slim "D" neck, Fishman electronics, Grover tuners, and D’Addario strings, The Bell is crafted for players who demand tone, playability, and reliable performance—on stage or in the studio.
A beautifully realized mashup of two iconic guitars.
Reader: Ward Powell
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Guitar: ES-339 Junior
I’ve always liked unusual guitars. I think it started when I got my first guitar way back in 1976. I bought a '73 Telecaster Deluxe for $200 with money I saved from delivering newspapers.
I really got serious about playing in 1978, the same year the first Van Halen album was released. Eddie Van Halen was a huge influence on me, including how he built and modded guitars. Inspired by Eddie, I basically butchered that Tele. But keep in mind, there was once a time when every vintage guitar was just a used guitar—I still have that Tele, by the way.
I never lost that spirit of wanting guitars that were unique, and have built and modded a few dozen guitars since. When I started G.A.S.-ing simultaneously for a Les Paul Junior and a Casino, I came up with this concept. I found an Epiphone ES-339 locally at a great price. It already had upgraded CTS pots, Kluson tuners, and the frets had been PLEK’d. It even came with a hardshell case. It was cheap because it was a right-handed guitar that had been converted to left handed and all the controls had been moved to the opposite side, so it had five additional holes in the top.
Fortunately, I found a Duesenberg wraparound bridge that used the same post spacing as a Tune-o-matic. I used plug cutters to cut plugs out of baltic birch plywood to fill the 12 holes in the laminated top. I also reshaped the old-style Epiphone headstock. Then, I sanded off the original finish, taped the fretboard, and sprayed the finish using cans of nitro lacquer from Oxford Guitar Supply. Lots of wet sanding and buffing later, the finish was done.
I installed threaded insert bushings for the bridge, so it will never pull out. The pickup is a Mojotone Quiet Coil P-90 and I fabricated a shim from a DIY mold and tinted epoxy to raise the P-90 up closer to the strings. The shim also covers the original humbucker opening. I cut a pickguard out of a blank and heated it slightly to bend it to follow the curvature of the top.
All in all, I'm pretty happy how it turned out! It plays great and sounds even better. And I have something that is unique: an ES-339 Junior.
The Gibson EH-185, introduced in 1939, was one of the company’s first electric guitars.
Before the Les Pauls and SGs, this aluminum-reinforced instrument was one of the famous brand’s first electric guitars.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of electric guitar in shaping American popular music over the last half-century. Its introduction was a revolution, changing the course of modern musical styles. Today, when we think of the guitars that started the revolution, we think of the Stratocaster and the Les Paul, guitars held against the body and fretted with the fingertips. But the real spark of this musical mutiny was the lap-steel guitar.
In the early 20th century, guitar music was moving out of the parlors of homes and into public spaces where folks could gather together and dance. Guitarists needed to project their sound far beyond where their wimpy little acoustic instruments could reach. Instrument manufacturers began experimenting with larger body sizes, metal construction, and resonators to increase volume.
Around this time, George Beauchamp began experimenting with electric guitar amplification. He settled on a design using two U-shaped magnets and a single coil of wire. Beauchamp was in business with Adolph Rickenbacker, and they decided to stick this new invention into a lap steel.
If we put on our 1930s glasses, this decision makes perfect sense. The most popular music at the time was a blend of Hawaiian and jazz styles made famous by virtuosos like Solomon “Sol” Hoʻopiʻi. Photos of Hoʻopiʻi with a metal-body resonator abound—one can imagine his relief at being handed an instrument that projected sound toward the audience via an amplifier, rather than back at his own head via resonator cones. Beauchamp and Rickenbacker were simply following the market.
As it turned out, the popularity of Hawaiian music gave way to swing, and electric lap steels didn’t exactly take the world by storm. But Beauchamp and Rickenbacker had proven the viability of this new technology, and other manufacturers followed suit. In 1937, Gibson created a pickup with magnets under the strings, rather than above like Beauchamp’s.
“When I plugged in the EH-185 I expected to hear something reminiscent of Charlie Christian’s smooth, clean tone. But what I got was meatier—closer to what I associate with P-90s: warm and midrange-y.”
The first page of Gibson’s “Electrical Instruments” section in the 1939 catalog features a glowing, full-page write-up of their top-of-the-line lap steel: the EH-185. “Everything about this new electric Hawaiian Guitar smacks of good showmanship,” effuses the copy. “It has smoothness, great sustaining power, and an easy flow of tone that builds up strongly and does not die out.”
Picking up the 1940 EH-185 at Fanny’s House of Music is about as close as one can get to traveling back in time to try a new one. It is just so clean, with barely any dings or even finish checking. Overall, this is a 9/10 piece, and it’s a joy to behold. Speaking of picking it up, the first thing you notice when you lift the EH-185 out of the case is its weight. This is a much heavier instrument than other similar-sized lap steels, owing to a length of thick metal between the body and the fretboard. The catalog calls it “Hyblum metal,” which may be a flowery trade name for an early aluminum alloy.
This 1940 EH-185 is heavier than other lap steels in its class, thanks to a length of metal between its fretboard and body.
Photo by Madison Thorn
There are numerous other fancy appointments on the EH-185 that Gibson didn’t offer on their lesser models. It’s made of highly figured maple, with diamond-shaped decorations on the back of the body and neck. The double binding is nearly a centimeter thick and gives the instrument a luxurious, expensive look.
Behind all these high-end attributes is a great-sounding guitar, thanks to that old pickup. It’s got three blades protruding through the bobbin for the unwound strings and one longer blade for the wound strings. When I plugged in the EH-185 I expected to hear something reminiscent of Charlie Christian’s smooth, clean tone. But what I got was meatier—closer to what I associate with P-90s: warm and midrange-y. It was just crying out for a little crunch and a bluesy touch. It’s kind of cool how such a pristine, high-end vintage instrument can be so well-suited for a sound that’s rough around the edges.
As far as electric guitars go, it doesn’t get much more vintage than this 1940 Gibson EH-185 Lap Steel. It reminds us of where the story of the electric guitar truly began. This EH-185 isn’t just a relic—it’s a testament to when the future of music was unfolding in real time. Plug it in, and you become part of the revolution.
Sources: Smithsonian, Vintage Guitar, Mozart Project, Gibson Pre-War, WIRED, Steel Guitar Forum, Vintaxe
J Mascis is well known for his legendary feats of volume.
J Mascis is well known for his legendary feats of volume. Just check out a photo of his rig to see an intimidating wall of amps pointed directly at the Dinosaur Jr. leader’s head. And though his loudness permeates all that he does and has helped cement his reputation, there’s a lot more to his playing.
On this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re looking at each phase of the trio’s long career. How many pedals does J use to get his sound? What’s his best documented use of a flanger? How does his version of “Maggot Brain” (recorded with bassist Mike Watt) compare to Eddie Hazel’s? And were you as surprised as we were when Fender released a J Mascis signature Tele?