Jump to content

Help with The Spirit of Radio intro riff


Colashop
 Share

Recommended Posts

The descend is an actual triplet. A grouping of 3 notes is not a triplet. It's a grouping of 3 notes... :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've come to the conclusion that unless I want to be and obnoxious Studio Album Purist, I will neither demand perfection of notes or technique of this lick from myself, nor anyone else.

 

Hence forth, my answer shall be, "Fukk it! It's close enough!"

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've come to the conclusion that unless I want to be and obnoxious Studio Album Purist, I will neither demand perfection of notes or technique of this lick from myself, nor anyone else.

 

Hence forth, my answer shall be, "Fukk it! It's close enough!"

 

Here's what I think he's doing:

 

F#-E-D

A-E-D-E

F#-E-D

G#-F#-E-D-E

 

But I can't for the life me play it that way! I play it like:

 

F#-E-D-E

A-E-D-E

F#-E-D-E

G#-F#-E-D-E

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've come to the conclusion that unless I want to be and obnoxious Studio Album Purist, I will neither demand perfection of notes or technique of this lick from myself, nor anyone else.

 

Hence forth, my answer shall be, "Fukk it! It's close enough!"

 

Here's what I think he's doing:

 

F#-E-D

A-E-D-E

F#-E-D

G#-F#-E-D-E

 

But I can't for the life me play it that way! I play it like:

 

F#-E-D-E

A-E-D-E

F#-E-D-E

G#-F#-E-D-E

 

That's how I play it.

 

If you watch what the guy in the video above does, he really changes things up. It's almost like there is no single repeated pattern, it's just like a barrage of notes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome!

 

This just confirms my theory that he mixes it up so much on the studio version, there really is no single pattern. And if you are playing it in your house, or on a stage, it just doesn't matter. People will know exactly what you are playing, and anyone who criticizes you for playing it with the extra open E strings either doesn't know what they are talking about, or they have misspent there life nailing every single note of one take that ended up on the album.

 

I really love this song, maybe more than any other Rush song. I was in a band where we played this, and Freewill. I used to come home from work and play side one of Permanent Waves, plus Entre Nous, two, sometimes three times, just to relax.

 

Ask for help if you need it. Otherwise play what you think is best, and don't fret over the minutiae.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't played Spirit of Radio in a while. When I do play stuff from PeW it's been mostly Natural Science (go figure) or Entre Nous.

 

If I want a counting workout then it's Jacob's Ladder. 6/8 7/8 6/8 7/8 *a bunch of F# power chords* FOLLOW MENS EYES

Edited by BowlCity
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have a Mac, open Garage Band and pay the $6.99 to buy the "artist lesson" of Alex teaching the song note-by-note. Very detailed, and since it's Alex going through the song in detail (far more than in that short YouTube clip) it's pretty much bulletproof. Carl Brown's version above is very close, but it is not what Alex does in the detailed Garage Band clip. Nor is it what he does when playing the song live. Edited by Symmetre
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have a Mac, open Garage Band and pay the $6.99 to buy the "artist lesson" of Alex teaching the song note-by-note. Very detailed, and since it's Alex going through the song in detail (far more than in that short YouTube clip) it's pretty much bulletproof.

Well if you've been following the thread there are a few of us here who are pretty sure that the way Alex is showing it in that video is not how he played it on the studio cut. He may be playing it that way these days, but my guess is either he's deliberately dumbing it down on the video, or just isn't being quite as accurate as needs to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or maybe it just doesn't matter 36 years later how he did it in one take for the studio.

 

To think that even he does it exactly the same as he did it that one time every single time, every single tour is ludicrous.

 

And I believe we have all settled on a way to play it that will be acceptable to even the most discerning of Lifeson Fan Bois.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you can't play it right, my trick is a little more saturation and some stereo chorus to muddy up the sound and it sounds awesome! ;)

 

If that doesn't work, about 3 beers will convince you.

 

Life's too short and I'm not paid well enough to worry about all the f***ing details.

 

Hmm...maybe that's why I never progressed as a guitar player outside of my basement.

Edited by 2112FirstStreet
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Colashop ..

 

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/r/rush/spirit_of_radio_ver2_tab.htm

 

It's really not that hard to play once you get the basic pattern in your head, but like anything else, it's all in how much you practice. Play off the bridge pickup, and if you want to get it to sound bang-on, add a TINY bit of flanger and a touch of very slow phase to that opening riff.

 

The solo is easier to play than it sounds, but you'll need a whammy bar and a wah pedal to get it to sound right.

 

But for now forget the pedals ... just get comfortable with the song, play it slowly till you can do it blindfolded ... then worry about bringing it up top the correct speed. If you try to play it at tempo before you have it down, you'll trip all over yourself. Of course that's fun too! :-)

 

Enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That riff just flies by so fast I don't think it really matters if there is an extra note in there some place. I remember my kids being astounded when I played that tune. Jus to full of awesomeness!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...