Chordplay - The Chords Of Rush (Part Two)

Here's the next episode of Chordplay with a second installment of The Chords Of Rush. Alex Lifeson is one of my biggest chord-based influences and aside from working on plenty of his licks, fills, riffs, and solos over the years, I've learned a lot from studying his music and the interesting chords and unusual progressions he creates, so there's plenty to absorb and learn from this prog-rock guitar pioneer.
This lesson focuses on a handful of music from Rush's 1980s-1990s era, including songs from albums such as Presto, Counterparts, and Signals, not to mention a classic chord-based section from Hemispheres, and much more!
Fans of the band will find plenty of deep cuts and fan favorites hiding in this lesson, while newcomers will locate some slick Alex Lifeson chord moves and great Rush songs to check out and tackle. From hard-rocking riffs with interesting chord movements to sustained shimmering chords, clean guitar passages, funky riffs, and much more. Needless to say, there's a lot to pick up from a player as talented and unique as Alex Lifeson.
Give this episode a view, leave some comments and feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!

[@paolomaiorana2543]

When I grew up Xanadu used to be on Farewell to Kings. 😀

[@LateNightLessons]

Good call - I screwed up that part. Totally my bad. : )

[@paolomaiorana2543]

@@LateNightLessons not a bad at all. YOUR CHANNEL ROCKS!!! How about a chord play for Cheap Trick or Rick Nielsen? Keep on keepin on! 🙂

[@magnusiversen820]

Talking about EVH's Rush influence, Pleasure Dome (from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge) is an obvious tribute to Xanadu. He uses the same chords in the intro, and the title is even in the lyrics (and the original poem of course).

[@Star-Explorers]

The F#11 chord is often called the "Alex Lifeson Chord" while Jimi Hendrix's is the Dominant 7#9.

[@stainless641]

More Rush!

[@mattacosta6904]

Thank you for highlighting late 80s and 90s Rush which always seems to be overshadowed by the earlier stuff.

[@waynegram8907]

Until you make Lesson Part 10 of RUSH you're not a true RUSH fan, we all need to really pressure Dave Brewster to make more and more and more RUSH lessons

[@seekingthetruth304]

Countdown is one of the best, not-so-known songs ever.... Crackling speakers, voices tense Resume the final count All systems check, T-minus-nine As the sun and drama start to mount

[@thomaslong8401]

I saw rush on their farewell to kings tour in 1977 when I was in college. One of the best concerts I ever saw. So remember Xanadu. There’s a video of them playing Xanadu on KZbin from that time. Looked just like the concert. Hard to believe it was 43 years ago now.

[@vidiatrack]

More Alex and rush please.

[@Scottocaster6668]

Thank you B🐓. I myself am a more old school 70s Rush fan. I love playing the solo on WORKING MAN. It's not difficult, just has a lot of attitude and originality. All the World's a stage is the one I grew up with at a ripe young age of 11😁👍.

[@infinitysconcinnity2418]

You are such a genuine RUSH fan! Many people (on KZbin) claim to be RUSH fans only to like primarily their earlier (late 70's-early 80's) albums (Rush to Moving Pictures/Signals/Grace Under Pressure). You, on the other hand, clearly like all eras of the band. It really shows and I am extremely impressed!

[@jollyca]

I've seen an interview with Alex Lifeson once, he said that he played those open chords to try to make the guitar sound bigger since it was a one guitar band.

[@paulwhickerthetallvicar]

For me the golden era for Rush was the amazing span of albums from 76-81: 2112 through A Farewell to Kings, Permanent Waves, Hemispheres and Moving Pictures. I still play those albums today.

[@MichaelWilson-ri9pn]

Thank you for another great lesson. I really really appreciate you and respect you man.

[@russlgtr]

Thanking you this is awesome. Freewill, everything on permanent waves, time stand still. Ok everything rush. Sound track of my life

[@barryhaynes103]

definitely the soundtrack of my life too ...

[@anthonytremblett8187]

Hearing Exit Stage Left in grade 10 was when I finally understood and got into Rush. Love the band, me being Canadian I've always called them the Canadian Zeppelin. Thanks for the vid🎶✌

[@BrentJJ]

Great content, thank you David. I've been into Rish since Fly By Night came out and I am appreciating them even more now and in newer ways. They were musically so advanced for their age, they tried...awesome. Makes me want to practice. ☮🎸

[@know5703]

Wow I remember when I was like 10 in elementary school my dad got the Rush in Rio DVD when it came out and became obsessed with Neil Pearts drum solo, I would watch it all the time. I had a friend that was a mega Van-Halen fan and I wasn't all too familiar, I showed him the drum solo and he showed me Eddies 1993 Live Right Here Right now solo and ever since Van Halen & Rush have been my top 2 all time favorites. Two bands with such tremendous talent.

