Thanks for this backing track. You can never get bored playing this tune. It’s up to you the player to make this beautiful, violent, elegant, melodic, savage and awesome. Frank always achieved perfection playing this one. Absolutely gorgeous tune that’s never played the same way twice.
In a 1999 issue of READ magazine, an article entitled THE LOST INTERVIEW, Frank is quoted "Black Napkins is actually two chords that goes between C sharp minor and D7 major. But there's a lot of different keys you can play in there. I play an F sharp major on top of that". If you watch the MIKE DOUGLAS appearance, that's what it appears (at least to me) he's playing.
Great job. The time of this would be considered 6/8 because the kick falls on 1 and the and of 3 and the snare on the downbeat of 4. The key of this would be A Major. The chords to A Major would be Amaj7 Bm7 C#m7 Dmaj7 E7 F#m7 G#7b5. The tonal center would be C#. If modes is your things, you could call it Phrygian however if you tell someone C#m Phrygian, you have to go and think, and if you say key of A, tonal center C#, you know there are 3 sharps and all the chords. This of course is just a guideline as you could look at each chord individually and not look at them both as a common key. So you could play the in the key of A, B, or E for the C#m chord ( of course there are other scales as well, harmonic major and doubles but for this purpose keeping it simple), and for the Dmaj7 chord you could play in A or D. Anyway so much you could do, just wanted to put my two cents in. Great job on the track. I would love to use it as a background on my channel and would give you credit if I did, if thats ok with you.
that leading tone G chord would actually be a G#-7b5 so you have the diminished triad in the chord (likewise it could be replaced by a G#dim triad, but then again all of these chords could be replaced by their triadic versions). And phrygian is actually really easy to think about when playing if you think of it as a Minor scale with a flattened second.
My brain thinks "C# Phrygian is Dorian down 2, or B Dorian, which is of course, A Major. Tone centers on key given, which is C#." Everyone learns minor pentatonics. Adding 2 notes to get to Dorian and reading a cheat sheet is easy...if you are just jamming. If you are writing it, the circle of 5ths comes in handy.
Thanks so much for this track! Now I can start the journey of trying to play Black Napkins. True it's simple, and that's what makes it so impossibly cool what Frank (and now Dweezil) were able to do with it. If anyone finds it boring, that's kind of the point; I dare you to try to make it interesting!
I started smashing my guitar at gig one night playing this piece. I ran out of ideas & it drove me nuts. I didn’t really hurt my Strat too much but it is naturally stressed & road worn. I rather make my own. Thank you Frank.
You prolly dont give a shit but does any of you know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me!
@Tristen Bryce thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
***** Thank you. That means a lot. Much appreciated. Its really a fairly simple backing track. I did a 2 chord vamp of C#m7 and Dmaj7 (in 3/4 time signature) with a keyboard/synth plugin and then played a random bass line from a live version I heard. Did a few bars of drums and looped everything together. I might go back and redo it without looping and try to bring more rhythmic variation to the drums. Might help and spark some more creativity when jamming to it. Any suggestions and critiques are appreciated!
I understand where you're coming from. Good news is I recently completed a few pro tools courses so hopefully if I find some time I'll start composing some more professional sounding backing tracks. Thanks again for sharing your opinion
Quality backing track! you can just jam this for ages haha! had a go with the spital delivery pedal... ua-cam.com/video/J73OR0Z0u1c/v-deo.html Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I made this a long time ago. The back tracking could be better but it gets the job done! Thank you again for watching!
John Chen I just recorded the 2 chord vamp like frank did but this was years ago. I’ll get around to redoing all my stuff in the near future. Been busy with my job etc
+Dana Everhart Cool, I made this years ago and we're not all Frank Zappa. If you'd like a chord change then make your own track. I wanted to jam over 2 chord vamp so I made one.
I haven't been this inspired whilst jamming over a backing track in ages, thanks for making this
+Smiffy Blue Thank you so much for saying that. I'm glad you enjoy it. I hope to make a new one soon thats more than just a 2 chord loop.
Thanks for this backing track. You can never get bored playing this tune. It’s up to you the player to make this beautiful, violent, elegant, melodic, savage and awesome. Frank always achieved perfection playing this one. Absolutely gorgeous tune that’s never played the same way twice.
Stan
Yes. Agreed.
✅
In a 1999 issue of READ magazine, an article entitled THE LOST INTERVIEW, Frank is quoted "Black Napkins is actually two chords that goes between C sharp minor and D7 major. But there's a lot of different keys you can play in there. I play an F sharp major on top of that". If you watch the MIKE DOUGLAS appearance, that's what it appears (at least to me) he's playing.
By the way, thanks for the track!!!
That's very cool. Thank you for that info, I'll definitely check it out.
I remember seeing that show if i recall correctly he was playing with the Mike Douglas band
can't hear a b flat in there..
