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  • introspectre of empty mindless

    culinary institute

    roaches , lol, automobiles don't make ashtrays today.

    lol, hilarious.

    wizard 2013

  • I wish the lesson had been longer. Still cool.

  • Your one of my favourite guitarist. Rush rocks

  • Alex is a great player one of a kind

  • is there any way to buy alex's guitar lessons on a dvd (and pay with cash,as i do not have a credit card) thanks :-)

  • As much as I prefer Alex's playing, I wouldn't go so far as to bash EVH. Pretty childish comments really. There's plenty of room in the world for great guitarists of all styles. Alex happens to be a huge fan of Eddie, so I doubt he'd be that flattered anyway. lol

  • Alex is the perfect example of a guitarist that plays/writes what just simply works for a song, and doesn't need to show off with crazy fast solos or weird riffs that don't work.

  • Hmm.... a good stab at it I suppose. Perhaps make it a bit more Rushy...?

  • You guys actually have the original artists teaching the songs? Badass!

  • alex lifeson plays the best chords ever!

  • This guy plays nothing like Rush's Guitarist! :P

  • these videos are worth the price alone JUST for the LONG interview with Alex prior to the actual lesson!! (it is the same interview for all 3 vids fyi). seems almost certain that they did Tom Sawyer first, because Alex is less thorough in breaking things down than he is in Limelight and Spirit of Radio. it's also funny in Spirit of Radio, there's a crazy chord he uses beginning in the second verse, and Alex himself puts his ring finger on a different string at different times..D'oh!!

  • I bought all three of his lessons, worth every penny

  • Yikes, I thought I was clicking on an Alex Lifeson video but it looks like I've stumbled onto a Van Halen hate-club. =/

  • @VioletFox19 - yeah good point. there's no bigger fan of Lifeson than I am, but bashing anyone, let alone EVH, really serves no productive function. sometimes it's just jabbing and the context.mood doesn't come through in a blog post, but some of it is truly nasty with intent, and it is quite safe to say that Alex would be the last person in all his humility and modesty to approve of anything of the sort.

  • Where is this on iTunes?

  • @XFattMonsterX Hi, Alex's sessions are found on our web site. Let us know how it goes!

  • so i just ordered a brand new gibson les paul to find out 2 days later that they just came out with and alex lifeson signature les paul, and i cant exchange guitars because its already ordered....CURSES

  • @guitarsbikesandpie Well, you're just going to have to become the next Alex, so they want to make you a "guitarsbikesandpie" signature les paul.

  • @iVideosongs brilliant!!!

  • Eddie Van Halen is great. Alex Lifeson is a God.

  • EVH=Speed and some feeling...Alex Lifeson=All feeling..pure awesomeness

  • @abcman7913 you've apparently never hear "A Lerxst in Wonderland." Alex (Lerxst) builds to this climactic fountain of notes that gives me goosebumps every time...and I mean EVERY time.

    So EVH is speed+feeling...Alex Lifeson is (SpeedxFeeling)^Feeling.

  • Does anyone know if Stratocaster equipped with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail in the bridge would be suitable for the 'Limelight' sound, and if not, what would be a better match, do you think?

  • @VincentValentineXIII I almost did that swap on my own setup man, the SD hotrails are good for heavier stuff I think but Alex Lifeson uses a Bill Lawrence L-500 so if you want to copy his sound those might your best bet.

  • Comment removed

  • EVH is great but Alex has a unique magical style to his playing and chord selections/progressions that really no one really can understand and mimic. He is a genius.

  • @universaldave999 Indeed.

  • @universaldave999 - good point, i watch Alex a lot and besides the obvious arpeggio monster that he is, he often hits open strings between chords (such as the d & g especially) to keep sonic space continually full. another trick i recently noticed is he will often go from like a B major or an E up on the 7th fret to the next chord by moving his index finger (only) first and hitting that transitional chord just once before moving the rest of his fingers, making it sound like 2 players. genius!!

  • @universaldave999 alex lifeson, has ``musical substance´´ in his guitar playing, he´s very expressive & soulfull, he composes a lot of his solo´s, so beautifully..along with the rythm section´s, he writes with geddy..

  • That's a wicked tune.

  • I watched a Jeff beck video today and I was thinking..... Alex could blow him away

  • ok I picked this song out by ear in about 2 hours and I thought I had it down to perfection.. but that bit about holding the b note while switching chords is not something you could ever hear. SO UNFAIR! But I must say, most of rush is easy to learn, but to come up with the arrangement is where the true talent is; however, there are some difficult pieces too, but if you take the intro to A Fairwell to Kings for example.. that would take forever to come up with.. but to copy.. not as much.

  • Alex is the best!

  • Watch and learn from the master

  • Google "The Rush Hall of Fame Campaign Petition" . Then sign it to get Rush inducted into R&R Hall of Fame!

