Chordplay - 'The Chords of Rush'

[@andrewpaton6075]

you are an art teacher , showing us how to paint with guitar , many thanks for all your hard work .

[@pauljams6565]

Lifeson is an absolute MASTER of his craft. . .✨

[@MrIcarus777]

2112 is a masterpiece and a Farewell to Kings

[@EarthAltar]

Lifeson is the man when it comes to chords. Even with just G's, C's, and D's he can get right in your face, but when he starts adding those upper extensions it really gets magical. The chords on the verses of Anthem are some of my favorites. Xanadu too. Also, he can smoke a solo. Just an all around monster player. Another great one, Dave. Keep 'em coming!

[@LateNightLessons]

I totally agree and thank you again! : ) Xanadu (especially the Exit Stage Left version) is probably my all-time favorite Rush song. It's just epic and beautiful and resonates with me. I've been a Rush fan forever and always will respect and love this band. Those guys are kings. Rock on buddy!

[@jasonkeith9317]

@@LateNightLessons yes Xanadu epic song.

[@nathancloud6344]

I must say I'm with you. That note for note gig is Bullshit. People that seek note for note are not sharing videos, do not yield the massive free collection of licks and tips. I would also say that note for note lacks feel and creative expression. As for me...... I'm truly greatful and I am learning and taking away so much from all of your videos. Thank you!!!

[@nathancloud6344]

So thrilled about Ghost. I adore it. Flabergasted

[@wulfenii64]

Great lesson. I'm surprised you didn't talk about Hemispheres opening chord. Magical.

[@scottdunn2178]

Dave Grohl said that's his favorite chord; F # 7 Sus4. My favorite Rush album.

[@BradHilton1963]

Fell asleep many nights with my headphones on to Rush growing up. The first album I bought was 2112. The first time I saw them live was after Moving Pictures came out. Thanks for the lesson, great choice for chords and examples!

[@thedddemon]

Thank you for the message at the beginning of the video, it definitely is a breath of fresh air to try to understand the music rather than just copying it.

[@Scottocaster6668]

Amazing how young Alex was back then. You don't see that talent anymore. All of these players you showcase here, are guys we all grew up with, our heroes. Feels like a huge guitar family here, and I appreciate it Dave 😀👍

[@JimmysOldTimeRadioShow]

Thank you for not saying AL is "under-rated", too many do. He's never been under-rated by those in the know. Cheers, Skarni

[@musicmore8315]

Your the man! Thanks for these videos.

[@Kidgloves1984]

Ghost of a chance solo is beautiful! Broons Bane is beautiful!

[@polygraphovich]

Well said at the intro. Concepts make us better musicians, which open up a whole world of possibilities.

[@jlcabra]

Entre nous is a beautiful song! Thanks for playing that... and thank you for your videos 🤘

[@davidbarnich9436]

Alex's phrasing and chord choice's is like ear art ...

[@celestelongway7315]

RUSH Rules yeah!!! from Michael T Wyman LA guitarist and KZbinr ....awesome posts!!

[@scottdunn2178]

My very first concert was Rush Permanent Waves tour in Phoenix in 1980. .38 Special opening.

[@jusevibes3969]

Really appreciating your perspective and good taste⚡️👍🏽

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you so much! : ) \m/ RUSH \m/

[@MarkandSandieInMotion]

New subscriber. Love your vids. I'm a 61 year old knucklehead just learning to play guitar. It sat in the corner for a lot of years:) I don't want to learn all my favorite songs, just write my own melodies and chord progressions. Your channel is a great way to inspire to be creative.

[@ricardocastillo5485]

I can't say enough about Lifeson, he was the G.O.A.T,. but I do want to add that Andy Summers was underrated in The Police and wrote a lot of the stuff that that twonk Sting took credit for.

[@elicas0319]

Really enjoy how you approach Alex’s chord progressions. Thanks!

[@LambAndTheDragon]

Watching you teach opened up minor sus 2, 4 chords for me. This is where the magic is. 4th fret C# minor sus 2, C#m7 sus 2, to low E drone to F#/E Thank you!

[@CornCake03]

Thank you for this! I've loved Rush and Lifeson's approach of guitar for decades now. Great stuff!

[@LateNightLessons]

Thanks again! I LOVE Rush and always have, since high school. It was weird that there were tons of people at my high school that loved Rush, so it hit me early on via my sister and some friends from school.

