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Xanadu cover art

Xanadu

Rush
Tab
★4.8(62)

This is tablature — fret positions rather than chord names. Wide lines scroll sideways on their own, so the page never does.

0:00

e|--------|-------------|-----------------|--------------------------|
B|--------|--5----------|-[5]-------------|--------------------------|
G|--------|----4--------|----[4]----------|o------------------------o|
D|--------|------2------|--------[2]------|o---2~-------------------o|
A|--------|-------------|-----------------|----------4~-----2~-------|
E|-0------|--------0----|------------[0]--|-------0------0-----------|

0:31

e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|

0:38

e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

0:46

e|-12~--0--7--9~---0-4-5--0-|--12~--0-7-9--0---------------7---------|
B|--------------------------|----------------9--10----7--9---10-9~---|
G|o------------------------o|----------------------9-----------------|
D|o------------------------o|----------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|

1:01

e|--16--12-14------|---16--12-14-------------------------------------|
B|------------12~--|-------------12--16-14----------12-14~-----------|
G|o---------------o|------------------------13-14~----------13-14~---|
D|o---------------o|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------|-------------------------------------------------|

1:16

e|-----------|----------------------------------------------------12-|
B|-----------|---10--9----------10~-9~-------------------------12----|
G|-----------|---------9--7~-----------9--7~-----11--9----9-11-------|
D|-14--12~---|--------------------------------9--------9-------------|
A|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|

1:30

e|---------------------12-----------|--------------------------------|
B|-12---------------12----12--------|--------------------------------|
G|----11--9---9--11----------11--9--|--------------------------------|
D|----------9-----------------------|----9-11----9----7---7----------|
A|----------------------------------|-11-------7---9--5---4---7---7--|
E|----------------------------------|-------------------------5---4--|

[1:37] [1:41]

e|-----------------0----|-----------------------------------------|
B|--------------|-----------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-----------------------------------|
E|-------------------------|------------------0---------|

1:49

e|--------11---------12--|
B|--10-12----9--10-------|
G|o----------------9----o|
D|o---------------------o|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------| repeat until free time ends at 2:03

Riff A1 (7/8 time)

24x

e e e e e e e

e|------12----------11-----------------------------------------------|
B|----------10--12------9---10---------------------------------------|
G|o-9---------------------------------------------------------------o|
D|o-----------------------------------------------------------------o|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Riff A2 (7/8 time) (with riff A1)

h+ Q+ h+ Q h+ Q+ h+ Q h+ Q+ h+ Q

e|---------|---------|---------|---------|--------|------------------|
B|---------|---------|---------|---------|--------|------------------|
G|o--------|---------|--5--(5)-|-(5)-(5)-|--------|------------------|
D|o-2--(2)-|-(2)-(2)-|--5--(5)-|-(5)-(5)-|--5-(5)-|-(5)-(5)----------|
A|--2--(2)-|-(2)-(2)-|--3--(3)-|-(3)-(3)-|--5-(5)-|-(5)-(5)----------|
E|--0--(0)-|-(0)-(0)-|---------|---------|--3-(3)-|-(3)-(3)----------|

3x (4/4 time) (5/4 time) (4/4 time)

h+ Q+ h+ Q w+ w+ w+ w+q+ h+ Q e+

e|---------|----------|-----|------|------|-------------|------------|
B|---------|----------|-----|------|------|-------------|------------|
G|--2--(2)-|-(2)-(2)-o|-----|------|------|-------------|------------|
D|--2--(2)-|-(2)-(2)-o|--2--|-(2)--|-(2)--|-(2)---------|-(2)-(2)----|
A|--0--(0)-|-(0)-(0)--|--2--|-(2)--|-(2)--|-(2)---------|-(2)-(2)----|
E|---------|----------|--0--|-(0)--|-(0)--|-(0)---------|-(0)-(0)-0--|

Riff B (4/4 time)

e e h+ e e+ e e h+ e e+

e|-----------0---(0)-----|-----------0---(0)------------|
B|-----------0---(0)-----|-----------0---(0)------------|
G|-----------4---(4)-----|-----------4---(4)------------|
D|-----------2---(2)-----|-----------2---(2)------------|
A|-----------2---(2)-----|-----------2---(2)------------|
E|---(0)--0--0---(0)--0--|---(0)--0--0---(0)--0---------|

e e h+ (e) e+

e|-----------0---(0)-----|
B|-----------0---(0)-----|
G|-----------4---(4)-----|
D|-----------2---(2)-----|
A|-----------2---(2)--5--|
E|---(0)--0--0---(0)-----|

Riff C1 (4/4 time)