    Do it now!

  • @Blogalicious Rush is too good for the RRHF. 

  • I think both Alex and EVH are fantastic guitarists.

  • A genious!!! None of these so called heros ever played a solo like on "Limelight" or "Digital Man" or or or ....

  • 3 men puting out such incredible music. they can never be matched.

  • @cwoodhooligans ...BUDGIE RULES!!!!

  • the best

  • EVH couldn't carry Alex's guitar case.

  • @SavethePlace I agree,,Eddie writes garbage.

  • @SavethePlace EVH couldn't carry Alex's guitar PICK!

  • I love Al's use of the hanging notes like the B on the A chord. Completely sets himself apart from everyone else. Such an emotional and dynamical player

  • First, saw Rush last night in NJ. They KILLED !

    Second, Lifesons Les Pauls failed a few times, the 1991 PRS, rock solid

    Third thanks to the band for being true to themselves.

    Gotta go practice now !

  • Just saw Rush in Columbus this past weekend (8-29-10). Was my 20th Rush concert since Grace Under Pressure. It was hands down the best performance by Alex i've ever seen. He played everything with amazing fury. Working Man was just sick.

    He's so underrated.

  • @bsimp07 Awesome....I first saw Rush on the Signals tour....

  • @e55amgkomp "Signals" and "G Under P" tours for me..truly great band

  • nice fingers

  • Alex knows how to weave pieces together. In my book, Alex is not an amazing guitar player but he is a GREAT musician.

  • This kid is trying to tell me that Rush is overrated. Not even close!! They are underrated if anything!!!

  • very hard to duplicate rush at all, or to come close to lee, lifeson or peart for that matter.

  • Best Intro ever!

  • There both still great guitarists who can make a guitar fucking sing

  • A reporter for Guitar magazine once asked Eddie Van Halen, "So, how does it feel being the worlds greatest guitar player?"

    Eddie replied,"I don't know. Ask that to Alex Lifeson, not me"

  • i WANT TO BE real friends with you lifeson

  • Limelight sounds better on the old fender when they made Moving Pictures. I just never liked the sound of the PRS with this song.

  • Alex Lifeson is a gifted artist - his character and personality as a player is phenomenal! Few guitarists can touch his creativity. Phil Keaggy comes to mind. Other worldly. Love this guy. In touch with some reality he may not even understand....or know.

  • Alex truly is one of the most underrated guitarist of all times..and it's easily explained....most music critics, and the hall of fame panel as well, obviously do not know enough about music to truly appreciate what Rush produces.....their fans get it, but the hollywood dipshits who decide who is "in" and who isn't, have never figured it out...they can have madonna and britney..I'll take the 3 rockin" dudes from Toronto who have been legends for 30+ years!!.

  • @jtmd11 Lol it's like a clique 

  • @jtmd11 Me too...

  • HOLLY SHIT ITS ALEX LIFESON!!!!!

  • he purty good, with more practice hell be able to ply it...gratz'

  • Absolutely agreed 100% Alex is still one of the most influential and underrated guitar players ever!

  • THE BEST

  • My favourite Rush song, and I've ALWAYS known Alex Lifeson is one of the all-time greats in ANY era!

  • a legend

  • Kids, look at this man and listen to what he says and specially what he plays and learn. For me one of the most dynamic guitar players of rock and, i can't understand why, one of the most under rated.

    I don't give much importance about insane techniques, fast playing and that kind of stuff, but dynamics and creativity is everything, and that's what Alex Lifeson is all about.

  • Fantastic guitarist. He really does remind me of a steadier version of another hero of mine Jimmy Page. You gotta hear Alex live sometime. Nosebleed section of the Erwin Center in Austin, TX, and he's was nailin' that guitar.

    They opened a big musical door for me and my oldest son at that concert. Alex always drives me to try out new stuff, and work harder on complicated guitar maneuvers. Thanks Alex!

  • one talented sonofagun

  • Rush Rules man 

  • Totally underrated....! One of the best ever....!

  • Maybe stinky steve sweney should have checked this video out before he made a fool out of his self in front of alot of hookah heads

  • i heard this on a terry fox vid at school 2 years ago i was lauging it kinda suprised me both rush and terry fox true canadians

  • why only show a short segment?

  • @ten8goa so you can buy the dvd

  • Alex lives close to me here in Naples florida. in fact a friend of mine that owns a house cleaning company, ran into him at his totally high end condo building here in naples. which, by the way is the town that he got screwed by the collier county police..jerks..

    anyway, sure wish he'd show us the solo!!

  • i remember this in my radio room in 1980-81

    no matter , the pre-cursor time machine

    anyway, dude, that rhythm section has nothing on you

  • Alex is so cool cuz imo he came up with 2 distinct styles: 1st he learned how to sort of artfully shred, then during 80's he solo'd using chord progressions. I think he was inspired by Jamie West-Oram of Fixx, and Andy summers.

