A Frank Zappa Rock Guitar Primer - How to Play Some of His Greatest Riffs - with Tabs 

On Hot Rats, it's Sugarcane Harris on violin rather than Jean Luc Ponty.

I just remembered when I was 15 and my mate gave me a cassette of "Overnight Sensation" in the 90s. The next day he asked me what I thought and I said (not knowing anything about Frank) " yeah it's great, the guitarist in his band is incredible". Both mates jumped up shouting "THAT'S HIM!!". Of course I've been listening to Frank ever since.

Watermelon in Easter Hay is another beautiful guitar piece.

Man, thanks for dusting off the Zircon Encrusted Tweezers to extract these gems. I enjoyed it so much, I was gonna offer you a Forty Dollar Bill.... :-) I always feel the love and respect and passion in your videos.

As musicians we always tend to dive into Frank's complex works but to hear and see you perform some of Frank's straight up rock riffs ( kinda straight up ) is just magic!

I can't believe I only just came across your fabulous video. Every one of your 14 choices was excellent. Your renditions are spot on. This video should have a million views and it would change world music. I have been listening to Zappa for over 50 years and never bore of him. But I can't play guitar. 😢

Hey thanks for the Outside Now lesson. That makes things a lot easier.

I particularly like the way you manage to capture the tone of each riff. You have a great ear for detail.

This is legendary. Such a great format to run through some iconic riffs that's are accessible enough to learn

What a great lesson! Zappa forever! Thank you!

Danny: Thank you so very much for this incredible video! FZ was (and remains) a huge influence on me, but there have never been any tutorials on how to play his music. I can't emphasize enough how wonderful this video is. Thank you!

Bravo! These are majestic riffs indeed.

This was a lovely find. FZ is my absolute god and has been since my childhood. Some lovely choices here, and you play them really well.

Every band I’ve ever been in has covered Magic Fingers. The solo from the 200 Motels version I think is one of the most perfect “short” solos ever performed. The phrasing is just perfect.

Watching this nearly a year after you’ve published it. 25 years old here, for the past year I have not been able to put this music away. Awesome stuff here, such an easy video to watch. Cheers!

Thank you sir everybody needs to hear more Zappa

Hey Danny. Giving the love to Frank gets a big thumbs up from me. Really well rendered. Enjoying your channel.

Ahh you missed The Torture Never Stops and Apostrophe -- /jk; Nice selection; I always wondered what the chords for Outside Now were. Cheers

Saw Uncle Frank over 35 times from 74-88 in NYC.

Thank you for the lesson and links, what about wonderfully wino , haha 😄, rock on man and R.I.P frank zappa

Cool video! Love the enthusiasm 😊

Excellent tutorial! Just missing the tabs for Bamboozled By Love, but not complaining. ;-) Tinsel Town Rebellion is one of my favorites too, and I was at the shows that made up most of it ( Berkeley). Again, great stuff. I'm going right into these this moment!

This is simply the best and still one of my favourite guitar lessons. You nail it.

Brilliant video! Thank you so much

I constantly listen to frank- especially in my car- I added this video to my catalog- listening to someone define some of his work and play it at the same time is phenomenal. Also for anybody new to frank/ I would love to tell you another great song to check out but too many- right now I have “watermelon in Easter Hay” on deck- great headphone piece…..

Absolutely superb!! Thank you

wow man.. I flit an eye here today and... you are simply perfect, let me tell you! I love Frank more than myself, believe me I feel the passion in your DNA! Zombie and Florentine you played ..woah! amazing!

Ah man I wanted to like this again 😂 Nice to have the reminder and thanks for the tabs on patreon Danny 🙏🏼

Fantastic Zappa tone and omg you got Gizzard too, I'm now subscribing lol ;-) mnt!

That outside now riff is just genius love it!

Great stuff brother. I loved zappa ever since I heard apostrophe for the first time. And freak out was one of my favorites. There has never been nor will there ever be a musician/ composer. Innovator that could rival FZ and I heard him on an interview saying that he was having problems and had gotten checked by a doctor. Finally the fourth time I think he said the they found the cancer. By then it was too late. Very tragically sad the man was an absolute genius. Taught himself music theory just by reading books like modern musical notation by gardner read. Thank God he recorded everything he did.

…a Frank Zappa fan and a Gibson “The Paul” how could I not “Subscribe” and 👍!!!!! Brilliant playing, brilliant topic and brilliant “The Paul”. Cheers Danny. Oh my!!!! Did you just hint to being born in 1970???? You may be my long lost twin? Or maybe you’re me if I made better life choices…

Great video video! Wish you had added Inca Roads, But such is life.

Amazing video mate! Deserves more views!!

Wow! That was awesome- you really nail the licks, tones and vibe of Frank! You need to be in a Zappa tribute band!

