Frank tab by Steve Vai

A likely reason that this song was not (to my knowledge)
tabbed before is that it is neither the typical soft
ballade by Vai or the heavy-style material most
people like of him, but something in the middle.
Also, there are parts in which you would *need* more
than one guitar to get the sound, but I decided to tab
this approximation because it's better than nothing & didn't want
to risk forgetting several beautiful chords. Distorsion
is used freely in the original recording, although I think it may
do well with a clean sound (or with an oukelele, for that matter :-)
As for most Vai stuff it becomes playable -at least for me-
at around 80 % of the original tempo, so take it easy.
And by the way, it is supposed to be a tribute
to Frank Zappa. Corrections and improvements welcome. Cheers.

Frank, by Steve Vai. From the album 'The Ultrazone'.

TAB by Javier Dobroide


-|-5---3---3---1---1---3--|1---0---0------------|-1---0---0-----------0-|-
-|------------------------|-----------3---3---1-|-------------3---3-----|-
-|-3----------------------|2--------------------|-0---------------------|-
-|------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|-
-|------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|-
-|------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|-

-|------------------|------------------------|---------------|-3--------|-
-|3-1-1-------------|------------------------|1--------------|-3--------|-
-|--------3---3---2-|-2---h3p2p0------0------|---------------|-0--------|-
-|3-----------------|----------3-------------|---------------|----------|-
-|------------------|-1----------------------|---------------|----------|-
-|------------------|------------------------|-----1/--3-----|-3--------|-

-|------------|------------------|-------------------|------------------|-
-|------------|------------------|-------------------|------------------|-
-|------------|-5----5-5---5---5-|-------------------|------------------|-
-|------------|-5h7--7-7---5---5-|-5---5---5---5---5-|-3----3-3---3---3-|-
-|------------|------------------|-5h7-7p8-7---5---5-|-3h5--5-5---3---3-|-
-|3-3-3-3-3-3-|------------------|-------------------|------------------|-

-|---------------------|-----------------8----|-------------------------|-
-|---------------------|------------------8---|-------------------------|-
-|---------------------|-5----5-5--5--5-------|-------------------------|-
-|-3---3----3---3---3--|-5h7--7-7--5--5-------|-5----5----5---5--5------|-
-|-3h5-5h6--5---3---3--|----------------------|-5h7--7p8--7---5--5-7\5--|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|-

-|-------------|--------------------|-------------|---------------------|-
-|-------------|--------------------|-1-----------|---------------------|-
-|-------3---2-|--------------------|-0-----------|-------------0-------|-
-|-3---3-3-3-3-|-3----3----3---3----|-------------|2h3--3-3-3-3-0--3----|-
-|-3h5-5-5-3-3-|-3h5--5h6--5---3----|-3-----------|1----1-1-1-1-1-------|-
-|-------------|--------------------|----5\3-1-1--|---------------------|-

-|--------------3--|------------------------|--------------------------|-
-|---------------3-|------------------------|--------------------------|-
-|-----------------|------------------------|------------------------0-|-
-|-0h2--2-2-3-2----|-2h3--3-3-3-3/5-3-------|-0h2--2-2-3-2h3p2p0-------|-
-|-3----3-3-3-3----|-1----1-1-1-1-----------|-3----3-3-3-3--------3----|-
-|-----------------|------------------------|--------------------------|-

-|----------------------|-----------------3/5--5\3-|-------------------|-
-|----------------------|-----------------3/5--5\3-|-------------------|-
-|-5\3----------3/5-3---|--------------------------|-------------------|-
-|-5\3--0-0-0-0-3/5-3---|-0h2--2-2-3--2------------|-2h3--3-3-3-3/5--3-|-
-|-3----1-1-1-1-1/3-1---|-3----3-3-3--3------------|-1----1-1-1-1------|-
-|----------------------|--------------------------|-------------------|-

-|-------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-
-|-----------3/5\3-1-|--------------/5\3/5----|-------------3/5\3-1----|-
-|-----------2/4\2-0-|--------------/4\2/4----|-------------2/4\2-0----|-
-|---3--7-5----------|---3---7--5-------------|-----3--7-5-------------|-
-|--3--7--5----------|--3---7---5-------------|---3--7---5-------------|-
-|-1--5---3----------|-1---5----3-------------|-1--5-----3-------------|-

