r | rush | cygnus x-1 btab online player | |


  
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Cygnus X-1                                                						     As recorded by
===========                                                          ==============
(In lotsa keys...)																																																			Rush

From the Album _A Farewell to Kings_

Music by Lee & Lifeson
Lyrics by Peart

Transcribed by Mr. White (mrwhite@lanminds.com)

***Note: I'm not sure if all this is 100% accurate.  It will sound like the song because the chords are right and stuff--some of it is just my improvisation though.  However, most of it is basically what Geddy plays.  This is a damn tough song!  I think a lot of bits of it are free-time, but I've tried to quantize everything into bars to make it a *little* bit easier to play.  (Strangely enough, the beginning figure, where only Geddy is playing *is* in several set meters.  He uses a rest of 6/4 between the first two bass bits and then 5/4, then 4/4, etc.  Pretty cool!)  In addition, some of the notes may not be absolutely solid--I don't know if it's the weirdness of the recording or just my ear that's messing me about.  Enjoy:

Tab notes:
===========================================================================================
R      = Rest                           /   = slide up              .   = dotted note
/^3^\  = Triplet (or other) grouping    \   = slide down            *   = repeats
x      = Muted note                     +   = tie                   *  
==#==  = Extended Rest (#=no. of bars)                  ____________
                                                        1.          |   = different endings
===========================================================================================

Sound effects and spoken vocal for a little while.
Bass enters at about 1:25 (fade in over the first 23 bars)

*Bass only*
    q q s s e      w.     q q s s e      w+q     q q s s e      w      q q s s e
+-------------+-------+-------------+--------+-------------+-------+-------------+
|3:---2-0-5-R-|6:--R--|3:---2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|3:---2-0-5-R-|4:--R--|3:---2-0-5-R-|
|4:-----------|4:-----|4:-----------|4:------|4:-----------|4:-----|4:-----------|
+---0---------+-------+---0---------+--------+---0---------+-------+---0---------+

   h.   q q s s e      h      q q s e e.    q q s s e    h.     q q s s e.e.    q q s e e.
+-----+-----------+-------+-------------+-------------+-----+---------------+-------------+
|--R--|---2-0-5-R-|2:--R--|7:---2-0-5-5-|3:---2-0-5-R-|--R--|4:---2-0-5-R-5-|7:---2-0-5-5-|
|-----|-----------|4:-----|8:-----------|4:-----------|-----|4:-------------|8:-----------|
+-----+-0---------+-------+---0---------+---0---------+-----+---0-----------+---0---------+

    q q s s e    h.     q q s e e e.    q q s e e.    q q s s e      h+e     q q s s e.e.
+-------------+-----+---------------+-------------+-------------+--------+---------------+
|3:---2-0-5-R-|--R--|4:---2-0-5-5-5-|7:---2-0-5-5-|3:---2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|4:---2-0-5-R-5-|
|4:-----------|-----|4:-------------|8:-----------|4:-----------|8:------|4:-------------|
+---0---------+-----+---0-----------+---0---------+---0---------+--------+---0-----------+

										      *Enter Drums*
  q q s e e e.     q e.s s s e      h+e     q e.s s e e.     h+e     q e.s s s e      h+e
+-------------++---------------+--------+---------------+--------+---------------+--------+
|---2-0-5-5-5-||3:---2-2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|7:---2-2-0-5-5-|5:--R-R-|3:---2-2-0-5-R-|5:--R-R-|
|-------------||4:-------------|8:------|8:-------------|8:------|4:-------------|8:------|
+-0-----------++---0-----------+--------+---0-----------+--------+---0-----------+--------+

                                                                                  Play
                    *Enter Guitar*                                               4 times
    q e.s s e e e.     q e.s s s e     q e.s s e e.     q e.s s s e     q e.s s e e e.
+-----------------++----------------+---------------+---------------+------------------+
|4:---2-2-0-5-5-5-||*3:---2-2-0-5-R-|7:---2-2-0-5-5-|3:---2-2-0-5-R-|4:---2-2-0-5-5-5-*|
|4:---------------||*4:-------------|8:-------------|4:-------------|4:---------------*|
+---0-------------++----0-----------+---0-----------+---0-----------+---0--------------+

  s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s   s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
+---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-+---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5-+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+

                                                                      /^3^\     /^3^\
  s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s   s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s   q q q+h   q q q+h
+---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-+---------------------------------+---------+---------+
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------|---------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|-5-4-2-2-|-3-2-----|
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+---------+-----2-2-+