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e+

e|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A|-(5)-4-------/9--7--5--4--|--5--4----------------------------------|
E|--------7--5--------------|--------7--5-/9--7--5--0----------------|

Riff C2 (4/4 time)

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

e|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A|-(5)-4-------/9--7--5--4--|--7--5--4-----5--4----------------------|
E|--------7--5--------------|-----------7--------7--5----------------|

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e w+ w

e|--------------------------|--------------------------|--0---|-(0)--|
B|--------------------------|--------------------------|--0---|-(0)--|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|--4---|-(4)--|
D|--------------------------|--------------------------|--2---|-(2)--|
A|--------------------------|-----------------------2--|--2---|-(2)--|
E|-/9--7--5--4--7--5--4--2--|--5--4--2--0--4--2--0-----|--0---|-(0)--|

Riff D1 (7/8 time)

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s10---------------|
G|--13----13----13-13-13-13-13-|--13----13----13-13s11---------------|
D|--14----14----14-14-14-14-14-|--14----14----14-14s12---------------|
A|--14----14----14-14-14-14-14-|--14----14----14-14s12---------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--10----10----10-10-10-10-10-|--10----10----10-10s7----------------|
G|--11----11----11-11-11-11-11-|--11----11----11-11s8----------------|
D|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s9----------------|
A|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s9----------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--7-----7-----7--7--7--7--7--|--7-----7-----7--7s5-----------------|
G|--8-----8-----8--8--8--8--8--|--8-----8-----8--8s6-----------------|
D|--9-----9-----9--9--9--9--8--|--9-----9-----9--9s7-----------------|
A|--9-----9-----9--9--9--9--9--|--9-----9-----9--9s7-----------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e e e

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--5-----5-----5--5--5--5--5--|--3-----3-----3--3-------------------|
G|--6-----6-----6--6--6--6--6--|--4-----4-----4--4-------------------|
D|--7-----7-----7--7--7--7--7--|--5-----5-----5--5-------------------|
A|--7-----7-----7--7--7--7--7--|--5-----5-----5--5-------------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

Keyboard (arranged for guitar) played over above riff

e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-5s12~-----------------------------5s12~-------12--10-9-10-9--10---|
G|-------------9~--------7~------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12~----12--10-9-10-9--10--12~--10-9-------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------9~------9--9--9-9-9--7--7--7--7|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----------|
B|--5~------|
G|----------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|

Riff D2 (7/8 time)

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s10---------------|
G|--13----13----13-13-13-13-13-|--13----13----13-13s11---------------|
D|--14----14----14-14-14-14-14-|--14----14----14-14s12---------------|
A|--14----14----14-14-14-14-14-|--14----14----14-14s12---------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--10----10----10-10-10-10-10-|--10----10----10-10s7----------------|
G|--11----11----11-11-11-11-11-|--11----11----11-11s8----------------|
D|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s9----------------|
A|--12----12----12-12-12-12-12-|--12----12----12-12s9----------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

e e e e e s s s s e e e e e q

e|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|
B|--7-----7-----7--7--7--7--7--|--7-----7-----7--7s5-----------------|
G|--8-----8-----8--8--8--8--8--|--8-----8-----8--8s6-----------------|
D|--9-----9-----9--9--9--9--8--|--9-----9-----9--9s7-----------------|
A|--9-----9-----9--9--9--9--9--|--9-----9-----9--9s7-----------------|
E|--0-----0-----0--0--0--0--0--|--0-----0-----0--0-------------------|

q e e e e e e e e e e e e

e|--0--------0--------|-----------0----------------------------------|
B|--0-----0-----0-----|--------0-----------0-------------------------|
G|--6--6-----------6--|-----4-----------3----------------------------|
D|--7-----------------|--5-----------4-------------------------------|
A|--7-----------------|--5-----------4-------------------------------|
E|--5-----------------|--3-----------2-------------------------------|

Riff E

e|----0-----------0------0--0--0--------0-----------0------0--0--0---|
B|------0-----------0----0--0--0----------0-----------0----0--0--0---|
G|--------1-----------1--4--3--6------------1-----------1--4--3--8---|
D|--2-----------2--------5--4--7------2-----------2--------5--4--9---|
A|--2---------2----------5--4--7----2-----------2----------5--4--9---|
E|--0-------0------------3--2--5--0-----------0------------3--2--7---|

Riff F (Coleridge verse)

e|---0--0--0-----------0------|---0--0--0-----------0----------------|
B|---0-----0--------0-----0---|---0-----0--------0-----0-------------|
G|o--1-----3-----3-----------o|o--8-----6-----6---------------------o|
D|o--2-----4--4--------------o|o--9-----7--7------------------------o|
A|---2-----4------------------|---9-----7----------------------------|
E|---0-----2------------------|---7-----5----------------------------|

