Rush: The Pass From the album Presto (Atlantic Records) Copyright 1989 Core Music Publishing Music by Lee and Lifeson Lyrics by Peart Comments/corrections to Branden Robinson Transcribed by Jesse Gress and Branden Robinson 4/4 time, q = 115 Intro/verse figure these four measures x2 for intro/first verse tacet for second verse q H+ w q H+ w e:-----6--|-(6)--|-----6--|-(6)--------------------------------------| B:-----6--|-(6)--|-----6--|-(6)--------------------------------------| G:o----7--|-(7)-o|o----8--|-(8)-------------------------------------o| D:o----8--|-(8)-o|o----8--|-(8)-------------------------------------o| A:--------|------|----(6)-|-(6)--------------------------------------| E:--------|------|--------|------------------------------------------| q H+ w q H+ w q H+ h e e e e e:-----6--|-(6)--|-----6--|-(6)-|-----6--|-(6)-1--1--1--1------------| B:-----6--|-(6)--|-----6--|-(6)-|-----6--|-(6)-1--1--1--1------------| G:o----7--|-(7)-o|-----8--|-(8)-|-----8--|-(8)-2--2--2--3------------| D:o----8--|-(8)-o|-----8--|-(8)-|-----8--|-(8)-3--3--3--3------------| A:--------|------|----(6)-|-(6)-|----(6)-|-(6)-3--3--3--1------------| E:--------|------|--------|-----|--------|-----1--1--1---------------| Pre-chorus figure Q e e e e e+ e s s e e e e e e e:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1--1-------------------| B:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1--1-------------------| G:--3-----3--------3--|-(3)-------3-----2--2--2--3-------------------| D:--3--------3--------|-----1-h3--------3--3--3--3-------------------| A:--1--1--------1-----|--------------1--3--3--3--1-------------------| E:--------------------|-----------------1--1--1----------------------| Q e e e e e+ e s s e e e e e e e:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1----------------------| B:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1----------------------| G:--3-----3--------3--|-(3)-------3-----2--2--2----------------------| D:--3--------3--------|-----1-h3--------3--3--3----------------------| A:--1--1--------1-----|--------------1--3--3--3--3/------------------| E:--------------------|-----------------1--1--1--1/------------------| Q e e e e e+ h e e e e e:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| B:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| G:--8-----8--------8--|-(8)-------2--2--2--2/------------------------| D:--8--8-----6--------|-----------3--3--3--3/------------------------| A:--6--6--------6-----|-----------3--3--3--3/------------------------| E:-(6)----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| (2/4 time) Q e e e e e+ h e:--6-----------------|----------------------------------------------| B:--6-----------------|----------------------------------------------| G:--8-----8--------8--|-(8)------------------------------------------| D:--8--8-----6--------|----------------------------------------------| A:--6--6--------6-----|----------------------------------------------| E:-(6)----------------|----------------------------------------------| end pre-chorus figure Chorus figure e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| B:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| G:--------0--------0--------|--------0---------------0---------------| D:-----3--------3--------3--|-----------0---------5-----5------------| A:--5--------5--------5-----|-----3--------(5h)7---------------------| E:--------------------------|--5-------------------------------------| e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|--------------1--1--1--1/---------------| B:--------------------------|--------------1--1--1--1/---------------| G:--------0--------0--------|--------0-----2--2--2--2/---------------| D:-----3--------3--------3--|-----------0--3--3--3--3/---------------| A:--5--------5--------5-----|-----3--------3--3--3--3/---------------| E:--------------------------|--5-----------1--1--1--1/---------------| to coda third time q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--6-----6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8-------------------| B:--6-----6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8-------------------| G:--8-----8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--10-10-10-10------------------| D:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--10-10-10-10------------------| A:--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8-------------------| E:-----------------------|-------------------------------------------| q e e e e e e e e e e e e+q h e:--6-----6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6------|---------------------- B:--6-----6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--8------|---------------------- G:--8-----8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--8------|---------------------- D:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--8------|---------------------- A:--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6------|---------------------- E:-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------- measure