Rush - The Pass guitar tab

Rush - The Pass guitar tab

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