    ...IN fact, i think rush toured with the fixx in early 80's??

  • @dwilmer7 alex lifeson is never behind my camel

  • Alex Lifeson is my guitar inspiration. NOONE can play as good as he can. i luv trying to play along with the Spirit of Radio on my iPod. Alex Lifeson ROCKS!

  • @shraeder80 A reporter for a rock n roll magazine once asked Eddie Van Halen,"So, how does it feel being the worlds greatest guitar player?"

    Eddie replied,"I don't know. You should ask that question to Alex Lifeson."

  • @dimeinabucket731 is tht true

  • @dimeinabucket731 IS that suposed to deminish EVH or Alex?

  • @dimeinabucket731 No, Hendrix was asked that question and he replied "...you should ask that question to Ritchie Blackmore"!!

  • @dimeinabucket731 ask david gilmour

  • what sets him apart is his ability to write great riffs. same with jimmy page. there are many great guitar players who cant write shit.

  • @journeyquest1 slash is overrated he can shed but kinda sounds clesheh and mainstream solo's u hear everywhere where alex is more of the good rythm and sound and have u heard the first solo off la villa stragiato off exit stage left it is freakin crazy and plays 20 min songs where slash plays maybe 8 min longest song

  • I like to keep my fingers on the G-String!

  • Sing it Alex!

  • I could be a fucking Hondo and he would be able to make it sound the same. It's the arrow not the Indian or do I have it backward.

  • most time i think of it as in nines dividde it up like some non-intrusive Pi 3.14 all the worlds a circumference and arefence resting point. Is it true that all tirades and fishermen plow fertilizer into a srtringer?

    Hey Lyrxst patient rock god, next lated band with a tire and a whistle let me know.

  • rush way ahead of there times

  • amen

  • cool riff with the B connector - checkout my rendition of la villa strangiato!

  • what is the name of the guitar

  • @bissell1060 the make is Paul Reed Smith dunno what model tho

  • Comment removed

  • Not only the music of Rush is great so are the lyrics a more educated form of rock music

  • Yeah can anyone tell me where I can buy a copy of these videos. I'm not looking for free downloads or clips, for Alex tuition I don't mind paying real money.

  • Cool - I've done something similar - Top Ten Easiest Guitar Riffs

  • Rush guitar riffs are not easy kid!

  • This is awesome, where can i buy thoses?

  • Anybody out their know if these lessons are available in full length?

  • You have to pay. 4.99

  • Truly a underrated guitarist! EVH has nothing on Alex Lifeson.

  • uhh i dont think so but they are both amazing guitarists. i would say EVH has him beat by a little

  • @rocklinrebel71 Underrated yes, Better than EVH. I don't know about that. Although both very differnet style.

  • @rocklinrebel71 - While I prefer Lifeson, Eddie Van Halen is wonderful too, and equally talented.

  • @rocklinrebel71 I agree. For me Alex Lifeson and Andy Summers are the two most underrated guitarist. It's great to see him give a lesson in the song. Also, love the Paul Reed Smith guitars.

  • @darkoanton5 PRS guitars are some of the nicest around (and of course you pay for it). They are probably the last great handmade guitar with consistent quality across the entire product line.

  • @rocklinrebel71 i'm about the biggest LIFESON fan in the country (even have the license plate that has been on rush website!), but EVH is every bit as good as Alex, and, like Alex, brought a style to rick music that had never really been heard before. Eddie got a million times more notoriety, but RUSH has proven to withstand the test of time like no other rock band ever!!! :-))))

  • @rocklinrebel71 they funny thing is back when evh won a guitarist of the decade award they asked him "whats it like to be the best guitarist in the world?" and he said "i don't know why don't you ask Alex lifeson" HA!

  • @rocklinrebel71 and EVH is kinve a dick but im not saying anything about his guitar ability. just his personality vs alexs. canadians are just awesome

  • People probably don't know how truly talented Alex lifeson really is. Its been said that he writes incredibly fast. I heard he wrote limelight in 5 minutes

  • Dang,and Limelight has some pretty deep lyrics too.

  • That's nothing, I wrote it in 4 minutes...

  • @quigglesquaggs what model is the guitar

  • @johncena1131

    Were you in some confusion as to my comment about writing the song Limelight in 4 minutes? Did you take my comment literally? Wow, but surely you can understand a joke like that? It was pretty simple humour, I wasn't being cryptic or anything.

    Was it a test? Did I have to guess the model of Alex's guitar and then you would judge whether I really did write Limelight in 4 minutes... Nice game...Oh dear!

  • is it a custom 24?

  • @linearrecords12 how is it posible if the song time is 4:20 aprox?