Thanks Dan the Man! - What a Cool Drink of Water! - I'm currently Banging my head against Uncle Remus which brings a tear to my mind's eye. Maybe someday? Thank You Buddy!

Excellent

Just came across this, great job! I also have a 79 Gibson The Paul & love it. Very under the radar.

Excellent, thank you for this

Danny, you are doing god's work, so nice to hear your passion for Frank. Cheers from Brazil

Nicely demonstrated Danny...great job..

Excellent lesson! You are a first class guitarist and educator. By the way,my main guitar is a 1977 The Paul,strung with 11's and is my main guitar. Subscribed!

Hi Danny, this is very helpful, thank you so much! Love, Hans.

Thanks for posting, it was fun trying some of the riffs.

First stop by on your channel… thoroughly enjoyed your abilities and spirit.

cool i enjoyed it thanks

thank you sooooooo much

I upvoted 10 times but RU-vid only registered one.

thanks you

I love Frank Zappas music listen to a track every day this is so good keeps the good man alive I'm gonna learn these riffs then go to San Francisco and be a flower punk

Danny, I really loved your interpretation of muffin man, not only for the technique but also for your soul. Could you share your guitar tabs please? Cheers from Chile.

The most underrated rock guitarist in history In my opinion. His musical visions including xylophones, horn sections, wind instruments, and even his eclectic lyrics all overshadowed his guitar playing to most casual listeners. Which is a shame. We lost Frank WAY too soon.

Amazing!

Love your Firebrand,had the older one with branded logo

Eat That Question is another good one

wow this is good, man. you are the brother I never had.

Brilliant. More please 🤞

Jeez !!!! You rock, man !!!!

surprised you didnt add "I'm the Slime" that riff is so fun

Great video thanks. I used to have a guitar exactly like that one. One of those that I wish I'd kept..

Frank was definitely a trend setter. His motto is the best. Shut up and play your guitar 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

I really enjoyed this. You have an infectious enthusiasm for the music backed up with great tone! I'd like to know...Do you have full backing tracks for these songs available? I'd also like to see you whip out some soloing over these tunes 🙂

Thats great Danny , good to see a down to earth Australian tackling the wonderful world of Zappa. I'm not even a guitarist , your ability is bewildering to me. How's Black Napkins Doreen and Deathless Horsie for a challenge. Keep it going these executives have plooked the fuck outta me .

Awesome this mate. I was interested to see what you'd do for the little flourish on Dirty Love. For years I used to attempt to play the super fast 6 note keyboard measure picking every note, but found it quite painful on acoustic. Btw (sorry to correct), but is the Don't Eat The Yellow Snow intro riff 7/4? It seems to shift between that and 7/8 for the faster bit.

In Willie the Pimp it's not Jean-Luc Ponty playing but Don Sugarcane Harris.

What path should i follow to understand and solo like the solo you did on muffin man? That was just amazing

More Zappa please !!!

i would be as happy as you if I could play like that

Great stuff man.. thx..

No i hear the same thing in Bamboozled,i think he changed it over the years.

yeah!

Happy birthday from Denmark 🇩🇰

La ostia ! Good onya mate ! Bamboozled by Love, Tab ?

Bamboozled by one. I still cannot count it. Can feel it but once the bridge hits I lose it

You Sir, are very funny... I turned 25 in january, how long do you think i can delay the magic finger thing?

Damn. You featured two of my favorite obscure Zappa riffs: "Magic Fingers" and the boggie intro to "Brown Shoes Don't Make It", which is the first Zappa tune I heard as a 14 year-old sitting in my bedroom on my GE Wildcat stereo. And you NAILED one of the greatest rock songs ever in "Florentine Pogen".

Frank zappa 😂❤👍

Florentine is the most extraordinary composition for me…

i used to have a ‘78 the paul and traded it for a 24 fret sg. near instant regret

I'm still working on Louie Louie. Yeah, but I have Satisfaction down.

This made like Zappa

If I had to learn playing the guitar, I would do it just to play Zappa's songs 😄 ( but I m so bad at it...)

its ashame that you have so few listners

Yo' Mama the best.

I can think of soooo many songs and bands that ripped off Zappas riffs.

Rat tomago

Hey, great lesson. I know when I'm trying to learn a new piece I want someone to flash notation for 10sec and play a mediocre solo over it. Wanker. 😂

Trying to sound different is one thing. His music mostly sounds confused and just don't make any sense at all. All in the name of sounding different

Hi. I woked up with OVERNITE- SENSSTION. AND APISTROPHE" This Misic changed my live and other things. Krassr Musik Änderung im meinen MUSIK' COSMOS. THANK YOU FRANK ZAPPA, FOR WHATS GOING ON......❤😢😢❤