[@STAMPER-DESIGN]

Great lesson! Thank you

[@wulfenii64]

I was a fan of Rush back in high school too but in the 70s. LOL

[@timhalstead9790]

Same here, finally got to see them the first time in 78

[@wulfenii64]

@@timhalstead9790 lucky. Hemispheres is their best in my opinion. I saw them in 1980. Best show ever!

[@timhalstead9790]

That was the 78 Tour I went to, still got the program, I'd post a pic here if I knew how, then we went to the Signals Tour in 82 or 83

[@scottdunn2178]

My first two concerts were Permanent Waves tour and Moving Pictures tour, in 1980 and '81 respectively. Third was Ozzy with Randy Rhoads in '81.

[@vidiatrack]

Thanks for the videos. Love Rush! Alex rocks.

[@EJBGuitar]

Killer! Anxiously awaiting Part 3 now!

[@bghammock]

Love love love the voicings on those Xanadu chords .. they just give ya goosebumps.

[@kcrich1310]

Moving Pictures was the Rush album that came out at the start of my teenage years and that I gravitated to the most. I think that album was the first departure from their older style of music and moved them in a new direction.........

[@santiagoimbachi6381]

The Melody Within

[@michaeldoyle6503]

Concerning The Enemy Within, one of the things that I love/respect about Rush is that they're very open about being influenced by their contemporaries. They talk openly about listening to and being inspired by The Police. When I hear that reggae inspired riff from The Enemy Within, I really hear the influence of The Police coming through.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

2:01 That's interesting. My best friend was big into Van Halen and I was big into Rush, and we had that same sort of influence on each other.

[@jamesmarcin4787]

Awesome, Thanks😃🎸🎶

[@TheOrdener]

So cool that you did “Countdown.” Always loved that song.

[@48tomw]

This was fun to watch! I've been a Rush fan since I was 12yrs old which was 1975 and man what a ride its been. I play guitar myself and what I've learned is that once you begin to think to yourself-what would Alex do then your gonna make much progress. Don't ask me how one can think like Alex because that is something you just learn after many years. LOL

[@J24777]

Love this!! Thanks so much!!

[@frankiedonofrio5438]

Great Job on Part 2!!!

[@paulweber6933]

Lifeson is probably the most under rated guitarist all of time, he often is lost in the shadow on Geddy and Neil. He created a huge wall of sound with one guitar. His chord voicings were interesting and unique, not many straight up barre chords in his tunes. He rates up there the greats.

[@johnc.mitchelljr.2716]

always enjoy watching a good teacher : )

[@Dobie_ByTor]

Don’t think I didn’t notice the change in frames up there in the left. 😂 So glad you are cover Alex’s style. REALLY enjoying it. ✊

[@xai1971]

Top Video.

[@electroKrunch]

One of my favorite bands! Thanks man!!

[@eduardorajabally28]

More than teaching us how to play some fantastic songs, this is a GREAT lesson on Alex's style. Thank you for this amazing content.

[@jillianlynneswope]

Thank you! Such a great lesson, good song choices, never really hear about the later year songs, really great, and still the Best Band in The Galaxy!

[@wooliegeek]

That chord you talk about... first time I heard Alex use it was Fly By Night

[@MT-or7lv]

Another great lesson. Thanks! Rush is one of the greatest bands ever, I simply love them! Keep up the good work Mr. "Something Like That" 😄

[@mightyV444]

I actually cried when I heard about Neil Peart's passing, and it really surprised me, too; I must've been connected much deeper to him and his work than I'd realised! And I almost felt bad when my reaction to Eddie Van Halen's death wasn't quite as dramatic. Still very sad, of course 😔

[@markmilner842]

One of the most underrated guitarists of all time.

[@stringbender11672]

Stick it Out

[@marcjordan29]

AWESOME! Thanks for the newer rush... Stuff is my favorite.. Counterparts is just... Great. And it really is "somethin like this" 😜

[@LucifersReactorChamber42]

Thank you for your hard work in all the madness. Your teachings have helped keep me grounded. :)

[@kbelbeisi]

Thanks. Looking forward to part 3 (more 70s Rush).

