King Crimson - Frame By Frame Tab

"Frame by Frame" from the King Crimson album "Discipline"
Fripp Guitar Part (essentials)
Transcribed by Reginald Hunt

The song begins with Fripp playing a rapid 1/16-note riff repeated many times:

  
             
  
             
  
             
 then after 32 measures of 4/4 he shifts up to
  
     4 6 4   
  
 4 7       7 
  
             


  
               
  
               
  
               
 after 16 measures of 4/4 he shifts up to
  
      7 9 7    
  
 7 10       10 
  
               


  
             
                                           
  
             
                                           
  
     5 7 5   
 for 2 measures of 4/4 then        6 8 6   
 for 2 measures of 4/4.
  
 5 8       8 
                               6 9       9 
  
             
                                           
  
             
                                           

The next pattern (F# minor) is:


  
               
                                                
             
  
         2     
                                          2     
         2   
  
 2   4     4   
 for 2 times then                 2   4     4   
 2   4     4 
  for 7 times
  
   4   4     4 
 (if this is the 3rd                4   4     4 
   4   4     
  then
  
               
 go round, make it 6 times)                     
             
  
               
                                                
             


  
               
  
         2     
  
 2   4     4   
 again for 5 times then
  
   4   4     4 
 (if this is the 3rd
  
               
 go round, jump to +++Coda+++ after 5 times)
  
               


  
                
                
                
                
  
         4      
         4      
         4      
         4      
  
 2   4      4   
 2   4      4   
 1   4      4   
 1   4      4   
  
   3   3      3 
   3   3      3 
   3   3      3 
   3   3      3 
  
                
                
                
                
  
                
                
                
                

Note that Fripp plays the above 13/8 pattern against Belew's 14/8 pattern giving an "echo"
effect that ceases after the 7 repeats.

The next pattern (A minor) is:


  
               
  
         5     
  
 5   7     7   
 for 8 times then
  
   7   7     7 
  
               
  
               


  
            8      
  
      10           
  
 9                 
  
   10    10   10   
  
                 0 
  
                   


  
                
                
                
                
  
         5      
         7      
         7      
         7      
  
 5   7      7   
 5   7      7   
 4   7      7   
 4   7      7   
  
   6   6      6 
   6   6      6 
   6   6      6 
   6   6      6 
  
                
                
                
                
  
                
                
                
                

Now return to the beginning and play it all again (but play the first
rapid pattern only 16 times).


  
               
  
         5     
  
 5   7     7   
 for 4 times then
  
   7   7     7 
  
               
  
               


  
                                                 
  
                                                 
  
   5 7 5   5 7 5   5 7 5   5 7 5   5 7 5   5 7 5 
 for 4 times
  
 7       7       7       7       7       7       
  
                                                 
  
                                                 

Although I've seen Fripp play the last riff this way:

  
                                                        
  
                                                        
  
                                                        
  
 7 10 12 10 7 10 12 10 7 10 12 10 7 10 12 10 7 10 12 10