Great 'sounds' in the songs

[Show Don't Tell]

At the very end of Armor & Sword, listen closely after the last chord has sounded. You'll hear Neil click his sticks (or at least that's what it sounds like).

[skalamander2112]

i love the guitar sound on Afterimage

[Pags]

QUOTE (psionic11 @ Nov 19 2007, 01:11 AM)

There are so many brilliant Alex moments, his musical "comments" that accent a lyrical phrase here, evoke a visual scene there... Middletown Dreams "like a brilliant shooting star" 1:58 "some bright afternoon" 2:25 The Trees (timber! falling trees) 3:43 La Villa Strangiato (frantically running down hallways from monsters) 5:49 onward Hand Over Fist "you know I've hated that song for so long" 1:41 Available Light "the way I used to be" 1:52 "some half-forgotten stranger, doesn't mean that much to me" 2:00 "or make the colors shine too bright" 2:15 (guitar slide) Cold Fire "you know how complex women are" 0:51

I am re-quoting this post. I was playing Power Windows from start to finish, and Middletown Dreams came on. That guitar accent on "like a brilliant star" caught my ear and it reminded me of this post. I knew it was mentioned in here and I had to find it.

 

Check it out, folks. It's very cool.

[Show Don't Tell]

QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Nov 30 2009, 06:07 PM)

QUOTE (Pags @ Nov 30 2009, 09:04 AM) QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Nov 28 2009, 12:33 AM) There's a synth sound in Heresy which I absolutely love. It's happens first at 4:32 into the song, right after Neil's tom fill. Ged says, "All those wasted years...", and as he's saying "years", you can hear this synth with a staccato note that sounds lovely. It happens again at 4:41, 4:45, 4:54, 5:02, and 5:10. This is excellent. What I heard on each of these was Alex's guitar. I'm not a musician and the way I describe music is laughable, sorry. But Alex seems to repeat this three-note piece at each of these times, which I found to be awesome.   However, during TWO of these times I noticed something very distinct with the synth. This uplifting sound which I've never noticed before. Listen again only at 4:41 and 4:54. The synth is there only during these times, and it's very, VERY cool.   Nice find, SDT. This is exactly what this thread is all about. Picking out the finest details. LOVE IT. Hey, that wasn't what I was talking about exactly, but I hear what you're talking about, and that is cool, also! Different pairs of ears/minds will catch different sounds, I suppose. That sounds real nice, though.   The one I was referring to is a synth, or at least I think it's a synth. It could be a percussion sound, a synth drum maybe? It almost sounds like a steel drum. It's most prominent at 4:45.   Listen here: http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u195/Number-4/Icons/winamp.gif Heresy Synth(?) I was listening to Heresy again, and that sound sounds a lot like something that Neil would hit/trigger. Can anyone, perhaps a percussionist, chime in and tell us what it is? I thought it was a synth at first, but now I'm thinking it might be an acoustic drum/instrument.

[Show Don't Tell]

QUOTE (psionic11 @ Nov 19 2007, 01:11 AM)

There are so many brilliant Alex moments, his musical "comments" that accent a lyrical phrase here, evoke a visual scene there... Middletown Dreams "like a brilliant shooting star" 1:58 "some bright afternoon" 2:25 The Trees (timber! falling trees) 3:43 La Villa Strangiato (frantically running down hallways from monsters) 5:49 onward Hand Over Fist "you know I've hated that song for so long" 1:41 Available Light "the way I used to be" 1:52 "some half-forgotten stranger, doesn't mean that much to me" 2:00 "or make the colors shine too bright" 2:15 (guitar slide) Cold Fire "you know how complex women are" 0:51

Had to quote this post to mention that Alex once again adds expression to a song. In Scars, listen to the line, "Snow falls deep around my house", at about 2:17. You'll hear Alex play a chord and then use the whammy bar to do a "dive". This is the snow falling. Nice imagery.

Edited December 29, 2009 by Show Don't Tell

[Zanadoo]

the little wind kind of sound in natural science after "our causes can't see their effects...."

