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Alex' greatest guitar sounds


Steve Smith
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Hello fellow fans

 

I have always loved Alex as a player and songwriter. But more than that he influenced me so much as a guitar player when I was young because of his brilliant full sound and how he could make up for lack of keyboards in a 3 piece band and make them sound just as full as Floyd, Genesis and Yes etc.

 

Geddy and Neil are perhaps the virtuoso musicians in the band but Alex did 2 jobs of creating the texture an fullness that those other Prog bands did with guitar and synths.

 

I would like to get peoples opinions on Alex' best sound and their reason if that is OK.

 

I will kick off with my opinion, it is just an opinion.

 

My personal favourite is "The Trees". I think he just laid down the bar there. The equipment I believe was his ES355 guitar (I think he may have used it in stereo on this track, please correct me if I am wrong. The Gibson ES355 was a stereo guitar but Alex said he had it rewired to mono for live work). He also had the Hiwatt 100w heads through cabs with 12 inch JBL speakers and a Roland Space Echo/Chorus, MXR stereo flanger and MXR tone boost. Please feel free to correct me.

 

The combination of the effects with the semi acoustic 355 and the Hiwatt just gave an amazing sound. Huge and overdriven in a powerful way but not distorted or "fizzy". The use of the semi acoustic and the Hiwatt gave so much power yet a softer cleaner tone than say a Marshall JMP100 (one of which I own) and a Les Paul. I think Alex used a Les Paul and Marshalls on "All the World's a Stage" probably to get the volume he needed in a live situation, but that sound on the live album did not have the clarity or purity of his studio work.

 

Anyone agree or disagree? would love to hear opinions.

 

Best Wishes

 

Steve Smith

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I am partial to Caress Of Steel, as I think Alex really did some great, diverse stuff ( even though that could be said of just about any album )

 

Even with Geddy and Neil being their great virtuosic selves, Rush was still Alex's band at that point ... The guitar through The Necromancer is incredible .. as is No One At The Bridge

 

Here's a good interview from Guitar Player magazine, June 1980

 

Alex talks about a lot of his gear

 

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19800600guitarplayer.htm

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Just the other day I was admiring the LP version of Closer to the Heart because of Lifeson's guitar sound - the chords over "philosophers and ploughmen" etc.

 

And of course the manic, deliciously distorted guitar solos in Cygnus X1 and a Farewell to Kings

Edited by toymaker
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I suppose I am going to upset a few people here but for years I didn't care much for certain tones on Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures.I still don't like the heavily chorused effect on Spirit of Radio and Freewill and I feel it was recorded to close,no room to breath.Same for Tom Sawyer although I've grown to like it now.But I love the tone and feel on the rest of the album.For me GUP was the album where I feel Alex shined with some well thought out solos,Between the Wheels,Red Sector A,Afterimage and just going for it,Kid Gloves.He started using Strats with single coil pickups,hence the brighter,less heavy sound,and using different amps.I know a lot of people bemoan this change but the whole band changed,Ged with his twangy Wal bass,Neil with his electronic drums.I loved this change with Alex's shiny guitars all over the 80s albums up to RTB.Then the guitars came roaring back on Counterparts which I think has the best balance of his early tone power chords and later day solos.These days I am in two minds about his tone.I am not a huge fan of Hughes & Kettner amps which he uses and endorses.But all this aside I find Alex one of the most emotional and uplifting soloists of all time.All these Van Halens,Malmsteens,Satrianis and Dragonforces are mind boggling to see and hear but pure emotions wins it for me
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My admiration for guitar heroes is well documented in TRF - EVH, Vai, Malmsteen, John Petrucci etc. Alex brings something to the table which is completely different from these guys, like it´s been said here: filling up the spaces between Geddy and Neil. I love what he did in the 80´s, especially songs like The Big Money and Subdivisions. I think he changed his shredding style a little bit, moving to more concise solos since T4E/Counterparts. The ones I like to play air guitar to the most are Xanadu, Neurotica, Everyday Glory and The Garden. And I strongly encourage you to listen carefully to VT remastered - there are some cool hidden mini-solos in there that I could only hear in the remastered version.
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Hemispheres in particular (the whole album) I've always found to be unique, in terms of his tone...just outstanding. But Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are both, also, just perfect. Those exemplify his signature sound, as far as I'm concerned.
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The sound that gets me every time is when Alex comes in at the beginning of "Clockwork Angels." I don't know why, but it feels like a lot more than just a guitar and bass came in. I got the chills the first time I heard it.
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Thanks so much for all of your replies guys and gals. Everyone has their own opinion which is great, but one thing we all agree on is that Alex is one of the most innovative, soulful, verstaile and stylish and inventive guitar players ever, and in my opinion he is completely underated, he was my greatest influence when I was learning. No-one has used sounds and textures and equipment and effects and the use of subtle and complex chords riffs and melodies better IMO. Alex always said one of his greatest influences in the early days was Led Zeppelin and I think he took what Jimmy Page did to a higher level. I love his versatility to be able to play rock, prog, acoustic folk finger style and classical. That is the mark of a truly great musician. That is why I have 9 guitars, 5 electrics, two acoustic 6 string, an acoustic 12 string and a classical. My father taught me to play and at a time in the late 70's when all of the kids my age were getting electrics and little amps as presents my dad said that I must spend a year mastering chords and melodies and right hand finger picking before I could have and electric guitar. I owe my old man a lot for that.