  • @linearrecords12 holy crap, 5 minutes!!!!

  • Yea, Alex Lifeson is prolly one of the best guitarists of all time.

  • this video was really great Rush is my favorite band by far

  • Best guitarist, best sound, best person, best band.... ALEX, THANK YOU!!!!

  • Alex looks like the coolest, most unassuming guy you could ever hope to run into. I'm serious. He seems like the kind of guy who would hand you a beer, ask how you're doing, and actually be interested in your reply.

  • He looks like a math teacher.

  • Alex Lifeson. One of the most underrated guitarists of all time.

  • I'd give your comment a +20 if I could millennium

  • @millenniumoverdrive yeah he has a very unique tempo in his solos. One might think he just jammed on the record, but when you see him doing live he is doing exactly the same

  • @millenniumoverdrive Alex Lifeson eats eddie and spits him out

    have you seen the new dvd documentary and the footage of alex just shredding away in 68????????????? in my opinion he gave jimi hendrix a run for his money an i bet jimi never ever heard of alex!! these guys are brilliant artists

  • thankyou

  • how is his guitar just staying there like that?

  • i hope to god you're joking

  • So do I

  • whoah, that is alex lifeson himself. he is the guitarist for rush in case you didnt know. his orignal work.

  • are you out of your fucking mind dude?

  • lol

  • are you dumb, he created the guitar line you fucking idiot

  • Alex Lifeson is pimpin

    (and Rush rocks)

  • Rush = the best music to ever be created.

  • Alex is not the best guitar player of the world shure, but he has something in his style that makes we love him. he is my favorite guitarist.

  • We love Alex Lifeson so much because he has a style all of his own that nobody can touch.Ive seen coverbands and famous guitarist play RUSH and they fail to capture his sound and feel.

  • ALEX is one of the best of all time..Fuck ya if you don't think so

  • I SOOOOOOOOO agree with ya on THAT one!!

  • Yes, and he is one of the most underrated. :(

  • better to be underrated than overrated

  • where can you watch the whole vid lol

  • this song has the most beautiful solo i have ever heard. WHO AGREES THAT ALEX IS UNDERRATED?

  • He is but theres so many guitarist that Alex got lost in the shuffle all these years and hence the underrated status but damn has he made up for it RUSH music is more popular now than ever !

  • yea that's true...its just amazing how our age appreciates their music now...ive seen 9 year olds who likes rush!

  • Im 14 and im a huuuge fan of Rush, greatest band in the world ... i freakin' love this song! :-)

  • same, Im 14 and I luv Rush and Survivor

  • not really, most kids are into shitty rap and hip hop music.

  • im 15 and i love rush!

    Alex makes it look so god damn easy!

  • a 9 year old who likes Rush?wait, were they girls?Most girls are interested in Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers.

  • @tw0ntw0n may not be "the fastest", but damn he is creative and I feel every one of his notes and chords

  • @tw0ntw0n Hell yeah he is

  • @tw0ntw0n your right great solo

  • @tw0ntw0n I started guitar in the 80s Lifeson was my guitar god. He approaches his chordal voicing to leads in some of the most unique and interesting ways! Lifeson. Frank Marino and Joe Perry were also underated guitarists.

  • @tw0ntw0n I def agree. Its only about 30 seconds. But it truly takes you to a whole other place. Something ethereal about it

  • @tw0ntw0n Definately underated

  • though i agree he got some (alot) of weight i still think hes cute (no im not gay) *-* xD~~

    love him... and rush... and limelight

  • Who are the other two guys in Alex's band? lol!!

    Alex is witty, kind, funny as hell, and good natured beyond belief.

    Strange how it was either Neil or Ged's name that would come up in "who's the most important member" conversations, when all along it was really Alex.

  • Without his melodies they wouldn't have anything to play to

  • I wouldn't say Alex is the most important. I also wouldn't say Neil or Geddy are the most important either. When 3 people master their instruments that well and are all in the same band they are all equally important. I would say Alex is definitely the most overlooked but that's just by the general public as I know tons of guitarists who love his work.

  • I'm a Bassist and he inspired me to play my Acoustic WAY more then I usually would. He's an awesome guy. :D

  • Alex you are a gentleman and a scholar, and such a class act!

  • He doesn't show the next part, which is interesting. On this vid you can see he's playing it up on the 7th fret, which he sometimes does live, but in the studio and sometimes live he plays the next part on the 2nd fret. Trickier, but it's how he gets that cool picked sound that rings so nicely during the verse and chorus.

  • or its the same chord just a string over and 5 frets lower

  • well yes. you can play a b maj on the 2nd or 7th fret.

  • ALEX IS A GOD! and tata we all gain weight! lol...give the man a break he rocked the world for all those years,and ate yummy food along the way! :)

  • I wish Alex would lose some weight, FFS. He used to be so handsome.