[Pags]

QUOTE (ralentor @ May 26 2006, 02:25 PM)

QUOTE (paganoman @ May 26 2006, 08:02 AM) Ok ralentor.  It took me a while, but I finally took a hard listen to Losing It to catch that keyboard switchover.  Found out I didn't really need to listen very hard, just be aware of it.  And then I realized that I sort of always was aware of it.  You bring up something that's always been a strongpoint to me, and that is in the way they've traded off the melody from one instrument to another like that.  It's been done in many other songs in the same manner it's been done here in Losing It.  And when I've been lucky enought to catch it, it's always a highlight to me.  A good standout example (for those who aren't getting it) can be found in Tom Sawyer when it's heading into the solo.  Listen to the keyboard melody that begins at 1:33 then is accompanied by Alex at 1:52.  Then Geddy takes the melody on base so Alex can play the solo.  It all reconverges again at the end of the solo.  For me, I like ralentor's more subtle and hidden find in Losing It.  Listen around the other songs for more tradeoffs like that.  They kick ass!!!!!! Excellent, dude.  C'mon - I'm up for more!! Yes, that short keyboard melody in Losing It isn't very hard to hear, but it tends to be drowned out by the power chords and cymbal crashes to the point that it is overlooked by the casual listener.   While I was listening for the melody trade-off you mentioned in Tom Sawyer, I discovered a high-pitched, discordant note behind Geddy's voice beginning at 1:22 (at the same time that Geddy sings "wide"), and ending a second later at 1:23 (just as Geddy finishes singing "wide"). Since it's off-key, I don't think it's an intentional sound. Maybe it's caused by feedback from his mic. I need to bring this one back and share it with everyone. Read this dude's post about Tom Sawyer (in blue). This one is almost impossible to hear, but it's absolutely there. The sound he's describing sounds like that chirping cricket sound from Edgar Winter's Frankenstein.   Let me know if any of you can hear it. It's awesome.

Edited December 29, 2009 by Pags

[Show Don't Tell]

I remember reading an article from the November 1996 issue of Guitar World called "Time And Motion". In the article, Alex Lifeson "dissects several key songs from Rush's past". One of those songs was La Villa Strangiato from Hemispheres of course. Here's what he said:

QUOTE (Alex Lifeson)

We wrote this one on the road. We used our sound-checks to run through songs that we were going to record; then, when we would have a few days off we'd start recording. This song was recorded in one take, with all of us in the same room. We had baffles up around the guitar, bass and drums, and we would look at each other for the cues. My solo in the middle section was overdubbed after we recorded the basic tracks. I played a solo while we did a first take and recorded it later. If you listen very carefully, you can hear the other solo ghosted in the background. That was a fun exercise in developing a lot of different sections in an instrumental. It gave everyone the chance to stretch out.

I went a listened to La Villa. It was hard to hear any "ghosted" solo. Besides, Broon would have tried to clean it up the best he could. I did hear some of it, however. Listen to the part from 3:45-3:49. You can hear a faint guitar in the background. This must be the old solo!

[Pags]

QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Dec 29 2009, 12:19 PM)

I remember reading an article from the November 1996 issue of Guitar World called "Time And Motion". In the article, Alex Lifeson "dissects several key songs from Rush's past". One of those songs was La Villa Strangiato from Hemispheres of course. Here's what he said: QUOTE (Alex Lifeson) We wrote this one on the road. We used our sound-checks to run through songs that we were going to record; then, when we would have a few days off we'd start recording. This song was recorded in one take, with all of us in the same room. We had baffles up around the guitar, bass and drums, and we would look at each other for the cues. My solo in the middle section was overdubbed after we recorded the basic tracks. I played a solo while we did a first take and recorded it later. If you listen very carefully, you can hear the other solo ghosted in the background. That was a fun exercise in developing a lot of different sections in an instrumental. It gave everyone the chance to stretch out. I went a listened to La Villa. It was hard to hear any "ghosted" solo. Besides, Broon would have tried to clean it up the best he could. I did hear some of it, however. Listen to the part from 3:45-3:49. You can hear a faint guitar in the background. This must be the old solo! Holy crap what a find! I can't wait to check it out.

[Rush Cocky]

QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Dec 29 2009, 12:19 PM)

I went a listened to La Villa. It was hard to hear any "ghosted" solo. Besides, Broon would have tried to clean it up the best he could. I did hear some of it, however. Listen to the part from 3:45-3:49. You can hear a faint guitar in the background. This must be the old solo!

Yeah....I listened about 4 times, and it was VERY faint. I did hear it though.

 

That said.......were I not specifically looking there and told there was an old solo, I wouldn't have ever known.

[Pags]

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Dec 29 2009, 02:44 PM)

QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Dec 29 2009, 12:19 PM) I went a listened to La Villa. It was hard to hear any "ghosted" solo. Besides, Broon would have tried to clean it up the best he could. I did hear some of it, however. Listen to the part from 3:45-3:49. You can hear a faint guitar in the background. This must be the old solo! Yeah....I listened about 4 times, and it was VERY faint. I did hear it though.   That said.......were I not specifically looking there and told there was an old solo, I wouldn't have ever known. THAT'S WHY THIS THREAD IS THE GREATEST THREAD ON TRF!!