 

I do however have to agree with the guy who made the comment about Hughes and Kettner amps. My mate had one of their combo's in the 80's. It was good but just a bit fizzy for me, loads of sustain and crunch but in my opinion they are good studio amps only. For live work they lack the raunch and clarity of Hiwatts or vintage Marshalls. Again that is just my opinion.

 

My knowledge of Rush is pretty good from the beginning up until GUP, I really must catch up on what they have done since then.

 

Cheers guys

 

Steve Smith :D

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The sound that gets me every time is when Alex comes in at the beginning of "Clockwork Angels." I don't know why, but it feels like a lot more than just a guitar and bass came in. I got the chills the first time I heard it.

 

CA is I believe the only post MP track in my Rush top ten, almost specifically for the feeling I get when the guitar hits. It just soars! This giant wall/wave of sound washes over you, and then the drums kick in and everything is Heavenly. Perfect song.

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Just the other day I was admiring the LP version of Closer to the Heart because of Lifeson's guitar sound - the chords over "philosophers and ploughmen" etc.

 

And of course the manic, deliciously distorted guitar solos in Cygnus X1 and a Farewell to Kings

 

His guitar solos on that album are pretty cool sounding too, and not just tone-wise, but the way he plays. You can tell he was stretching out and trying to find new places to go. That solo in Cinderella Man is wacky!

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I'm waiting for a wet blanket to show up. :eyeroll:

 

In the meantime, I agree with Eagle although Alex had his moments after Signals every now and again. :)

 

From CP through CA he returned in force. His layer of guitars on VT is interesting.

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Just the other day I was admiring the LP version of Closer to the Heart because of Lifeson's guitar sound - the chords over "philosophers and ploughmen" etc.

 

And of course the manic, deliciously distorted guitar solos in Cygnus X1 and a Farewell to Kings

 

His guitar solos on that album are pretty cool sounding too, and not just tone-wise, but the way he plays. You can tell he was stretching out and trying to find new places to go. That solo in Cinderella Man is wacky!

wha-wha-wha . . . love the wah pedal.

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Just the other day I was admiring the LP version of Closer to the Heart because of Lifeson's guitar sound - the chords over "philosophers and ploughmen" etc.

 

And of course the manic, deliciously distorted guitar solos in Cygnus X1 and a Farewell to Kings

 

His guitar solos on that album are pretty cool sounding too, and not just tone-wise, but the way he plays. You can tell he was stretching out and trying to find new places to go. That solo in Cinderella Man is wacky!

wha-wha-wha . . . love the wah pedal.

 

Me too.