-|------------------------|--------------|/10--------10----------|-
-|---1-----5------3-------|--------------|---12-10-----10--------|-
-|-----0-----5----0-------|--------------|---------------10------|-
-|--0----------5--0-------|--------------|-----------------------|-
-|------------------------|--------------|-----------------------|-
-|-1------5-------3-------|--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-----------------------|-

-|---------------------|------------------------|--------------------10-|-
-|-/12----------10-----|------------------------|--------------------10-|-
-|----12-10-9h10--10-9-|------------------------|-------------12-12--10-|-
-|---------------------|-12h14-12-10-9h10-------|-------12-12-12-12--10-|-
-|---------------------|------------------12----|-10-10-10-10-10-10--10-|-
-|---------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|-

-|----------------15---|-------------------------|------------------13--|-
-|-13----13-13-13---15-|-------------------------|-10h1211-11-10-10---13|-
-|-12h14-14-14-12------|-12----12----12-12-------|-10---10-10-10-10-----|-
-|---------------------|-12h14-14h15-14-12-14\12-|-10h1212-12-10-10-----|-
-|---------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-
-|---------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-

-|---------------------------------|------------------------|-
-|---------------------------------|-13----13-13-13-/13-----|-
-|-10----10----10-10---------------|-12h14-14-14-12----14-12|-
-|-10h12-12h13-12-10---------------|------------------------|-
-|------------------/12-10-8-/12-10|------------------------|-
-|---------------------------------|------------------------|-

-|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------------------------|-10h11-11-11-10-10---|-
-|-12----12----12-12-12------------------|-10----10-10-10-10---|-
-|-12h14-14h15-14-12-12-14p12\10---/14-12|-10h12-12-12-10-10---|-
-|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------------------------|-------------------13|-

-|--------------------------------|-------------------------|-
-|-10h11-11/13\11----10-----------|-------------------------|-
-|-10-------------10-10-----------|-9h10-10-10-10-10-/12\10-|-
-|-10h12-12/14\12-10--------------|-8-----8--8--8--8-/10\8--|-
-|----------------------10\8------|-8-----8--8--8--8-/10----|-
-|---------------------------8-8--|-------------------------|-

-|------------------8-|----------------------|-------------------------|-
-|---------------8--8-|----------------------|-------------------------|-
-|-9h10-9--9-10--9----|9h1010-10-10-10-/12\10|-9h10-9--9-10-9h10p9-7---|-
-|10---10-10-10-10----|8----8--8--8--8-/10\8-|10---10-10-------------10|-
-|--------------------|8----8--8--8--8-/8----|-------------------------|-
-|--------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|-

-|-8--8\6----------------|-----------------------------|-
-|-8--8\6-6-6-6-6--/10---|---------------8-------------|-
-|-9--9\7-7-7-7-7--/10-10|-9h10-9--9-10--9-10--9-10--9-|-
-|10-10\8-8-8-8-8--/10-10|10---10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-
-|-----------------------|-----------------------------|-
-|-----------------------|-----------------------------|-

-|-8-8\6-6-6-6-6-/13-13-|--------------------|---------------|-
-|-8-8\6-6-6-6-6-/13-13-|--------------------|-10/12--10-----|-
-|-9-9\7-7-7-7-7--------|------10------14-12-|-10/12--10--12-|-
-|1010\8-8-8-8-8--------|---10-------14---12-|------------12-|-
-|-------------------12\|-8-------12------10-|---------------|-
-|----------------------|--------------------|---------------|-

-|-----------------|---/12---10---/12--|------------------|-
-|-----------------|---/12---10---/12--|------------------|-
-|----10----14--12-|-------------------|-----10---14--12--|-
-|--10----14----12-|-------------------|---10----14---12--|-
-|-8----12------10-|-------------------|--8-----12----10--|-
-|-----------------|-------------------|------------------|-

-|---------------|----------------|----------------|-------10--------10|-
-|--10/12-10-----|--------10------|---------10-----|---------10------10|-
-|--10/12-10-12--|-----------10---|------------10--|-----12-----12---10|-
-|-----------12--|------10--------|-------10-------|-------------------|-
-|---------------|---/8-----------|---/12----------|--10---------------|-
-|---------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|-

-|/19p17-15------|--------------|--------------------|------------------|-
-|---------15h17-|18p17-15-13-12|13-12---------------|------------------|-
-|---------------|--------------|------14-12-14-12-10|-9-h10p9----------|-
-|---------------|--------------|--------------------|--------12-10-9---|-
-|---------------|--------------|--------------------|---------------12-|-
-|---------------|--------------|--------------------|------------------|-

