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Rush - Tom Sawyer - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
Rush - Tom Sawyer guitar tab video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Rush Progressive Rock E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer is the opening track from Rush's 1981 album Moving Pictures. This Canadian rock classic showcases the band's technical prowess and complex arrangement, making it a rewarding challenge for electric guitarists interested in progressive rock. Geddy Lee considers it the band's defining piece from the early '80s.

  • Opens Moving Pictures, Rush's landmark 1981 progressive rock album.
  • Features intricate guitar work characteristic of Rush's technical style and synth-rock fusion.
  • Considered by the band's frontman as their defining piece from the early 1980s era.

How to Play Tom Sawyer

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 88 BPM

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 88 BPM.

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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