ends in interlude solo Interlude (with Riff A) (first measure continued from chorus) h H+ q+ w H+s s e+ q+ H+ e:-----|---------12---|-(12)~------|--8------12p10--|-(10)~-(10)~----| B:-----|---12---(12)--|-(12)-------|----------------|----------------| G:-----|--------------|------------|----------------|--------9-------| D:-----|--------------|------------|----------------|----------------| A:-----|--------------|------------|----------------|----------------| E:-----|--------------|------------|----------------|----------------| swell swell grad. fade swell swell ---3--- q e+ H+ w+ w+ w e:-(10)~--------------|-------|-------|------------------------------| B:--------------<7>---|-(<7>)-|-(<7>)-|-(<7>)------------------------| G:-(9)---<7>---(<7>)--|-(<7>)-|--h10--|--(10)------------------------| D:--------------------|--h5---|--(5)--|--(5)-------------------------| A:--------------------|-------|-------|------------------------------| E:--------------------|-------|-------|------------------------------| fade swell (feedback) Second verse x4 x4 e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| B:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| G:o------------------------o|o-------8-----------8-------------------| D:o-------8-----------8----o|o----8-----8-----8-----8----------------| A:-----8-----8-----8-----8--|--6-----------6-------------------------| E:--6-----------6-----------|----------------------------------------| x4 x4 e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| B:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| G:o------------------------o|o-------8-----------8-------------------| D:o-------8-----------8----o|o----8-----8-----8-----8----------------| A:-----8-----8-----8-----8--|--6-----------6-------------------------| E:--6-----------6-----------|----------------------------------------| Solo rhythm figure e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|--------------1--1--1--1----------------| B:--------------------------|--------------1--1--1--1----------------| G:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--2--2--2--3----------------| D:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--3--3--3--3----------------| A:--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--3--3--3--1----------------| E:--------------------------|--------------1--1--1-------------------| crescendo-------------| Solo (first measure continued from chorus) h w+ h Q e w+ h Q e Q e e Q+ e:--10\----|--6--|-(6)--------|-----|-------------|------------------| B:--10\----|--6--|-(6)--------|-----|-------------|------------------| G:--10\----|--7--|-(7)--3--5s-|-s7--|-(7)~--7--8--|--10--------------| D:--10\----|--8--|-(8)--------|-----|-------------|-----8--5s8~------| A:--10\----|--8--|-(8)--------|-----|-------------|------------------| E:--10\----|--6--|-(6)--------|-----|-------------|------------------| strum h Q e Q+ e+ h+ h Q e+ e:-------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------| B:-------------|-----------------------|--------18~------------------| G:------7~--8s-|-s10--(10b12)--(r10)~--|-(10)~-------15--------------| D:-(8)~--------|-----------------------|-----------------------------| A:-------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------| E:-------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------| w+ h Q e+ q+ H h Q e e:---------------|-----------------|-------------|-------/11--13-----| B:--15~----------|-(15)~--18~------|--15--(15)~--|-------------------| G:-(15)~---------|-(15)~-------15--|-(15)-(15)~--|-------------------| D:---------------|-----------------|-------15~---|-(15)~-------------| A:---------------|-----------------|-------------|-------------------| E:---------------|-----------------|-------------|-------------------| vib. w/ bar---------| vib. w/ bar--| (with solo rhythm figure) q q+ h+ h Q e e e q e e q e:--15-----------|--------11--13--|--15----15------15----13----------| B:-----11-(11)~--|-(11)~----------|-----11------------11-------------| G:---------------|----------------|----------------------------------| D:---------------|----------------|----------------------------------| A:---------------|----------------|----------------------------------| E:---------------|----------------|----------------------------------| vib. w/ bar--| (with first 2 measures of pre-chorus) e e q e e e e w+ h e:--13----11----15-13-15-17--|--19~--|-(19)~--1--1--1--1-------------| B:-----11--------------------|-------|--------1--1--1--1-------------| G:---------------------------|-------|--------2--2--2--3-------------| D:---------------------------|-------|--------3--3--3--3-------------| A:---------------------------|-------|--------3--3--3--1-------------| E:---------------------------|-------|--------1--1--1----------------| end solo 3rd pre-chorus Q e e e e e+ e s s e e e e e e e:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1----------------------| B:--1-----------------|-----------------1--1--1----------------------| G:--3-----3--------3--|-(3)-------3-----2--2--2----------------------| D:--3--------3--------|-----1-h3--------3--3--3----------------------| A:--1--1--------1-----|--------------1--3--3--3--3/------------------| E:--------------------|-----------------1--1--1--1/------------------| Q e e e e e+ h e e e e e:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| B:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| G:--8-----8--------8--|-(8)-------2--2--2--2/------------------------| D:--8--8-----6--------|-----------3--3--3--3/------------------------| A:--6--6--------6-----|-----------3--3--3--3/------------------------| E:-(6)----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/------------------------| Q e e e e e+ h e e e e e e+H e:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/--|--6------------------| B:--6-----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/--|--6------------------| G:--8-----8--------8--|-(8)-------2--2--2--2/--|--8------------------| D:--8--8-----6--------|-----------3--3--3--3/--|--8------------------| A:--6--6--------6-----|-----------3--3--3--3/--|--6------------------| E:-(6)----------------|-----------1--1--1--1/--|---------------------| Coda Q e e e e e e e e e e e e e x3 e:--6-----------------|----------------------------------------------| B:--6-----------------|--------------10-10-10-10---------------------| G:--8--8--8-----------|--------------10-10-10-10---------------------| D:--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--10-10-10-10---------------------| A:--6--6--6--5--5--5--|--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8----------------------| E:--------------------|-----6--6-------------------------------------| Q e e e e e e e e e e e+q w e:--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6------|------------------------| B:--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6------|------------------------| G:--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--8------|------------------------| D:--8--8--8--8--8--8--|--8--8--8--8--8------|------------------------| A:--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6------|------------------------| E:--------------------|---------------------|------------------------| Remarks: I am attempting a further transition towards a representation of the song as a complete whole, rather than my alphabetic enumeration of riffs as in the past. Let me know if this new format is confusing; of course a recording of the song will still be necessary to gain confidence with the arrangement. The remark under the intro/verse riff refers to the measures as written, not before the repeats are evaluated. In the guitar interlude after the first chorus, there is heavy overtracking going on such that almost every note played swells in on its own. This is impossible to reproduce on a single guitar in a single performance. An approximation for live performance is presented here. The last note of the guitar solo sees the return of Alex's infinite sustain machine (from "Limelight") except this time the note ends -- at the "Christ". Here it is notated for a plausible live performance, though of course if a rhythm guitar is present, the note may be sustained at the player's discretion. Tonally, this song features the setup typical for Alex on the _Presto_ album; that magical mystical combination of sparkling clean with heavy echo and a slightly warm overdrive combined. The interlude and solo definitely need to be overdriven for sustain, but don't push the gain too much or the notes will sound shrill. As with many other Rush songs, Lifeson here demonstrates his exquisite tastefulness in tone, note choice, phrasing, and just about all things musical. Those who ignore Alex's work from, say, post-Moving Pictures until Counterparts or so, complaining that he wasn't cranking the Marshalls wide open, just don't know what they're missing. Tablature explanation: | - bar line, merely a separator when length notation absent |----| |----| |o--o| repeat |o--o| |----| |----| w - whole note h - half note q - quarter note e - eighth note s - sixteenth note t - thirty-second note x - sixty-fourth note Captial lengths indicate dotted notes, + indicates tied note Length notations with no information below them indicate rests Duplets, triplets, and their ilk are indicated by "---3---" and similar constructs above the note lengths h - hammer on p - pull off tr - trill b - bend (use tremolo bar for downbend) r - release bend s - slide / - slide up \ - slide down ~ - vibrato t - tap (with strumming hand) x - fret-hand muting + - wah pedal back o - wah pedal forward () optional note, or note held from previous articulation <> natural harmonics [] artificial (pinch) harmonics NH natural harmonics AH artificial (pinch) harmonics TH tapped harmonics PM palm mute