Alex Lifeson's Sound
The chord voicings and texture writing that made a three-piece sound orchestral.
Chorused, suspended chord washes with enormous stereo width
The rig
The gear associated with the sound. Each item opens a live Reverb search — vintage examples where they exist, modern equivalents where they don't.
Guitars
- Gibson ES-355Find on Reverb
- Gibson Les Paul 'Hentor Sportscaster'Find on Reverb
- Fender TelecasterFind on Reverb
- Gibson Howard RobertsFind on Reverb
Amps
- Hiwatt (1970s)Find on Reverb
- Marshall JMPFind on Reverb
- Gallien-KruegerFind on Reverb
- Hughes & Kettner (later)Find on Reverb
Effects
- Roland chorusFind on Reverb
- TC Electronic 2290Find on Reverb
- Moog Taurus pedalsFind on Reverb
- Boss digital delayFind on Reverb
Pickups
- Gibson humbuckers, Shadow and Bill Lawrence installsFind on Reverb
Why it sounds like that
The Spirit of Radio
Harmonics and picked figures through a bright chorus and delay — the tone is the riff.
Limelight
Chorus-washed clean verses against a mid-forward lead with a wide, singing vibrato.
Xanadu
Doubleneck-era layering with volume swells and Taurus pedals filling the low end.
Similar sounds
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