[@jamesrichardson8656]

Thanks again for giving us a great lesson. I'm always inspired by your taste in music, most of it is and has been a sound track in my life. Thanks again 👍

[@IsothermeMusic]

Thank you so much for this. Even though I’ve checked out your channel for a while, it was this analysis of my first ever guitar hero, Alex Lifeson, that motivated me to subscribe to your Patreon page last week. I’m also glad you looked at his playing in the 80s. The 80s were the culmination of Lifeson the guitar texturalist. This came across not only in the chord voicing me he used (which you expertly analyzed), but also in deepening his sound with chorus, reverb and delay. His playing has always held a strong element of texture, even in the 70s, but it really wasn’t until the early 80s that he perfected the power of space and ambience. My own playing and composition would be so much less without his influence.

[@johnvcougar]

Nice tones, guv'nor! You should talk about how you're getting those sounds sometimes, too!

[@azbababooey]

I’d love to see you do a lesson/licks of Y&T, such a great band. Dave Meniketti doesn’t get enough due as a guitarist/singer.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

In the 80's I worked for Meniketti's grandfather who had a combination music and furniture store on Grand Avenue In Oakland. He could rip it up on an accordion too. Never met Dave, but I did begin giving my first professional guitar lessons there. He had only two good guitars (Seagulls, made in Canada) that I sold right away, but the rest of his guitars were so crappy I never sold another, so he said I should just give lessons.

[@bertgetner9397]

Awesome lesson. The first time Ive seen multiple album covers go up on the wall during a lesson. Fly by Night was a great guitar album. Straight forward rock guitar. No spacey dissonance. Not that its a bad thing!

[@philmcqueen4659]

" and that's never going to stop, at least for me." Me either!

[@andymellor9056]

R'amen to that!

[@julianschulz1620]

Great lesson, as always, but you should design & sell a black T shirt, that has the slogan: Something like that...

[@stevemora7845]

Those really are great chords and riffs. So well done and catchy!

[@edrowley1]

Great lesson, thanks! Been a Rush fan since 1976 (quickly found the earlier stuff!.) :)

[@barryhaynes103]

exceptional chordplay episode ... "show, don't tell" is a great song ... my all time favorite band !!! ... love permanent waves, played it every day ... put it on in the morning getting ready for school, cranked it at parties, at the lake, in my room late at night ... drove my mother nuts ... thanks for the content ... one of the best channels on KZbin ... period

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Awesome licks and lessons Dave! As always thank you bro ...Mike (Ipswich River Guitars).

[@repairdepartment5918]

Oh hell yeahhhhhhhhhh. Can't wait for parts 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17, and 18 and 19. BTW, Vapor Trails? I love that album and there is a ton of cool guitar going on. Seems like Alex just went into creative beast mode

[@andymellor9056]

Agreed. Shame it was damaged by the mix / mastering. The reissue is better.

[@guidry2462]

Great video 👍👍

[@pitpride1220]

I loved TFE for the heaviness too. Time and Motion was crazy heavy. Jerry Cantrell is a HUGE RUSH fan. AIC did a cover of Tears for the 2112 reissue I think. Their harmonies were perfect for it.

[@mightyV444]

Intro song: 'Spit It Out', from the 'Counterparts' album! Which *I* thought was pretty good! I also love how the rhythm of that intro only becomes clear once the hi-hat and vocals join in 🙂 Anyway, on with your video.... (Or was it 'STICK It Out'?! 🤔 🙂 )

[@curragh4635]

I just subscribed to your channel cause of this . Thank you for doing this.. and yes more rush and police also..😆

[@loveguitars]

Listen to the Necromancer and your mind will take you away to another planet!!😎👍

[@uncleremus5046]

🍺’ski when do you sleep?🤘

[@jasonbone5121]

Stick It Out!

[@ChrisRaindog]

Hi there! Thank you for all your hard work! Just an idea: I think that it would be nice to have a lesson where you'd explain how someone like Alex Lifeson would go on to compose a solo over one of these chord progressions. Would he follow tonality? Would the chords, in some way, be a leading path? Is it something else? I'm pretty sure many people feel quite confused on issues like this! Cheers from Greece

[@stkittsdave1]

You strike me as a dude who might like King’s X. Ty Tabor is a player I’d love to see you analyze.

