Sofa by Frank Zappa (piano transcription)

Solo Piano arrangement by Greg Sandell

[@zorantaylor3190]

You can really detect Zappa's ear for the sort of thematic patterns and contrasts in music one would traditionally hear accompanying the sorts of ceremonial dances that were popular in Europe for centuries, where a confident, broad collective striding movement gives way to twirling, waltzing et al. The gospel influence gives it even broader resonance. An iconic work of music.

[@davidzimmerli489]

i wonder how many people were quick to write off Zappa as just some freaky looking weirdo, and ended up missing out on one of the most talented composers/musicians/performers who ever lived.... Their immeasurable loss......

[@The-F.R.E.E.-J.]

Never mind them, I've been a fan for decades, but I only cared about his shredding mostly &, after all these years, I'm just starting to appreciate his composition & his non guitar work. I won't live long enough to appreciate all of it for sure..

[@jan_Travis]

If you told someone that this was a piece by a classical composer, they would believe you. Such a gorgeous piece of music.

[@zivfrandelbunt]

Same for King Crimson Prelude Song of the Gulls

[@jan_Travis]

@@zivfrandelbunt just listened to it. Great and beautiful! I love KC but I've never checked Islands out too much. I may have to give it more of a listen.

[@user-wx2ek3uv1i]

Zappa is literally a classical composer

[@bizbizley]

Not a piece for piano. In this format sounds like the Beatles waiting for their next idea. Not a classic

[@benjacari]

Not really classic, the voice conduction have so much octave and fifth parallel, so great reduction for piano!

[@duster71]

Uncle Frank could write any type of music.

[@pauliestags]

I was looking all over for this! Thank you! One of his most beautiful songs IMHO.

[@bveracka]

I agree. I like his 'weird' funky stuff, and there's a lot of beauty hidden in those songs, but this is a more straightforwardly beautiful composition. I've always loved it.

[@Maceta444]

Thank you so goddamn much for this!

[@tonymoliterni]

Hi Greg, very good version of Sofa, I enjoyed it very much, I am from Argentina, here I have been playing Frank's music for more than 20 years, and I wanted to do this version, if it is not too much audacity I would like to ask you for the transcription so I can orchestrate it in my ensemble. Thank you very much. Best regards.

[@user-jh1kr5qh7n]

Simple and good

[@timkaufhold6163]

Love Frank's music this is one of his best.

[@ashleytart6365]

So beautiful. Thank you!! 🥰🔥🦄🌿🙃🌈💐

[@ulizarembach3747]

THX two million times... I LOVE YOU :)

[@makethisgowhoosh]

This needed to be done.

[@allopeth]

Wow! amazing!

[@doublefourgate3189]

I have looked for sheet music for this song for ages, this is awesome! Thank you so much!!

[@connors9942]

Do you have a PDF or downloadable version of this sheet music? I would love to play it with your permission!

[@MatijaKrunic]

Hey this is great could I please get a copy of the sheet music

[@tomkitchen9457]

❤

[@pauloguerrahmusic]

Congratulations Greg forTranscription! Coming soon my A Cappella version.

[@howieo6666]

Wowie...Zowie...Very Nice!!

[@dougfowler341]

Like the previous commentator I have looked for this song in some sheet music form for years. Greg Sandell you deserve a medal! I will probably turn this into a score for our local jazz workshop who probably won't be able to play it - but I don't care!! (no profits unfortunately or I'd happily donate them to Greg). This song and the album (One Size Fits All) has been an absolute favourite of mine since it was issued (1976?). I'll be looking for more Greg Sandell on KZbin from now on. Thanks again.

[@JMB___n]

Yeah Doug, it's a deceptive transcription- not the"Be-bop Tango", Black Page... got that je ne say pas(?) Took a while for me/ in context Sofa sends me to "Uncle Remus". Varese quote "the Composer today Refuses to Die"- I think that's close/ F.Z. lives in my World perhaps more now than Capitol theater fifty years past

[@DonBCilly]

Brilliant

[@DamonWoodGuitarLessons]

Awesome. Thanks!

[@michaelgrossman5913]

Thanks!

[@jimmyjamesc7834]

Thanks you so much for this!

[@jwnyc3]

Oh man thank you

[@kc9kepextra460]

Greg .. Thank you for posting this .. you are an amazing talent indeed! As an student of piano, I would love to work on learning this classic composition. Is there a way I could procure a pdf copy for my personal study? Or, I'd be happy to financially compensate you for a pdf? Thanks again!

[@noelhutz]

Thanks man!

[@hartmutzeller2894]

great efford and great transcription! Thanks. About the sound: OK, it's a MIDI keyboard set to flat velocity but what the hag ;-) lyrics: I'm still wondering what the great FZ ment with "heir"? "Chrome Dinette" & "Demast-Paspeln" are non-existing words..... "Nachten" is probably ment to be "Nächten" (here for the anglo-centrics: "naechten"). I'm not a perfectionist but as far as I know FZ was 100% under control of what he did. So I wonder how he could publish obvious mistakes that are neither fun nor could be understand in a different way e.g.political, sexual or ironical.

[@biblioman]

Never did understand all the mistakes he makes in German...

[@Supertimegamingify]

"Chrome Dinette" is English, and I think that "Demast" is supposed to be 'Damast' (Damask in english) which is quite relevant from the point-of-view of a fancy sofa. This video is of an unofficial transcription, so Frank Zappa had nothing to do with its publishing - likely due to his being dead - and mistakes are to be expected, such as the lack of an ä since the sheet's creator probably didn't have a German keyboard.

[@ulizarembach3747]

#metoo: THX two million times... I LOVE YOU :) But it's *imho* 94,75 % (...because I know that f.....g song very very well ;) ) OK then... I'm going to try to make it 99,06 % perfect *lol* (but it will take some weeks to finish that wonderful story because I have to finish my actual project)) I love you for your job *thumb*

[@esajarvi2591]

Nice practice for note reading...for me..I never know what are triplets just hearing it

[@christopherlawley1842]

3 notes played in the "space" of 2

[@joshbaker5403]

can you email a pdf of this?

[@alfredgiesen1656]

Tempo is to quick....... Beats Pro Minute for this song is : 113 (114) BPM

[@bensteyn8420]

Funny to read the mistakes in German after so many years ... on and on. Nobody there to correct it?

[@georgerikken]

Played verry hard , its not ragtime

[@davetothebeard]

A good exercise but otherwise sounds lifeless. Like a player piano.

[@gsandell]

That’s what it is, a mechanical performance from software, as mentioned in the credits at the end.

[@charlesarizona]

Fascinating. Not a single sharp or flat till the final chord?

[@faz0482]

Maybe putting a swing mark at the beginning of the piece would help.