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Hello fellow fans

 

I have always loved Alex as a player and songwriter. But more than that he influenced me so much as a guitar player when I was young because of his brilliant full sound and how he could make up for lack of keyboards in a 3 piece band and make them sound just as full as Floyd, Genesis and Yes etc.

 

Geddy and Neil are perhaps the virtuoso musicians in the band but Alex did 2 jobs of creating the texture an fullness that those other Prog bands did with guitar and synths.

 

I would like to get peoples opinions on Alex' best sound and their reason if that is OK.

 

I will kick off with my opinion, it is just an opinion.

 

My personal favourite is "The Trees". I think he just laid down the bar there. The equipment I believe was his ES355 guitar (I think he may have used it in stereo on this track, please correct me if I am wrong. The Gibson ES355 was a stereo guitar but Alex said he had it rewired to mono for live work). He also had the Hiwatt 100w heads through cabs with 12 inch JBL speakers and a Roland Space Echo/Chorus, MXR stereo flanger and MXR tone boost. Please feel free to correct me.

 

The combination of the effects with the semi acoustic 355 and the Hiwatt just gave an amazing sound. Huge and overdriven in a powerful way but not distorted or "fizzy". The use of the semi acoustic and the Hiwatt gave so much power yet a softer cleaner tone than say a Marshall JMP100 (one of which I own) and a Les Paul. I think Alex used a Les Paul and Marshalls on "All the World's a Stage" probably to get the volume he needed in a live situation, but that sound on the live album did not have the clarity or purity of his studio work.

 

Anyone agree or disagree? would love to hear opinions.

 

Best Wishes

 

Steve Smith

:fistbump: Outstanding!

 

A newer forum member posting a good text about Rush and leaving a comment to my favorite song ever!!!

Thank you very much.

Alex rules!! :cheers:

 

:rush:

Edited by rhyv
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I'm waiting for a wet blanket to show up. :eyeroll:

 

In the meantime, I agree with Eagle although Alex had his moments after Signals every now and again. :)

 

From CP through CA he returned in force. His layer of guitars on VT is interesting.

 

I am going to disagree here a bit. I don't think Alex ever recovered from the keyboard onslaught. He's had moments of clarity and inspiration now and again but his creativity peaked during the AFTK's - MP's era.

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I remember liking his sound on A Camera Eye very much . I really don't spend much time thinking of sound as opposed to the notes being played . This is particularly humorous since I am a amateur guitarist myself. I know that guitarist in general spend most of their time trying combinations of amps and pickups , effects , ect .But I never got into that too much. I'm not knocking it , it just seems like something I didn't have the time for. I remember that famous photo of Van Halen in the studio recording the first album and on Eddie's patch cord I seen a equalizer , it looked like a floor model , just a few sliders on it . I wondered why he had it on his effects chain. I can't imagine it did much good . I may be wrong . Also he admitted years later that he lied about the modifications he made to his amps and after hearing stories of people blowing up their amps with a Varistors . he felt guilty because he really didn't do much to modify his sound. I can't remember the specifics because like I stated earlier I don't spend much time mulling this over. Supposedly this mod would make the amps tubed run real hot . maybe I will look it up again and reread it .
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I'm waiting for a wet blanket to show up. :eyeroll:

 

In the meantime, I agree with Eagle although Alex had his moments after Signals every now and again. :)

 

From CP through CA he returned in force. His layer of guitars on VT is interesting.

 

I am going to disagree here a bit. I don't think Alex ever recovered from the keyboard onslaught. He's had moments of clarity and inspiration now and again but his creativity peaked during the AFTK's - MP's era.

 

I agree that was his peak period, but he did recover to a degree in the sense that the guitar was more upfront and he was trying new things on VT and even CA. Maybe not tone wise, but just in the composition of the guitar parts. No way do those albums match AFTK or MP or PeW. But it was nice to see him rocking again.

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I'm with the OP, though I like it all (or almost, I'm looking at you Presto!) my favorite sound is on Hemi. Such a delicate, entrancing tone; some surreal passages on that one.
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