-|----10----8------|-----5-----------|----------------|-----------5-6p5-|-
-|-----10----8-----|----5-5------5---|--------3---/8--|-6------1--6-----|-
-|-----------------|---5---5----5-5--|-------4--------|-5-----2---5-----|-
-|-----------------|-----------4---4-|------5---------|-7----3----------|-
-|10------8----7\5-|-5--------5------|-----5----------|-----3-----------|-
-|-----------------|-----------------|---3------------|----1------------|-

-|----3-------|------10------8|-----7-8p7-|------5---1-|--------------3-|-
-|---3-----6--|----11------9--|---8-------|----6-----3-|---1---1---1--0-|-
-|--4-----7---|--10------8----|-7---------|--5-------4-|--0---0----0--0-|-
-|-------8----|---------------|-----------|----------5-|-3---2-----0----|-
-|------8-----|---------------|-----------|----------5-|----------------|-
-|3----6------|---------------|-----------|----------3-|--------------3-|-

-|-/15-----------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|-----15--------------|-15/17\15-------------|-/15-13--------------|-
-|--------14h16--16----|---------14\12--------|-------12/16---------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-

-|-15--13--11--10------|-10h11-10-------------|-/15-----------------|-
-|-15--13--11--10------|---------10\9/10------|----15-16-15---------|-
-|-16--14--12--11------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|--------------0------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-

-|---------------------|----------------------|----14--15-14--------|-
-|--16---17------------|----------------------|--15--15------14-----|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------0-----|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|-------12-\-----------|---------------------|-

             bend           bend
-|------19-----------|-19-20-19--------------|-15-17-15--------------|-
-|-19------19--------|---------17\15---------|----------15\13--------|-
-|--19------14h16/18-|---------------12h14/16|---------------12h14-12|-
-|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
-|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-
-|-------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-

ambulance here (whamy), then repeat part #1 with minor variations
-|-15------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|-

****************************************************************************

Hi. I found your tab for "Frank" really helpful, and it's always great to
see new Steve Vai tabs come online. He's pretty underrepresented on tab sites,
most likely because his songs are so hard to figure out. Anyway, as far as I
can tell the tab is correct, except I read in an interview that Steve does the
entire "solo" using a combination of whammy bar and natural harmonics. I tried
it out, and doing it this way sounds a lot closer to the album, and feels more
natural to play since its all in one area of the guitar. My copy of Ultra Zone
was stolen from my car a few months ago along with a whole bunch of other CDs,
but based on memory and your tab, this is how I think he plays it:

"Frank" Solo
By Aaron Goldman (aaronlg@hotmail.com)

Notation:

 = natural harmonic on the 5th fret

  1
/ = hit the harmonic and then go up one fret with wammy bar
    (like a normal bend)
\
  1 = hit harm, then go down 1fr /w/ bar

  1
/ \ = hit harm, go up 1fr /w/ bar, then go back down
     (like a bend and release)
  1____
/  = keep the pitch 1fr higher even as you hit the second note
       (like a hold bend)

there are no non-harmonics anywhere in this part of the song, so any number
not in 's will invariably be part of the whammy bar notation

E|--------------------|---------------|----------------|--------------|
B|--------------------|---------------|-------------4--|--------------|
G|-----------------|-----2---------|---------/---|-\-------1-|
D|----------2____--|-/-\--------|-------------|-\2--/1\|
A|---------/----|--------\---|-------------|-----2--/-\|
E|--------------------|------------2--|----------------|--------------|

E|-----------------|----------------------|-------------|-----------|
B|-----------------|----------------------|-------1_----|-----------|
G|----1------------|----------1--------|----1__/-----|-----------|
D|-/---------|------/-\----|-/-----|--------|
A|----------\-/-|----------------------|-------------|-----------|
E|--------------1--|----------------------|-------------|--\-----|

E|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|------------------------|
G|------------------------|---------------------|
D|---------------|-----------------2------|
A|------------------------|-----------------/---|
E|---------------------------|---------------------------|

E|-----1--\------------|-----------------------|
B|-/-\----2-----2---|-----2-----------2-----|
G|--------------/------|-/-\-------/--|
D|------------------------|-----------------------|
A|------------------------|--------\-----------|
E|------------------------|-----------2-----------|

E|------/\/\/\-----------
B|-----/------\/\/\------
G|-/------------\/\/\-
D|-----------------------
A|-----------------------
E|-----------------------