Riff G

e|--2--0--3--1-------------------------------------------------------|
B|--3--1--3--1-------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2--2--4--2-------------------------------------------------------|
D|--0--2--5--3--2-2-2-2---2--2-2-------------------------------------|
A|-----0--5--3--2-2-2-2---2--2-2-------------------------------------|
E|--------3--1--0-0-0-0---0--0-0-------------------------------------|

Riff H (verses 1 and 3)

e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------2-2-2-2---------4--2-----2------4--2-----2----------|
D|--2-2-2-2---5--2-2-2-2---5--2--4--2--5--2---2--4--2--5--2----------|
A|--2-2-2-2---5--0-0-0-0---5--2--2--0--5--0---2--2--0--5--0----------|
E|--0-0-0-0---3------------3--0--------3------0--------3-------------|
e|----------------------------0--------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------0--------------------------------------|
G|---------------2-2-2-2------4--------------------------------------|
D|--2-2-2-2---5--2-2-2-2---5--2--------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-2-2---5--0-0-0-0---5--2--------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-0-0---3------------3--0--------------------------------------|

[Fill 1] (verse 3)

e|--13b15~---------|
B|-----------------|
G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------| uses delay of approx. 300 msec

[Riff I] ("Xanadu")

e|--0----3----2------------------------------------------------------|
B|--0----3----3------------------------------------------------------|
G|--1----0----2------------------------------------------------------|
D|--2----0----0------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2----2----0------------------------------------------------------|
E|--0----3----2------------------------------------------------------|

[Riff J] (4/4 time) (verses 2 and 4) (12-string)

e e e e e e e e e e e e q e e

e|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|--------3-----------3-----|--------3-------------------------------|
G|-----2-----0-----------0--|-----------0----------------------------|
D|--0--------------3--------|-----2----------------------------------|
A|--------------1-----------|--3-------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------|--------------3--2--0-------------------|

| |

| (accompaniment if no 12-string available) |

| e e e e e e e e e e e e q e e |

e|--------------------------|-----0----------------------------------|
B|--3-----3-----------3-----|--1-----3-------------------------------|
G|-----2-----0--3--------0--|-----------0----------------------------|
D|-----------------3--------|--------------5--4--2-------------------|
A|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|

Keyboard

(arranged for guitar) played over above riff

e|--------19-----17~-------------------------------------------------|
B|--19-20----20-------20-19-17~--------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------19-18-16~--18-19--14~------17~--16--|
D|-----------------------------------------------------15~-----------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--14---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----17--12~--p0h12~-p0h12p0h12~-----------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Riff K

e|--2----2----2------------------------------------------------------|
B|--3----3----3------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2----2----2------------------------------------------------------|
D|--0----0----0------------------------------------------------------|
A|--0----0----0------------------------------------------------------|
E|--2----2----2------------------------------------------------------|

[Riff L] (4/4 time) (12-string)

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

e|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|--------3-----------3-----|--------3-------------------------------|
G|-----2-----0-----------0--|-----------0----------------------------|
D|--0--------------3--------|-----2----------------------------------|
A|--------------1-----------|--3-------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------|--------------3--3--2--0----------------|

| |

| (accompaniment if no 12-string available) |

| e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e |

e|--------------------------|-----0----------------------------------|
B|--3-----3-----------3-----|--1-----3-------------------------------|
G|-----2-----0--3--------0--|-----------0----------------------------|
D|-----------------3--------|--------------5--5--4--2----------------|
A|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------|----------------------------------------|

Keyboard

(arranged for guitar) played over riff F

e|-----12~----------------------------0~-----------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

(w/ bar) (w/ bar)

Solo

(over riff F)

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------17~--19~--19b21~--21b22~------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--0b2--0b2-------------------------------------------------------------|

|------- (behind the nut bend, or pull up on floating tremolo)

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------9-11b13-(13)r11~------11-11-9-11b13-(13)r11p9----9~-------------|
D|--9-11------------------9-11-------------------------11----------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------------------------12---|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--7-6-4-------------------------------11b12r11-9~--9b11--9b11r9~-------|
D|--------7-5-4-5-4------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------7-5-4-0----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------2b3-(3)r2-0----------------------------------|
e|--15p12----12--15p12----12 15b17-15-15-15-15-14-12---------------------|
B|--------15-----------15----------------------------15-14-12------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------------14-13-12---|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------------12-15------------|
B|---------------------------------------------12h15----------15---------|
G|------------------------------------12h14----------14------------------|
D|--14-13-12--------------------12h14-------14---------------------------|
A|-----------14-13-12-----12h14------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------15-------------------------------------------------|
e|--12-15-----------------------------17b19-(19)r17-17-15s14-------------|
B|--------15-17b19--17b19-17-17b19r17------------------------17-15~-\----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------2-------------0-------------3----------------1---------|
B|--------3-------------1-------------3------------1-----------|
G|----2--------------------------------------------------------|
D|--0---------------2------------------------------------------|
A|----------------0---------------5--------------3-------------|
E|------------------------------3--------------1---------------|