[@Jorgy1963]

@@LateNightLessons A friend of mine turned me on to Rush with the 2112 album back in the late 70's. My first album I bought was All the World's a Stage. Been a huge fan since then and can't go a day without Rush! Thanks for the videos!

[@ralphhyland8661]

Found your site accidentally...so glad I did. Rush has been my favorite band since HS (75). Saw them live so many times over 4 decades and now that I'm in my early 60s I STILL crank up RUSH regularly, especially in the car. Thanks for doing the chordplay series in general and the Alex one in particular. Another great player with an amazing use of chords is Eric Johnson. Thanks

[@MattCrill]

You have a gift to break down complex sounding parts and make them very approachable. All your episodes are so cool.

[@jimicrack29]

junior high i heard some one mention a band called rush. so next time i went back to the record album store i picked hemisphers. looked to find out what instruments played noticed only bass drum an guitar so bought it. favorite of mine since then have all the bands others.

[@Anthony-nk4ky]

I’ve really only just recently been getting into Rush and of course Neil and Geddy are amazing but Alex man, that guy is something. His stuff is so inspiring to me

[@armandol5431]

Great version of Broon's Bane. I enjoy your videos.

[@pete4531]

Always Rush always Alex - can do no wrong

[@seankevinlynch6513]

Another thing I love about your channel Dave ( apart from the content and relaxed approach) is the clarity with which you show and explain chords in context rather than from someone is who just "teaching" chords verbatim. This video of Alex Lifeson's chord progression highlights my point. I learned more in a couple of minutes here than I have from many other channels. Keep up the great work.

[@ensignofindustry1033]

No apologies man. Love what you’re doing. Shine on you crazy diamond. 🙌

[@johncecilia4517]

Great lesson! You the perfect teacher for Rush lessons with all the weird chords

[@LateNightLessons]

Thanks so much and I totally LOVE Rush! : )

[@JF-xx5kn]

Thanks for putting this together, Dave. Great lesson! I agree, Exit Stage Left was such an amazing album, your acoustic cover was fantastic! Keep the lessons coming. Thoughtful and creative approach is appreciated :-)

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you so much and thanks for watching too! : ) I don't know what it is about that album, it just sounds amazing. And even learning later that most of it was re-recorded (or whatever) really doesn't matter to me - it still sounds great! Thanks again!

[@iainlove2343]

All this is super laid back and appreciated There is always something new to learn and I have been playing Rush for hmmm a long long time, last century it all began, in the year 1980

[@jeffreymonroe153]

Love your lessons and insight brother! I learn a ton from you my friend! Thank you.

[@LateNightLessons]

That's awesome and thank you bro! : ) Stay tuned...

[@crimfan]

Exit Stage Left is indeed great. With few exceptions and some missing tunes the material is their best and the energy is great. I think I'll listen to it today! BTW, you can pretty clearly add Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton of Queensryche to the list of Lerxt fans.

[@LateNightLessons]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching! : )

[@adam872]

Yep, massive Lerxt fans. They make/made very similar harmonic choices.

[@markrobinson8410]

Sebastian Bach also a rush fan.

[@johnc4876]

I have been figuring out Lifeson guitar licks since 75! Love the channel!

[@meatbag_prime]

Great video! One thing you could have also included is the iconic "Hemispheres chord" F#7sus4.

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you and that's totally true. With a band like Rush, I could create ten lessons/videos like this, and there's really only so much I can show in 15 minutes (or so). : ) Thanks again and stay tuned for more lessons and material!

[@geoffwalters8963]

@@LateNightLessons Hahaha, I was abou to post this same chord suggestion. Cygnus X1, Book 2 has long been my favorite song, mostly because of the chord progressions and key modulations. Nice work on the video.

[@Lerxstification]

Broon's Bane...so awesome. Now it's time for bed, with that beauty in my head.

[@billgenx117]

Thanks man ...I feel like myself when I get to practice your lessons....I like the idea of playing other people's music and adding a personal flavor to it...then create original material...your albums are really enjoyable too...

[@michaelangelo253]

I like your approach! Your videos which usually focus on a particular topic opens a door for me for tons of different ideas and possibilities. I think its really important to learn the art of making money so you can buy whichever CAR you like instead of giving the keys of a particular model (you know what i mean?). And Thank you for this video! :)

[@LateNightLessons]

That's great and really what I'm trying to do with this channel - just mixing things up and helping players be a little more creative and "go with the flow" (of music). : ) Thanks for watching and stay tuned...ROCK ON!

