Big Swifty tab by Frank Zappa
Guitar tabs
BIG SWIFTY - Frank Zappa
-----------------------------------------
Tabbed by Howard Wright
H.Wright@astro.cf.ac.uk
This is based mostly on the 'Make a Jazz Noise Here' version, but
it should be pretty similar to other versions - it's usually the rhythm
of the bits that changes, rather than the notes themselves.
🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
It might be an idea to listen to the track from 'Jazz Noise ...' and
follow the tab just so you know where the different sections come in.
There are quite a few time changes - I've tried to indicate some
of them (i.e fast bit, slow bit, etc) but it's best if you get
used to the track a little, then it should be clear how the tab
works.
Main Swifty Tune :
-------------------
(pretty fast !)
E---------------------------------------9-----------------
B-----7h8-8p7-8p7-8--7h8-8p7-8p7-8-8/10---10--8--7--8p7---
G-------------------------------------------------------9-
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------9-----12----------
B-----7h8-8p7-8p7-8--7h8-8p7-8p7-8-8/10---10--------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
Repeat the two lines above
Descending riff :
------------------
E----12-10-10-9-10-9-----12-10-10-9-10-9-------------------
B--------------------12------------------12-10-12----------
G-------------------------------------------------/14-12---
D----------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------
repeat above line once
fast descending run on guitar :
E---------------------------------------------------------
B---3-2-0-------0-----------------------------------------
G---------2-0-2---2-0---0---------------------------------
D---------------------4---4-2-0---0-----------------------
A-------------------------------4---4-2-0-----------0-2-3-
E-----------------------------------------3-2h3p2-0-------
E---------------------------7------------------------------------------
B----------------------8-10---10-8-7-8-7-------------------------------
G-----------------7----------------------9-7-6-7-6---------------2-4-5-
D------------5------------------------------------9-7-5-4h5p4-2-------
A-------3------------------------------------------------------------
E--1----------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------7-----9---9-9-9-11-12----12-12-11-9-11-9------
D------------5--------------------------------------------------
A-------3-------------------------------------------------------
E--1------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------8---8-8-8-10-12---12-12-10-8-10-8-
G--9-9-9-11-12----12-12-11-9-11-------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B--8---8-8-8-10-12---12-12-10-8-10------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
(triplet feel)
E--------------------------------------------------------------
B---8-10-12-12-10-8-8-10-12-12-10-8--------------------------------
G------------------------------------11-10-11-10-8-8-10-11-11-10-8-
D-------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------
B---9-11-13-13-11-9-9-11-13-13-11-9--------------------------------
G-----------------------------------12-11-12-11-9-9-11-12-12-11-9--
D-------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------
B---10/12-10---------------------------------------------------
G------------12------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------
A---------------12/14--12-------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------
(Now pause for breath !)
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B--10/12-10------------------------------10/12-10-----------------------
G-----------12----------------------12------------12--------------------
D------------------------12-10----------------------------------12-10-8-
A--------------12/14--12--------10-------------------12/14--12----------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B--10/12-10------------------------------10/12-10-----------------------
G-----------12----------------------12------------12--------------------
D------------------------12-10----------------------------------12-10-8-
A--------------12/14--12--------10-------------------12/14--12----------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------
B---9/10--10--9/10/9/10/9------
G---9/10--10--9/10/9/10/9------
D---9/10--10--9/10/9/10/9------
A------------------------------
E------------------------------
************************************
Make a jazz noise HERE !!!
************************************
... and continue making jazz noises over this chord sequence :
C#7#5 C7#5 B7#5 Bb7#5 A7#5 Ab7#5 G7#5 D7#5
Use either of these two chord shapes :
EADGBE EADGBE
3x344x xx3443
G7#5 G7#5
(Just move them up to the 9th position for the C#, then down
one fret at a time)
The sequence goes round and round - it goes down a semitone at a time, then
when you get to G you move back up to D and start going down again ...
A little later on the same evening :
(this is where they stop noodling and the whole brass section plays
this tune together - the pace kind of picks up here too)
E------------------------------------------------------------
B-------10--13-----12-13-12-10-------10----------------------
G-----11--------------------------12----12----11-------------
D---12-------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------
E---------8--12----10-12-10----------------------------------
B------10-------------------13----12-13-12----10-------------
G---11------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------12---15----14-12-14-15----14-12-14-15----14-12----
B------13------------------------------------------------15-
G---14------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E--11-12--------------------------------------------------
B----------15--13-12--13----15---------14---13------------
G------------------------14-----------------------14--12--
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
^^^
stick a trill on this last note
if you fancy
E----------------------------------------------------------------
B------12--15------------12--15-------------12--15------------12-
G----12--------11--12--12---------11--12--12--------11--12--12---
D--12----------------12-----------------12----------------12-----
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------
Carmen !
