The Spirit of Radio Opening Riff

[rocketman]

Here is the riff as described by the man himself:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc209Q9m6x8

 

Most people tend to play it like this though:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr-X1hFLfCQ

 

That is, people add the open string e note on the 16th, which is different than what Lifeson explains. My problem is that I swear that I hear that open e note in the riff. Here it is an octave lower and cleaned up a bit.

 

Now I don't want to question the man, but do you think he hits that e note incidentally throughout the riff? I don't hear it on the first beat but I know I hear it on the third beat.

[CaptainNemo68]

I have always played this like Lifeson shows along with the open E string kinda like you described (a fourth 16th note). It sounds good anyway

[damian]

I played in a band that covered lots of Rush in my younger days; quite a learning curve. I also played guitar in a Steely Dan cover band; that was a ***** to study, and I can no longer do that stuff, got old I guess. Rush rocks.

[GIANTRobOT42O]

Play it your way muchacho

[LPguitarman]

I also had trouble with Alex's method. But who's to argue with the master. I try to play it his way, but I think I throw in and open E every once in a while too. With the flanger and chorus going, it sounds pretty good anyway.

 

RUSH Rocks...

[BigKahune]

... Now I don't want to question the man, but do you think he hits that e note incidentally throughout the riff? I don't hear it on the first beat but I know I hear it on the third beat.

 

Yep, like a lot of us - he has a plan on the way he wants it played . . . . but the way it comes out ain't exactly according to plan. B)

[FirstMeasure]

I've been playing the last note wrong, it sounds way better the way Alex showed it. I've been landing on the D for the last note (3rd fret B String). Little thing like that makes a HUGE difference, time for this old dog to learn a new trick.

 

Jocko - I hate to harp on a thing like this, but Rush is not a Super Group. A "Super Group" is a band made up of musicians that have already made a name for themselves in the music business (Cream, Blind Faith, BBM, Chicken Foot, Power Station). No one had heard of Alex, Geddy, or Niel before they were in RUSH. They're a Power Trio, not a Super Group.

[PP_CS336]

I played in a band that covered lots of Rush in my younger days; quite a learning curve. I also played guitar in a Steely Dan cover band; that was a ***** to study, and I can no longer do that stuff, got old I guess. Rush rocks.

 

damian, it's not because you're getting old. It's like anything else, "If you don't use it, you lose it.". I can remember when I use to do Hector Villa Lobos

Preludes and Fernando Sor Studies on my Classical Guitar. I can't now because I haven't played them in years. Doesn't mean that if I had time to whip myself back

in shape that I couldn't do it again. I'm sure if Alex Leifson or any other professional or semi-professional player weren't playing all the time that they could

keep their chops up to the precision they do else-wise. Playing guitar is like being a athlete. If you don't practice all time, then your muscles can't always

do what you tell them. When you're a pro and constantly in condition from a practice routine, there's no more thought, just execution because you've done it over

and over. When you have to start thinking about it, you lose the continuity in the flow.