[Riff M] (played over riff A1)

e|--0----0--0----0----0--0----0--------------------------------------|
B|--0----0--0----0----0--0----0--------------------------------------|
G|--4----4--4----4----4--4----4--------------------------------------|
D|--2----2--2----2----2--2----2--------------------------------------|
A|--2----2--2----2----2--2----2--------------------------------------|
E|--0----0--0----0----0--0----0--------------------------------------|

[Riff N] (12-string, fades in)

e|--------------12-0------------|
B|--------------------12-0------|
G|-----------13-----------------|
D|-----14-----------------------|
A|--------14--------------------|
E|--12--------------------------|

[Keyboard] (arranged for guitar) played over above riff

e|--11h12-11-9-----9----------------------|
B|-------------12-------------------------|
G|o-------------------11---11h13--11--9~-o|
D|o--------------------------------------o|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|

[Lead] (played over riff N)

e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------10s11-9-------9-------------------------------|
D|--12-11-9------------12-11---12-11-9--12-11-9-7--11-9-7-6--|
A|----------12-----------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--9-7-6-----7-6--------6-----------------------------------------|
A|--------9-------9--7-----9--7------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------9\---------------------------------|

Conclusion

e|--0----------0------------|--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0---------------------|
B|--0----------0------------|--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0---------------------|
G|--4----------9------------|--9--9-9-9--9-9-9-9---------------------|
D|--2----------9------------|--9--9-9-9--9-9-9-9---------------------|
A|--2----------7------------|--7--7-7-7--7-7-7-7---------------------|
E|--0----------0------------|--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0---------------------|

repeatedly and rapidly

Remarks:

Standard tuning applies. Key is E.

By the way, there are at least three guitars in this song, 1

clean for the intro, one with distortion for the fast parts, the solo and

the riffs between [2:03] and [4:20], and a 12 string w/chorus for the

slow parts before and during Geddy's singing. The second guitar takes

over when the song speeds up.. "I have heard the whispered tales..." and

then returns to the chorused guitar when it slows back down.

Jimmy Pena - jimmy@walrus.com

Initially my task was to identify a few unnotated chords and glue together

Charles Grogan's and Jimmy Pena's work. The most significant edit was

my replacement of Jimmy's notation of Riff A at the end of the song; his

differed from Charles's, but the instances of the riff sounded identical

to me. I've since revised the D riffs and added rhythm notation to them.

Eventually the whole tab will be notated this way (except for the free

time part, of course). As yet this doesn't merit the rhythm-notation

version of the tablature explanation, so just remember that "q" means

quarter notes, "e" means eighths, and "s" sixteenths.

It is unclear to me whether the low E string should be muted for the

full-chord strumming in riffs D1 and D2. This part was played on an

electric 12-string so it sounds pretty muddy. Given that the high open E

is present as a "drone tone", harmonically it doesn't make a lot of

difference if you mute the low E or not.

Also made some corrections thanks to Jim Cirronella , Rich

Soto , and C. D. Bruce .

This song differs somewhat live. I ignore the _Exit...Stage Left_

version, instead concentrating on more recent recordings from

the Presto, Roll the Bones, and Counterparts tours, which are,

unfortunately, not officially available. It's a real shame, because

they did great versions of this song -- too bad they only played half

of it (stopping after riff K).

At any rate, the free time part obviously changes as it's improv. Alex

uses a digital delay for it, and palm mutes the last part (the part

that is the same as riff A1). In riff B, an E power chord replaces the

single bass note. In riff D, the strumming isn't quite as busy, and

in riff D2, the E and D chords are voiced differently -- fret them as

major bar chords and play only the three high strings, and you'll have

it. In general the arpeggios in riffs E and F are more arpeggiated. If

you have a recording you'll know what I mean.

Branden Robinson - branden@ecn.purdue.edu

Tablature explanation:

| - music separator, not a standard notation bar line

|----|
|----|

|o--o| repeat

|o--o|

|----|
|----|

************************************

| 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 muted, struck string

| () optional note, or note held from previous articulation

| natural harmonics

| [] artificial (pinch) harmonics

| NH natural harmonics

| AH artificial (pinch) harmonics

| PM palm mute

************************************

Comments

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