[@alexlifeson8946]

That Ghost of a Chance is awesome 👍👌

[@STAMPER-DESIGN]

Love what you're doing on this channel. It's your vibe more than the material you're covering. Thanks for making these videos.

[@journeyquest1]

Alex Lifeson in my top 3 guitar players. Limelight his best solo IMO. When i was 15 (1978) my friend played drums in a band and introduced me to the music. My first Rush album was 2112. I saw them on their Permanent Waves tour in Portland. Sad thing was it was assigned seating and i was about 65% back from the stage.

[@dennishart9643]

I love the way you teach. Thanks.

[@jessehersh9403]

Your friendly reminder is perfect and in my opinion can be summed up by the dimension of playing “from the heart” or “from the gut” which is all there really is in the end Loving your chordplays of so many of my favorite and sometimes inscrutable influences like Mahavishnu and so many others Greetings from old man beginner world

[@mjf1036]

Glad I found this video. Ghost of a Chance is really a masterpiece but I never really figured it out. Your vid has inspired me to revisit it. Yes, Broons Bane. I learned that almost 40 years ago when the tabs showed up in one of the guitar player magazines. ❤

[@pete4531]

David what you say beyond the music shows what a true teacher you really are. I find most guitarist these days are sterile; too precise. Be creative and inspiring and worry less about nailing every note. Keep up the Rush spotlights! Lifeson = #1. He’s the epitome of creativity

[@bruins1itall]

Amazing video, love Rush! Great job!🇨🇦🥃🍺

[@travisstanley6093]

Awesome! Please do more on Rush.

[@scoobdoobdoo7709]

Your channel is a treasure trove!

[@MT-or7lv]

The chord progression in Ghost of a Change has always been so beautiful to me. Love it. Good lesson Dave.

[@anthonyviola9226]

Love seeing the chord play and the little changes that make such a big difference

[@BrianCanavan]

Fabbydoo lesson sir. Thank you.

[@claylockhart6193]

Excellent advice throughout, great stuff.

[@stephandarnutzer5622]

With the way you talk about concepts and ideas and musical textures in this video, I think it's great and fitting to see Dive by Tycho on your desktop...and I copped a lot from Alex! hahaha

[@MrTrazzie]

Agreed, Exit's always been my favorite too!

[@mightyV444]

Ohhh yay, so you DID do an Alex Lifeson one after all! Just had this in my list of recommendations! :-)) Should be another great watch, thank you, mate! :-))

[@mightyV444]

"Alex is similar to Andy Summers", yes, yes, yes, absolutely! First Rush album I'd ever heard was 'Grace Under Pressure', and that was one of my first impressions! Fell in love with the band right there and then! And it was great to have a 'replacement' favourite band for The Police who'd obviously stopped putting out any new material. Lifeson plays nicer solos too, in my opinion, LOL! :-))

[@mightyV444]

Sorry, I have to comment again, LOL! :-)) I love your approach my friend, and I am a lot like that myself: I'd hear a song, a sound, a chord, a melody, and suddenly I'd 'see' a picture inside my mind, or a memory pops up...and I do know that at least in the case of Andy Summers, that's actually the reason WHY he chooses certain chords and sounds. And classic that you've just started talking about 'Distant Early Warning' in your video, the very first Rush song I'd ever heard! And that "picking through the chords" in the 2nd verse is my favourite bit. Awesome stuff! :-))

[@mightyV444]

LOL again! 'Exit...Stage Left' is my favourite, too! :-)) Especially from 'Jacob's Bladder' through to 'Free Willy'; Rush's very bestestest recorded moments, in my opinion. Especially this version of 'Xanadu' :-) I wonder if you'll talk about 'Red Barchetta' also, which I believe I've been playing wrong (just around a standard A-maj chord) .... * continues watching *

[@oneworld1563]

There’s just no one quite like Lifeson (or Peart, or Lee). Thanks for sharing your insight and your playful approach, it’s so inspiring!

[@petersonpaludo9366]

The best band of the world: RUSH!!!!!

[@dhardrockkoala8669]

I really love your attitude and appreciate so much for giving us a lot of motivation to explorer the music based on your knowledge! Also your instruction is very persuasive!!

[@repairdepartment5918]

Broons Bane is pure magic. Perfection.

[@hopper1]

For me the best example of Alex's musicianship is the song "Red Sector A". He's still being himself, he doesn't do anything more than what's needed for the song and it's awesome. We all know he wasn't too thrilled with the keyboards but he still played exactly what was needed. The man's a genius with great ears.