[@kevmet84]

Awesome! So, when you reckon you'll get around to part three?😉😎

[@wooliegeek]

A few more comments about this. 1) Xanadu is from A Farewell To Kings, not Hemispheres. 2) Xanadu is a treasure trove of cool bits.

[@bklyncosanostra]

How bout more Steve Howe. 3 licks form yessongs

[@Kerray29]

Had to go and listen to Grace Under Pressure immediately after this

[@hayleycomet8029]

So cool, love Rush and always was fascinated by Alex's chord voicings .. nice series David :) Hey do you play in a Rush tribute? Would love to see that!

[@soulo3x859]

Please do a chordplay of Eric gales

[@santiagoimbachi6381]

It was only logical to continue with Cold Fire!

[@brianschraeder2832]

I remember when Xanadu and Exit stage left was my favorite also. Now I no longer have a favorite. I have a favorite album in their different musical eras, cause it’s so damn hard to have just one.

[@stlflyguy]

Two things: F#11=The Hemispheres Chord; and “Stick It Out”..the feedback note was actually Geddy on a pedal triggering a synth.

[@andymellor9056]

Thanks. Love these lessons and also as a Rush fan from high school in the late 70's early 80's this one in particular. Can we have a pinned link to episode 1 pls. Alex solo analysis would be great. Check out Porcupine Tree's Anethsatise where he plays a killer guest solo.

[@caseysniper308]

your rush pic on the wall went back in time from exit stage left to the working man album with rumsey,

[@mightyV444]

And that was another great video, thank you David! 🙂 I would just like to add to 'The Enemy Within' that it sounds to *my* ears like he doesn't actually play the root notes during the Reggae part; Unless the Fifths on the A-string simply stand out more, of course, in the original recording 🙂 By the way, are you at all familiar with The Damned? They too were using a lot of those 'open' chords on their later stuff, like in the songs 'Smash It Up' (Pt.1), 'Alone Again Or' and 'Jeckyll And Hyde'. As well as The Cure in songs like 'Play For Today' 🙂

[@montbob100]

xana d u is from farewell to kings

[@Star-Explorers]

David, I have a difficult question for you. What single 'chord' would identify guitarists like Randy Rhoads, Van Halen, Steve Vai, Brian May, Andy Summers, Joe Satriani etc.

[@martyisabeliever]

Lerxt!

[@electroKrunch]

I'm sure Alex made it 7 to leave time to get the the next chord structure. I've seen that while studying Rush over the decades...

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Liked your comment, even though I disagree with that particular assumption.

[@homeboyjethro]

yessssss RUSHHHHH. Xanadu is the best song ever lol. Stick it Out was verrrrrrrry muddy/heavy live, it surprised me.

[@electroKrunch]

There is some great yellowing on your black LP's plastic, how old is it?

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey Karl and thanks for the question! It's a 2000 LP Standard, so it's twenty years old this year - I can't believe it, but it's true. : )

[@TheUncleshoes]

I was viewer 2662, close enough!

[@n4p00f6]

Song at 16:00?

[@larrythomas7512]

Do me a favor Meister Brewer the chords of John Mahavisinu

[@bmoraski]

"Im not giving up on impossible dreams, experience to extremes "

[@LucifersReactorChamber42]

experience two extremes

[@pitpride1220]

"Something like this". Proceeds to play it well. Lol

[@tony69em]

How are there no views but 4 likes including mine?

[@patrickkish6662]

Dude, you know it's gonna be good

[@rudiger1337]

I always like David's video before I watch.. I may at some point dislike one just so he doesn't get to confident

[@Scottocaster6668]

Because we are the early birds with taste!

[@thomasmcgarry4245]

Stick it out

[@easter_sunday]

Alex Lifeson is your Daddy!

[@electroKrunch]

From what I've seen on some Lifeson interviews, the sounds we a product of mechanics. Move the barre chord around and hit strings not normally hit! I see Alex as a humble guy that loves to play guitar. Not a virtuoso as he's been made out to be. I'd guess he'd say the same. He loves to play guitar, plays it differently, sounds different. I kinda do the same thing, growing up on RUSH. Scales & modes need to give way to neck mechanics... The right note is in there somewhere, what's entertaining is the getting there....

[@delete.102]

I'm a huge rust fan but they lost me after signals. I think all that stuff is trash afterwards.