Great take on this. I’ll try not to abuse my guitar when I run out of ideas to play something musical.
Utilissima per chi vuol imparare a suonare e comprendere Zappa...
Grazie!!!
So much fun to jam too. Thanks.
nice dude. everyone that's heard this has added to play list. def good exercise. thanks!
Great job. The time of this would be considered 6/8 because the kick falls on 1 and the and of 3 and the snare on the downbeat of 4. The key of this would be A Major. The chords to A Major would be Amaj7 Bm7 C#m7 Dmaj7 E7 F#m7 G#7b5. The tonal center would be C#. If modes is your things, you could call it Phrygian however if you tell someone C#m Phrygian, you have to go and think, and if you say key of A, tonal center C#, you know there are 3 sharps and all the chords. This of course is just a guideline as you could look at each chord individually and not look at them both as a common key. So you could play the in the key of A, B, or E for the C#m chord ( of course there are other scales as well, harmonic major and doubles but for this purpose keeping it simple), and for the Dmaj7 chord you could play in A or D. Anyway so much you could do, just wanted to put my two cents in. Great job on the track. I would love to use it as a background on my channel and would give you credit if I did, if thats ok with you.
that leading tone G chord would actually be a G#-7b5 so you have the diminished triad in the chord (likewise it could be replaced by a G#dim triad, but then again all of these chords could be replaced by their triadic versions). And phrygian is actually really easy to think about when playing if you think of it as a Minor scale with a flattened second.
My brain thinks "C# Phrygian is Dorian down 2, or B Dorian, which is of course, A Major. Tone centers on key given, which is C#."
Everyone learns minor pentatonics. Adding 2 notes to get to Dorian and reading a cheat sheet is easy...if you are just jamming. If you are writing it, the circle of 5ths comes in handy.
Thanks so much for this track! Now I can start the journey of trying to play Black Napkins. True it's simple, and that's what makes it so impossibly cool what Frank (and now Dweezil) were able to do with it. If anyone finds it boring, that's kind of the point; I dare you to try to make it interesting!
I started smashing my guitar at gig one night playing this piece. I ran out of ideas & it drove me nuts. I didn’t really hurt my Strat too much but it is naturally stressed & road worn. I rather make my own. Thank you Frank.
You prolly dont give a shit but does any of you know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me!
@Khari Brooks Instablaster ;)
@Tristen Bryce thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out atm.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Tristen Bryce It did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thanks so much, you saved my ass :D
That's great sir I await your upcoming tracks ✌🏻️
Fantastic!
***** Thank you. That means a lot. Much appreciated. Its really a fairly simple backing track. I did a 2 chord vamp of C#m7 and Dmaj7 (in 3/4 time signature) with a keyboard/synth plugin and then played a random bass line from a live version I heard. Did a few bars of drums and looped everything together. I might go back and redo it without looping and try to bring more rhythmic variation to the drums. Might help and spark some more creativity when jamming to it.
Any suggestions and critiques are appreciated!
Thank you so much for making this!! I love it!
this is great ! good job on this track !
Thank you so much!
Thanks this is really great
Thanks! Zappa's antidot! [=P]
Well ok if you say so. I hope you enjoyed it. It's all good. I just would like to hear more complex backing tracks from you. Keep on rocking!
I understand where you're coming from. Good news is I recently completed a few pro tools courses so hopefully if I find some time I'll start composing some more professional sounding backing tracks. Thanks again for sharing your opinion
love it, it is so helpfull
thank you so much
Cheers me Dears.playing guuitar, like ya do.Zappa
i love it and i hate it cause it cuts off at the end;((
Aweet, the possibilitys are endless just like F Z
Quality backing track! you can just jam this for ages haha!
had a go with the spital delivery pedal...
ua-cam.com/video/J73OR0Z0u1c/v-deo.html
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I made this a long time ago. The back tracking could be better but it gets the job done! Thank you again for watching!
No worry’s dude! check my link if you get time! Tried some unconventional improv that’s for sure haha 🤙🏻
I REALLY HATE THAT IS CUTS OFF...CAN YOU FIX IT PLEASE
John Chen I just recorded the 2 chord vamp like frank did but this was years ago. I’ll get around to redoing all my stuff in the near future. Been busy with my job etc
Fell asleep while waiting for chord change , woke up later and it was still playin the same 2 chords Come On!
+Dana Everhart Cool, I made this years ago and we're not all Frank Zappa. If you'd like a chord change then make your own track. I wanted to jam over 2 chord vamp so I made one.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
yeah that cut off at the end is really fucking annoying...can you fix it please!!!!!!!!!!!
How dare you compare Franks work to this, you have not listened to anything he has done lately Right?
My cats are singing this now, so very not exciting👎🏿
why don't you show us what your made of Dana, and post an impro over it, go on I dare you..then I will sing along with your cats..!