[@joshuasydnee]

Nice one Dave Rush are my favourite band ever and Alex is so underrated 👍

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you and I agree - I LOVE Rush! : ) Rock on\m/

[@IsothermeMusic]

Nice Tycho wallpaper! I’m an ambient guitarist and Alex was my first ever influence back when I was 13. Thank you for spotlighting his playing.

[@777gitarguy]

Another great lesson, thanks!!

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you and thanks for watching! Stay tuned... : )

[@curlzwalk]

Really enjoyed this one! Thanks!!

[@brainynbrawny9562]

Dave - love your approach and love your channel - I can't say enough good things about it! With that said - Alex was my first guitar hero (not Jimmy Page!) and his hooky riffs, chord voicings, and his rhythm playing really influenced my own song writing when I was a teen in the 70s... far more than his soloing because he really was doing stuff no other guitarist was doing. He's still one of my favorite players to listen to - Those classic RUSH albums are AMAZING. I think lot of players these days are so focused on being the best sweeper and the fastest player that they FAIL to ever write a CRAZY TRAIN riff - or an UNCHAINED riff... or from the FIRST RUSH album - Working Man / What You're Doin' - HOOKY RIFFS!!! ANyway - carry on, PLEEEEEASE. ;)

[@normanwhaley1384]

The Solo in "passage to Bangkok "......Good Lord

[@israeljimenez5816]

You are a tremendous artist and a great fan of our music! I Love what you do!!

[@SteveJones379]

Love your approach! We can learn songs from tabs. Understanding how the music is put together is supreme.

[@youtoo2233]

Love Lifeson, second favorite guitarist

[@adamwarlock5286]

Devastating news about Neil's passing. Just shows the bands true class . Lovely lesson showing decades of devotion to the band . Rush on brother

[@voronOsphere]

I was hoping you'd get into the chords of Rush! Thanks! Great Channel! I'm gonna check out the chords of Queensryche, next!

[@raked2112]

Sounds like we had the same ritual getting ready for school. :)

[@DaveWarnedYou]

Wow, what an outstanding video! Thanks a LOT for putting this together, you've shown me a bunch of new chords to learn and some really tasty bits from some RUSH favorites! Love the stuff from "Entre Nous" and "Ghost of a Chance" (damn, I love that song!) ...and yah, Exit... Stage Left is my favorite RUSH album as well, as it was my first... it was their newest release at the time I decided to buy something other than their 45s. :) WOW, what a way to discover such an amazing band... Live RUSH was just the best and that album freakin' blew me away! There was no turning back... by the end of 1981 I was forever a RUSH fan! :-) Too bad I didn't start learning how to play the guitar until -much- later in life, but with the generosity of people like yourself and extremely helpful lessons like this one, learning the guitar has never been easier. Thanks man, keep up the great work!

[@LateNightLessons]

Thanks Dave! I love getting comments like this - thanks you, seriously. I LOVE Rush and I also love hearing stories from real fans and those that have a connection with the music. Rush always spoke to me and while I can't really explain it, I think they were really great and it made me sad but proud when they retired. : ) Thanks for watching and take care! Rock on!

[@DaveWarnedYou]

@@LateNightLessons No need to "explain"... fellow RUSH fans understand. :-) I was fortunate enough to see them at least 16 times over the decades, starting in '82 and ending at MSG in 2015. Such an amazing run and they finished so strong, I find it hard to believe Clockwork Angels is their final album. Maybe it's just wishful thinking but the Cinema Strangiato project gives me hope that we'll hear something new from the "Holy Triumvate" some day... until then, seeing that has re-ignited my passion for listening to and playing RUSH. So many interesting lessons on your channel! I'm still chewing on this one, but looking forward to digging deeper into this treasure trove you've created for us. Thanks dude, you ROCK! ;-)

[@johncrowe5164]

Dude... You Run an Awesome Channel Here. I Watched a Few Guitar Videos & Now My Recommend Is 90% Guitar Channels.. I Do Play Although I Traded My Rock Star Ambitions for Stone Masonry. You Could Call Me Edward..Quarryhsndz Now. Anyway Several Times Now I've Stopped Your Videos, Gone & Listened to the Original I'd Forgotten About.. This Video is One of them . Thanks for Reminding Me of Farewell to Kings. You Helped Transport Me Back in Time. It's Appreciated! Rock On !