    /^^4^^\             /^3^\     /^3^\       /^^4^^\
    q q q q     w      q q q+h   q q q+h     q q q q     s e e s s e e s
+-----------+--------+---------+---------+-----------+-------------------+
|3:---------|4:------|---------|---------|3:---------|6:-----------------|
|4:-5-4-2-3-|4:-0---/|-5-4-2-2-|-3-2-----|4:-5-4-2-3-|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|
+-----------+--------+---------+-----2-2-+-----------+-------------------+

    s e e s e e     s e e s s e e s      h+e     s e e s s e e s
+---------------+-------------------+--------+-------------------+---------------+
|5:-------------|6:-----------------|5:--R-R-|6:-----------------|5:-------------|
|8:-------------|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|8:------|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|8:-------------|
+---4-4-4-x-4-3-+-------------------+--------+-------------------+---4-4-4-x-4-3-+

    s e e s s e e s    q. q.    q. q.    q. q.    q. q.
+-------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|6:-----------------|--------|--------|--------|--4--5--|
|8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|--------|--2--3--|--5--6--|--------|
+-------------------+--3--4--+--------+--------+--------+

     e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+--------------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|11:-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------|
|8:--3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------------|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-|
+--------------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+--------------------------+

                                                                                play
                                                                               2 times
  e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+------------------------+----------------------------+---------------------------+
|*-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------*|
|*-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-*|
+------------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+---------------------------+


  e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e s s e e s s e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-----------------------------|11:---------------8-------|
|-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------4-3-3-4-4-3-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6-6-5-|
+-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-----------------+--------------------------+


  e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:---------------8-------|
|-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6-6-5-|
+-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+

                                                                              Play
*Enter Keyboards*                                                            2 times
  e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:-----------------------|
|-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6-R-6-6-5-|
+-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+


  e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e e      e e e e e e e e e e e
+-----------------------+----------------------------+--------------------------+
|-----------------------|12:-------------------------|11:---------------8---8---|
|-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|8:--------------------4-3-4-|8:--6-R-6-6-R-6-6---6---5-|
+-----------------------+----2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-------+--------------------------+

  e e e e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e e e e e   e q+w+e
+-----------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+---------+
|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|---R-R-R-|
|-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-R-3-3-2-|-------------------------|-------------------------|---------|
+-----------------------+-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-2-R-2-+-2-------+
                                                                                    In-

*Bass alone*
(with chorus effect)                                          (end effect)
    w+q          w+q           w+q                 w+q               w
+--------------+-------------+-2-2---------------+--------------+-------+
|5:------------|-------------|-------------------|--------------|4:--R--|
|4:-0-0--------|-3-3---------|-------------------|-3-3----------|4:-----|
+--------------+-------------+-------------------+--------------+-------+
visible to telescopic eye   Infinite the star that would not die

*Enter guitar*
   w                       s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s    w
+------------------------+---------------------------------+-------------------------+
|------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------|
|--0---------------------|-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|--0----------------------|
+------------------------+---------------------------------+-------------------------+
All who dare to cross her course                         are swallowed by her fearsome

                                    /^^^^^3^^^^^\      /^^^^3^^^^\
  s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s   q       q   q+h    q    q    q+h
+---------------------------------+------------------+----------------+
|---------------------------------|------------------|----------------|
|-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-3-3-x-3-3-0-0-|-5-------4---2-2--|-3----2---------|
+---------------------------------+------------------+----------2-2---+
force                              Through the void to be destroyed or

    /^^^^^^4^^^^^^\            /^3^\     /^^^3^^^\         /^^^^^4^^^^^\
    q   q     q   q      w     q q q+h   q   q   q+h       q     q   q  q    h... s
+--------------------+-------+---------+--------------+------------------+----------+
|3:------------------|4:-----|---------|--------------|3:----------------|4:--------|
|4:-5---4-----2---3--|4:-0---|-5-4-2-2-|-3---2--------|4:--5----4---2--3-|4:-0------|
+--------------------+-------+---------+---------2-2--+------------------+--------3-+
   is there something  more?  Atomized-- at the core or through the astral door--to

													double tempo
             *Guitar alone*
   w    +w     w     w     w    h.. e  +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e+e e
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------+---------------+-----------------+
|-----|-----|--R--|--R--|--R--|-R-----|-------------3-|-3-2-3-2-3-2-2---|
|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----3-|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|---------------5-|
+--3--+--3--+-----+-----+-----+-------+---------------+-----------------+
  soar....(echo)

 +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---|
|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-|
+-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
                               I

 +e e q e e e e   +e e q e e+e e +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---|
|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-|
+-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
 set a course just east of Lyra   Northwest of   Pegasus

 +e e q e e e e   +e e q e e+e e +e e e e e e e e  +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+-----7-5-4-------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|-----------7-5-3-|-3-3-2---2-3-5---|
|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-------------|-------3-------3-|
+-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-----------------+-----------------+
 Flew into the  light of Daneb  Sailed across the Milky Way


 +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e e e  +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------2-0-----+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-2-----3---|---------------|-----3-3-3-2-0---|
|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|---------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------------3-|
+-------------1-+-1-1-------------+-------------3-+-3-3-------------+
 On my ship the Rocinante          Wheeling through the galaxies