[Ghostnotes]

I put on my best headphones and gave it a whirl and holy crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I wonder if there any more on their albums???

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Show Don't Tell]

QUOTE (Show Don't Tell @ Dec 28 2009, 09:18 PM)

QUOTE (psionic11 @ Nov 19 2007, 01:11 AM) There are so many brilliant Alex moments, his musical "comments" that accent a lyrical phrase here, evoke a visual scene there... Middletown Dreams "like a brilliant shooting star" 1:58 "some bright afternoon" 2:25 The Trees (timber! falling trees) 3:43 La Villa Strangiato (frantically running down hallways from monsters) 5:49 onward Hand Over Fist "you know I've hated that song for so long" 1:41 Available Light "the way I used to be" 1:52 "some half-forgotten stranger, doesn't mean that much to me" 2:00 "or make the colors shine too bright" 2:15 (guitar slide) Cold Fire "you know how complex women are" 0:51 Had to quote this post to mention that Alex once again adds expression to a song. In Scars, listen to the line, "Snow falls deep around my house", at about 2:17. You'll hear Alex play a chord and then use the whammy bar to do a "dive". This is the snow falling. Nice imagery. I was just listening to 'Scars' again last night, and heard more of Alex creating imagery. Listen to when Geddy sings the lyric: "hungry child in the desert / and the flies that cloud her eyes", from 2:41 to 2:54. I love how Alex builds up that crescendo of those clean electric (or tinny acoustic?) chords. It's really appropriate -- you can really picture the flies...   Furthermore, I love the three notes Lerxst hits at 1:46.   |------------------| |-------6----------| |-----------8------| |------------------| |---8--------------| |------------------| It ain't much, but with the echo and reverb, damn!

[quantex]

In Countdown (as if there isn't enough going on) at the 3:40 mark it appears Geddy drags his fingers across a piano.

 

What do you all think?

 

Quant

[Sir Lerxst]

QUOTE (quantex @ Dec 31 2009, 09:20 PM)

In Countdown (as if there isn't enough going on) at the 3:40 mark it appears Geddy drags his fingers across a piano. What do you all think? Quant

I do hear something, like what you describe.

[Ted Barchetta]

I love the faint slowing heart beat at the end of Cygnus X-1, Book I

 

I was just listening to it and my heartbeat exactly matched the heartbeat in that song. It was so unsettling.

 

Kickass song though.

[mankad89]

QUOTE (quantex @ Dec 31 2009, 04:20 PM)

In Countdown (as if there isn't enough going on) at the 3:40 mark it appears Geddy drags his fingers across a piano. What do you all think? Quant

Didn't hear anything.

[Show Don't Tell]

I heard another sound! In 'Face Up', listen at the 2:02 mark. There is what sounds like a muffled guitar playing what seems to be the notes:

 

|------------|
|------------|
|------------|
|---2h4------|
|------------|
|------------|

That's E hammered on to an F#.

 

Later at approximately 2:05 or 2:06, there is another two notes from that guitar (or maybe it's a bass?), which I believe to be

 

|------------|
|------------|
|------------|
|---2p0------|
|------------|
|------------|

That would be an E, pulling off to an open D. It's hard to hear that one, though.

[Tarkus406]

I love the delay on Alex's guitar during the intro of Kid Gloves

[Queen of Megadon]

Not a RUSH song....but the hi hats in Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" have always been my very favorite sounds in any song, ever.

[Show Don't Tell]

Okay, this one is from Middletown Dreams. From 3:54 to 4:28, listen for a high synth that harmonizes with the chords being played. The chords go Am, G, F, and the synth notes are C, B, A (that would be C6, B5, A5, if we're going to get technical). Anyways, I thought that was a nice touch. I've never heard it before.

[druid13]

clipping throughout Vapor Trails.....

[EmotionDetector]

QUOTE (druid13 @ Feb 17 2010, 03:37 PM)

clipping throughout Vapor Trails.....

[EmotionDetector]

How about the entire intro to Xanadu!!?

 

Purely EPIC.

[Pags]

QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ Feb 17 2010, 04:08 PM)

How about the entire intro to Xanadu!!? Purely EPIC.

or wait... all of A Farewell To Kings from beginning to end! How's that for narrowing things down, eh?