[@jesdaniels3166]

Sweet Tycho screensaver. I saw your King's X vid. Subscribed. You're awesome!

[@tu9110]

Awesome job man. Alex is very underrated and in my opinion one of the greatest of all time. Thanks for the lessons ur the best.

[@deanlewis2692]

Top video, I overdosed on Exit... Stage Left back in younger days. The solo on Jacob’s Ladder is the sound of a guitarist who is on fire. Thanks.

[@LateNightLessons]

I've listened to that album so many times it's ridiculous, and I could totally put it on right now and wouldn't complain, and I'd rock out to it like I'd never heard it before - it's THAT good. : ) \m/ RUSH \m/

[@johnfulton1769]

Beautiful. Merci!

[@johnfulton1769]

Most under rated player in rock history, in my opinion.

[@chaitea9448]

I've been a fan of Rush since first seeing them on the HYF tour back in '87 (I think). Your teaching approach allows me to understand Alex's chord choices and to experiment on my own with them. Thanks for the videos!

[@jacentryx1971]

Love this ... thank you

[@wurger13]

Great stuff man…. Just found you here and watched this lesson. Subscribed!

[@claydecoursey2339]

Thanks for the content and the amount of content you've been putting out. I've become very complacent in my playing over the last 5 years or so. This stuff has me digging back into and exploring new things again. It's all much appreciated. Thanks, Dave!

[@LateNightLessons]

That's so awesome to hear buddy and really what this is ALL about! : ) Rock on my friend\m/

[@nathancloud6344]

I'd like to hear your deep personal feelings on Alex? Focusing on his ability and raw level as a guitar player. I'd like to thank you for what you do and share. It's Grand!!!!

[@LateNightLessons]

All I have to say is - I LOVE Rush! I've been into them since high school and there's just something spectacular and inspiring about them. They're beyond-talented, really funny, and seem like nerdy-interesting human beings that I've always respected. : ) \m/ RUSH \m/

[@nathancloud6344]

@@LateNightLessons proof that you don't need to play a million miles an hour and still deliver fantastic music. Their creative output is genius. To be a 3 piece band is still absolutely mind blowing.

[@nathancloud6344]

@@LateNightLessons Would you tell us how long you have been playing guitar and when you really started taking it serious in term of practice time and how many hours a day? Thanks again for your time.

[@carlosfernandez6754]

When Rush is rocking on Distant early Warning.....Chord = [E6=5], [A=5], , [D=7], [G =5] [B=8], [E1=5].....just move your fourth finger [B=7].........[B=5]....x8...........then [ Fmj to Gmj....Fmj to Gmj x2] x2

[@sammcgrow3335]

Can see where STP got their inspiration!

[@TheRealThomasPaine1776]

Ok, I subscribed. You know,. I agree that at some point, most likely after we reach the 10k hours needed to achieve really proficiency, at that point or soon after, we can than try to relax and "play" to find our own voice, or style. I know, because as a professional chef, we spend years learning other cuisines and styles, until we can cook and create, seemingly without effort. But for now, as a beginner on the six string, I plan to use some of Alex's chord voicings as "recipes" to teach myself how to achieve that sound that I love. Thanks for your help, I plane to come back and dive deeper into the chords and learn more. Anything from G/P would be great, as I thought he really had some big chords on that album

[@J24777]

Ghost of a Chance!!! One of my favorite songs!!!!

[@martinsavage6838]

Great videos. There are plenty of videos where I can learn the solo from Sweet Child o’ Mine, but this is better because it gets below the surface to see what’s going on with the chords.

[@stringbender11672]

That section of Freewill you covered is my favorite thing Alex ever did. Iove me some Rush. Nice job On Broon's Bane🤘

[@RCSkunkWorX]

Outstanding Video

[@Sanson101]

great teaching!!! wow!

[@davidsmith-jj4iq]

Cinderella man is one of my favourites,also, limelight,and closer to the heart.

[@pushbuttonhorse]

Great stuff love your style

[@zorlacrogue9032]

Hey dude, really appreciate you man 2112 got me hooked, Xanadu was one of the first songs I learned and still warm up with it, thanks for another great late night ✌️

[@ronniesmalley1966]

I’ve learned so much from you. You’re an exceptional talent! Thank ou

[@paulbeaver535]

Ghost of a chance!!!! My second favorite solo!! You have your theory down my friend!!! Just found you looking up Alex, I will follow you sir!!!

[@hermanhelmich]

Thnx a lot for this one