The basics of Alex Lifeson ’ s sound can be achieved with a decent Marshall amp and quality chorus pedal . Because of his dual amp sound and frequent use of solid-state pieces , consider pairing the Marshall with a Roland Jazz Chorus for a complimentary cleaner sound . It ’ s recommended to have a guitar that can switch between both single-coil and humbucker pickups , preferably one with a good tremolo .
An underrated aspect is Lifeson ’ s use of echo and volume swells . Consider getting two or three delay or reverb units set at different times so they bounce off one another , and controlling where they fade in and fade out using a volume pedal .
EHX still makes the Electric Mistress to this day , so that ’ s not hard to find ( set for a slow rate and high sweep !). The Maestro PS-1A however , aside from being rare , also severely limited rate control for users . A Phase 90 should be an affordable alternative , though bear in mind Lifeson rarely used phase effects from the ‘ 80s onward .
As for what to play , Lifeson would gradually move away from hard rootfifths and go for open chords as much as possible . Certain chord voicings to consider are sus2 and add9 . Don ’ t forget to work on your hammer-ons and arpeggios !
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The basics of Alex Lifeson ’ s sound can be achieved with a decent Marshall amp and quality chorus pedal . Because of his dual amp sound and frequent use of solid-state pieces , consider pairing the Marshall with a Roland Jazz Chorus for a complimentary cleaner sound . It ’ s recommended to have a guitar that can switch between both single-coil and humbucker pickups , preferably one with a good tremolo .
An underrated aspect is Lifeson ’ s use of echo and volume swells . Consider getting two or three delay or reverb units set at different times so they bounce off one another , and controlling where they fade in and fade out using a volume pedal .
EHX still makes the Electric Mistress to this day , so that ’ s not hard to find ( set for a slow rate and high sweep !). The Maestro PS-1A however , aside from being rare , also severely limited rate control for users . A Phase 90 should be an affordable alternative , though bear in mind Lifeson rarely used phase effects from the ‘ 80s onward .
As for what to play , Lifeson would gradually move away from hard rootfifths and go for open chords as much as possible . Certain chord voicings to consider are sus2 and add9 . Don ’ t forget to work on your hammer-ons and arpeggios !
42 TONE TALK // The Working Man : The Evolution of Rush ’ s Alex Lifeson and How to Achieve His Sound