---------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B---15-14-13-13--13-12-11-10---10-9-8-6-8p6p5-6--8--6--5--
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B--/15--14--13-13-13-12-11--10---10-8-6--5-6p5---5-6-5----
G----------------------------------------------7--------7-
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------7-----------------
B--------7---10--7---------7-8-10-10-10-10---10-8------------
G----7-9-----------9-7---9-----------------------------------
D--7-------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E-----------7----------------7-7-7-7-9-7-------------------
B-------7-8---8-7-----7-8-10-------------------------------
G-----9-----------9----------------------------------------
D---9------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
1812 Overture bit :
---------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B----------8---------8------------------8---------8---------
G-----8-10---10-8-10----8---8------8-10---10-8-10----8---8-
D---8----------------------------8--------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------
G-----10-12-10----------10---------10-------8-10-8----------------------
D--10----------10----10----10----10-------8--------8----8--------------
A-----------------11----------11---------------------10---------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------
B--------------------
G--8--------8--------
D----8----8----------
A------10------------
E--------------------
Repeat the last three lines once - as you get to the last few notes,
start playing in the wrong key - and add a few odd notes at the end
too !
(That's what they do !)
Now it goes back to that chord sequence :
C#7#5 C7#5 B7#5 etc etc
Go through this a few times ....
After quite a bit more noodling, and the sampled voices
section (with water noises) it comes back to the swifty tune
but a slightly different version :
Swifty tune version 2:
-----------------------
(fairly slow)
E----------------------------------------9-----------------
B---7-8-8-7-8-7-8-7-8-8-7-8-8-7-8-7-8/10-----10-8-7-8-7----
G-------------------------------------------------------9--
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------9----12--12/-
B--7-8--8p7-8-8--7-8-8p7-8-8p7-8-8p7-8-8p7-8-10-12---10-------
G----------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
(now a lot faster !)
E---------------------------------------9-----------------
B-----7h8-8p7-8p7-8--7h8-8p7-8p7-8-8/10---10--8--7--8p7---
G-------------------------------------------------------9-
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------9-----12----------
B-----7h8-8p7-8p7-8--7h8-8p7-8p7-8-8/10---10--------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
(slow again)
E--12-10-10-9-10-9----12-10-10-9-10-9------------------12/14-12-
B------------------12------------------12-10-12-----------------
G------------------------------------------------/14-12--------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------
E----12-10-10-9-10-9-----12-10-10-9-10-9-------------------
B--------------------12------------------12-10-12----------
G-------------------------------------------------/14-12---
D----------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------
E---------7----------------------------------------------
B---8-10----10-8-7-8--7----------------------------------
G-------------------------9-7-9-7-6-4-6-4h6p4------------
D------------------------------------------------7-------
A--------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------8--------8-------
G---4--------------------------------5---------5----------
D-----7-5-4-5-4h5p4-----4----4---3----------3-------------
A--------------------7----7-----------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
(faster)
E----------------------5-7-5---------------------------------
B--------8-------8-7-8-------8-7-8-7-5------------------------
G-----5-------5------------------------7-6-7-6-4--------------
D--3-------3-------------------------------------7-5-7-5-4----
A----------------------------------------------------------7--
E------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------5--6--7--6--5-----5--6--7--6--5------
G-----------4--6--7-----------------7-----------------7---
D--4--5--7------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B---5-----------------------------------------------------
G------4------7------4------------------------------------
D----------7-----7-----7-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-0-1-2--------------
A----------------------------------------------4--5--6----
E---------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------9/11--9------------------------
D------------7---7----9-9----------11/9p7---7-----7------
A---------7---------9------------------------------------
E---7--7-------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
B---10/12--10---------------------------------------------
G--------------12-----------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A------------------12/14---12-----------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
'Farewell to swifty' motif :
-----------------------------
E--11-12-12-11-12-11-12--11-12-12-11-12-12-11-12-11-12/14--17--
B---------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
E---14--12--11---11/12---11/7-----------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
I don't think there are any mistakes here - but if you find anything
you're not sure about, let me know.
.... now practice !!!
Howard
Big Swifty tab