Geddy the keyboardist

[Digital Dad]

I feel like he plays much more complicated parts in the studio as opposed to live. For example, the fast synth line in Middletown dreams, he samples it live but I can only assume he played it for real in the studio.

 

No one played it for real as is. They may have programmed he notes or played them in bits and a machine called a digital sequencer did the rest.

[Digital Dad]

It's not really a matter of his technical proficiency on the keyboard. Geddy will be the first to admit (and has already admitted) that he is limited to what he can do.

 

What makes Geddy a great keyboard player is his composition skills. He can craft a melody and song structure no matter what instrument he is required to use: bass, keyboard, or his voice. I'm not sure who the primary "songwriter" is for Rush (most credits say Lee/Lifeson) or if there even is one....but Geddy's compositional skills and their impact on Rush cannot be overrated

 

Exactly my view as well....as a composer for keyboards he nailed it for Rush songs...as a player not even close...hell...even Alex was playing keys for The Garden...personally I dont see Alex' effort much more technical than what Ged has done

 

The main difference is that Ged enjoys playing the keyboards while Alex always disliked them.

 

That's not necessarily true. They were inspired by Yes and Genesis and wanted to add textures to their music. Thre that he had a hard time fitting around them later but he always accepted them.

[JARG]

I'm re-reading my post above and trying to figure out if I used a triple negative.

 

You did. It made sense. :)

[New Digital Man]

Actually Geddy did have a serious problem a few years back with a repetitive strain injury to his index finger which is the one he primarily uses, he's talking about it on a clip somewhere!

[toymaker]

Actually Geddy did have a serious problem a few years back with a repetitive strain injury to his index finger which is the one he primarily uses, he's talking about it on a clip somewhere!

 

I do remember that - I think it's in the Rio documentary.

[New Digital Man]

Yeah he had to see a hand specialist in Chicago I remember! Not surprising really, you try playing Natural Science on bass with only your index finger! Lol!

[Union 5-3992]

Bruce Dickinson reminds me a little of Geddy. He isn't technically phenomenal on the keys but on the new Iron Maiden album, he crafted a gorgeous melody.

[New Digital Man]

Check this out, starts around 01.30;

[New_World_Man]

He's no Tony Banks, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman or Eddie Jobson but he's good. I think the synth solo(if you can call it that)on "Tom Sawyer" takes some dexteritty to play at that speed. RUSH got really heavy into synths and keyboards in the eighties and even though I'm not really complaining I think maybe RUSH got too much into synths for their own good at one point. By the time Presto came out I think that phase was starting to come to end although they still used them. I think Signals in particular is so synth heavy that it gives it a very futuristic sound that the band never quite equaled as far as synths go although GUP probably comes close.Anyway, as Geddy said it's all about just adding more music. I don't think the goal was for him to be some kind of keyboard virtuoso but he is quite capable on the keys nonetheless.

[JARG]

Check this out, starts around 01.30;

 

Alex has a very wet live sound.