 +e e q e e e e   +e e q e e+e e +e e q e e e e  +e e e e e e e e
+---------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
|---------------|-----3-3-2-2---|---------------|-----------------|
|-3-2-3-3-2-3---|-------------5-|-5-5-3-2-3-5---|---------2-2-5-5-|
+-------------1-+-1-1-----------+-------------3-+-3-3-5-5---------+
Headed for the heart of Cygnus   Headlong into    mystery

slow down to approximately half tempo
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   w
+-----------------+-----------------+-------------------------+
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-----------------------|
+-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-+-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-+-------------------------+
                                     X-ray is her siren song my

  w                          w                           q   q    q    q
+--------------------------+---------------------------+------------------+
|--------------------------|---------------------------|------------------|
|--------------------------|---------------------------|----------2----3--|
+-4------------------------+-1-------------------------+-3---4------------+
ship cannot resist her long Nearer to my deadly goal  until the black hole

              (with guitar solo)
  q q   q   q   w    w    w    h h   e. s s e e e e   e. e e s s e e
+-------------+----+----+----+-----+----------------+----------------+
|-------4---5-|----|----|----|-5---|----------------|----6-5---------|
|-5-6---------|-3--|----|----|---6-|-3--3-5-6-5-3---|--------8-6-5---|
+-------------+----+-4--+-1--+-----+--------------6-+-4------------8-+
      gains control....
                                                                         (end solo)
  e s s e s s e s s q   w    w    w    w    w    q q q q   q q q q   h h   w
+---------------------+----+----+----+----+----+---------+---------+-----+----+
|---------------------|----|----|----|----|----|---------|-----4-5-|-----|----|
|-8---5-6-8-6-5-6-5-3-|----|-6--|-3--|----|-6--|-----2-3-|-5-6-----|---6-|-3--|
+---8-----------------+-3--+----+----+-4--+----+-3-4-----+---------+-3---+----+


faster tempo 
                  h       s e e s s     e e e   q.  q.  q.  q.     s e e s s
+------------+-------+--------------+---------+---+---+---+---+--------------+
|4:--==27==--|2:--R--|7:------------|3:-2-2-R-|-R-|-R-|-R-|-R-|7:------------|
|4:----------|4:-----|16:-4-4-4-2-2-|8:-------|---|---|---|---|16:-4-4-4-2-2-|
+------------+-------+--------------+---------+---+---+---+---+--------------+

                                    Play                       Play                 Play   
                                   8 times                    8 times              4 times
    e e s s   e e e   q.  s e e s     q.        q q e. e. e e e e      q q e. e. e e e e
+-----------+-------+---+---------+-------++------------------------+---------------------+
|3:-2-2-----|-----R-|-R-|---------|*--R--*||*11:-------------------*|*---4----4------4---*|
|8:---------|-------|---|-4-4-4-R-|*-----*||*8:----7----7------7---*|*-------------------*|
+-------4-4-+-4-4---+---+---------+-------++-----0---0-----0-0---0--+--2---2-----2-2---2--+

                                                            Play
                                                           4 times
                                                          _________   _____________
                                                          1.       |  2.           |
    s e e s s e e s   s e e s s e e s   s e e s s e e s    e q e q     s e e. s e e.
+--------------------+-----------------+-----------------+----------++--------------+
|*6:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------*||--------------|
|*8:-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-----------------|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-3-3-3-3-*||-3-3-3--R-3-3-|
+--------------------+-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-+-----------------+----------++--------------+
___________  _________
3.         | 4.       |
  q. e e e    q e q e   s e e s s e e s   s e e s s e e s   s e e s s e e s   e q e q
+----------++---------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------+
|----------||---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------|
|-3--3-3-3-||-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-----------------|-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-|-3-3-3-3-|
+----------++---------+-----------------+-4-4-4-x-7-7-7-x-+-----------------+---------+
                       spinning whirling still descending   like a   spiral  sea unending

                                                                                  Play
                                                                                4 times
                                                                       /^^3^^\  /^^3^^\
     q e e e e q e e e e   q e e e e q e e e e   q e e e e q e e e e   q. q. q. q. q. q.
+------------------------+---------------------+---------------------+------------------+
|12:---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------|
|8:--4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|---------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--3--3-|
+------------------------+-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-+---------------------+------------------+
                                                        
     q e e e e q e e e e   q e e e e q e e e e   q e e e e q e e e e   e e e e e e e e e e e e
+------------------------+---------------------+---------------------+-------------------------+
|12:---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------------|
|8:--4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|---------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
+------------------------+-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-+---------------------+-------------------------+
     Sound and  fury       drown  my heart        Every   nerve is     torn apart....

                                                            (guitar plays chords
   e e e e e e e e e e e e    e e e e e e e e e e q    w     until fade-out)
+---------------------------+-----------------------+-----+
|*-------------------------*|-----------------------|-----|
|*-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-*|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|--3--|
+---------------------------+-----------------------+-----+