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Rush - YYZ - Guitar Cover

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Rush - YYZ - Guitar Cover

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Key E minor
Rush - YYZ guitar cover video
Licks Of The Beast
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Moving Pictures (2011 Remaster) album cover
Moving Pictures (2011 Remaster)
1981 4:26
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Rush Progressive Rock 1981 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

YYZ

"YYZ" is an instrumental rock composition by Rush, released on their 1981 album Moving Pictures. Named after the IATA airport identifier for Toronto Pearson International Airport, the track showcases the technical interplay between Geddy Lee's bass, Alex Lifeson's guitar, and Neil Peart's drums. For electric guitarists, it presents a challenging and rewarding study in odd time signatures, melodic riffing, and tight ensemble playing.

  • The song's iconic intro morse code pattern spells out Y-Y-Z, the airport code for Toronto Pearson International Airport.
  • Alex Lifeson's guitar parts weave around Geddy Lee's bass lines rather than leading them, making rhythm feel central to the arrangement.
  • Live versions, including on Exit... Stage Left (1981), feature extended Neil Peart drum solos inserted as interludes within the piece.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Lifeson used the Stratocaster during the 'Moving Pictures' era for cleaner, thinner tones that contrasted with his Les Paul warmth, allowing him to access brighter textures within complex Rush arrangements.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul's PAF-style humbuckers and thick sustain were Lifeson's primary tool through the '70s and early '80s, delivering the warm, fat tone essential for Rush's heavy riffs and soaring lead lines.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

This premium Les Paul variant provided Lifeson with enhanced sustain and tonal depth during classic-era Rush, reinforcing the thick humbucker character that defined tracks on 'Hemispheres' and '2112'.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The Marshall 100-watt Super Lead cranked to breakup was Lifeson's workhorse amp in the '70s, delivering the crunchy overdrive and punchy aggression that cuts through Rush's dense instrumentation.

Orange Rockerverb
Amp

Orange Rockerverb

Used in later tours, the Orange Rockerverb's warm tube tones and built-in spring reverb gave Lifeson a more refined, spacious sound while maintaining the punch needed to compete with Geddy's keyboards.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Lifeson deployed the Cry Baby wah for expressive solo passages throughout Rush's catalog, adding dynamic vocal-like qualities to his lead work that enhanced emotional impact within progressive arrangements.

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