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Alex and His Guitar

Lorraine

By Lorraine,
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goose

goose

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Geddy and Neil may be the Surf & Turf but Alex is that glass of luscious, velvety red wine that ties the entire meal together.

Very nice! :clap:
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JARG
JARG

Depends on the era. Lots of his stuff is relatively easy to play, but it's stuff I'd never think to write. His approach to the guitar from a creative perspective is where his strength lies.

grasbo
grasbo

Ok i am a guitarist ,playing 40 odd years.I could write pages on this subject,but i will try and keep it short.His early stuff was fairly basic compared to what came later and inspired by his heroes,

EagleMoon
EagleMoon

Technically I would say most of Alex's guitar parts aren't hugely difficult, BUT it's all in his phrasing. In other words, it's not as much the notes he plays but where and how he plays them. One thin

Lorraine

Lorraine

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all I know is Alex is the under-rated third of Rush. Ged and Neil are always called the best in their game but Alex rules the "under-rated" category!

 

I know pretty much nothing about playing guitar but I'm still going to say his stuff is very difficult to write/play. I get a good impression of this just by watching his fingers!

 

also; with Geddy and Neils's parts being so upfront and in your face, Alex had to assume the role of filling in the empty space and rhythm playing etc.. instead of being a shredder like his hero's. I wonder if this was hard for him to do or if he even enjoyed it. its a good thing it happened though because Alex is hugely responsible for everyone saying "wow, it sounds like way more than three people!"

I've posted this before, but it makes sense to re-post here. The link takes you to a bass & drum-only version of Digital Man. I think it perfectly demonstrates your point of how Alex fills the space perfectly around Geddy and Neil.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=cIN6Yt6iV3U

 

I don't have that one, but I do have a lot of "backing tracks". In all of the ones that I do have, there is only one that Alex's guitar isn't missed all that much. All of the others, without Alex, the songs fall flat. In my opinion.

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goose

goose

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all I know is Alex is the under-rated third of Rush. Ged and Neil are always called the best in their game but Alex rules the "under-rated" category!

 

I know pretty much nothing about playing guitar but I'm still going to say his stuff is very difficult to write/play. I get a good impression of this just by watching his fingers!

 

also; with Geddy and Neils's parts being so upfront and in your face, Alex had to assume the role of filling in the empty space and rhythm playing etc.. instead of being a shredder like his hero's. I wonder if this was hard for him to do or if he even enjoyed it. its a good thing it happened though because Alex is hugely responsible for everyone saying "wow, it sounds like way more than three people!"

I've posted this before, but it makes sense to re-post here. The link takes you to a bass & drum-only version of Digital Man. I think it perfectly demonstrates your point of how Alex fills the space perfectly around Geddy and Neil.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=cIN6Yt6iV3U

 

I don't have that one, but I do have a lot of "backing tracks". In all of the ones that I do have, there is only one that Alex's guitar isn't missed all that much. All of the others, without Alex, the songs fall flat. In my opinion.

So...I'm dying to know what the one is where Alex isn't missed. I'll guess it's Madrigal.
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Lorraine

Lorraine

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Believe it or not, it's Tom Sawyer. At least, I think it is. My memory isn't that reliable. I know for sure there was one song, and I am almost positive it's Tom Sawyer. But, this is only my opinion that he isn't missed on the song. Edited by Lorraine
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Lorraine

Lorraine

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There's a part in La Villa where I am not sure if it is Geddy or Alex playing.

 

Would one of our resident experts please listen to the song and let me know? The part I am referring to occurs at the 5:15 mark and goes until 5:43.

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EagleMoon

EagleMoon

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There's a part in La Villa where I am not sure if it is Geddy or Alex playing.

 

Would one of our resident experts please listen to the song and let me know? The part I am referring to occurs at the 5:15 mark and goes until 5:43.

 

Mostly Alex with the synth in the back.

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JARG

JARG

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There's a part in La Villa where I am not sure if it is Geddy or Alex playing.

 

Would one of our resident experts please listen to the song and let me know? The part I am referring to occurs at the 5:15 mark and goes until 5:43.

 

Mostly Alex with the synth in the back.

 

Yes, definitely Alex, using a little bit of palm muting to give it a tentative, percussive sound.

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SUBDIVISIONS

SUBDIVISIONS

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I started playing guiter in 1984 so I can tell you Alex's playing it is difficult and complicated

So many hard things to attach one to another

Intricated arpeggios,effect changes, slides and treble pins

Take f.eg middletown dreams

Start clean arpeggio that grows to a fatter kick ass lane with distortion and a wonderful solo

vapor trail- arpeggios,distort lines back to clen back to distort

The pass- glorious clean arpeggios

Peaceable kingdom- baddas riffs all over the place

Manhattan project- this is a master piece cant describe the emotion that grows as the song progresses

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lifeson90

lifeson90

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)
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grasbo

grasbo

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Alex's use of appegios or alternative picking are a big feature of his playing.Getting them right is mighty tricky.Also some of his big grandstanding solos like Bravado,Limelight,Between the Wheels,may seem simple enough but there is tricky and imaginative intervals between the notes.GUP was a turning point because he virtually abandoned the blues scale,the album was virtually in a minor key.
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Narps

Narps

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)

^^^ That was terrible. Damn... :eh:
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EagleMoon

EagleMoon

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)

 

What a stupid post. Why the hell would you say that to her?

 

I saw this when it was posted and was so surprised I didn't know how to respond. My first thought was YUCK.

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JARG

JARG

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)

 

What a stupid post. Why the hell would you say that to her?

 

The smilie at the end makes me think he meant it as a joke.

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JARG

JARG

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I never said it was a good joke, just throwing out what I think might have been the answer to 73's question.
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1-0-0-1-0-0-1

1-0-0-1-0-0-1

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)

 

What a stupid post. Why the hell would you say that to her?

 

The smilie at the end makes me think he meant it as a joke.

 

I thought of that, but I'm thinking he doesn't know Lorraine well enough to make that joke. Lorraine's reaction would seem to back that up.

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Lorraine

Lorraine

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the only info i retained about Al's guitar is that some crazy b*tch p*ssed on it once.... pretty sure you would do that too given the opportunity lorraine :)

 

What a stupid post. Why the hell would you say that to her?

 

The smilie at the end makes me think he meant it as a joke.

 

I thought of that, but I'm thinking he doesn't know Lorraine well enough to make that joke. Lorraine's reaction would seem to back that up.

 

You can think of me whatever you want, but I wouldn't appreciate a comment like that from anyone no matter how well they knew me.

Edited by Lorraine
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JARG

JARG

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Different strokes for different folks, I guess. If someone jokingly accused me of wanting to piss on Alex's guitar, I wouldn't be fazed at all.
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JARG

JARG

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Different strokes for different folks, I guess. If someone jokingly accused me of wanting to piss on Alex's guitar, I wouldn't be fazed at all.

 

You're a man.

 

True, but I don't think that alone explains it.

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