Rush : "Cygnus x-1" Guitar tabs

Play full song
Rush - Cygnus x-1
Here is the Guitar tabs for "Cygnus x-1" by Rush. To get the complete songlist of this band please visit the Rush guitar tabs archive for guitar tabs, bass tabs and chords. We also have a review section with Rush CD reviews. Please help us to build our bass and guitar tabs archive, submit missing Rush tabs here. You will find a printer friendly version of Rush: Cygnus x-1 Guitar tabs here
Send "Cygnus x-1" Ringtone to your Cell



Rush - Cygnus X-1

        From the CD 'A Farewell to Kings'
                Written by Lee/Lifeson/Peart
                Mercury/Polygram Records 822546-2

        This is not wholly original. The solo was taken from a previous
version of the tab, done by Blake Butterworth (butterwo@rex.cs.tulane.edu).
The rest of it appears similar, but that's just because it was mostly done
right the first time. I have included it here because it appears to be
correct, and my purpose is to merge all previous versions to make the most
comprehensive and correct tab, not necessarily an original version.
Standard tuning [EADGBe] (low to high). The key is C.

Jimmy Pena - jimmy@walrus.com

| = not a standard bar line; just used to separate music
~ = vibrato or held note
h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
b = bend string up to indicated pitch/fret
r = release bend to indicated string/fret
/ = slide up from infinity
\ = slide down into infinity
o  \_
o  /   repeat sign (always look for these!)
[x35553] = fret box; this is a C chord - this is the same as standard
  tablature, only turned on its side. Tilt your head clockwise to read.
+-3-+ = this is a triplet indicator

Chord legend:

A   : [x0222x]
G   : [320033]
C   : [x3555x]
F   : [xx3211]
D   : [xx0232]
Cm  : [x35543]
Ab  : [466544]


[Intro]
   N.C.
e:---------------|-----------------|---------------|--------------------|
B:---------------|-----------------|---------------|--------------------|
G:---------------|-----------------|---------------|--------------------|
D:-------------5-|------------5-5b-|-------------5-|-------------5-5-5b-|
A:----7---5------|----7--5---------|----7--5-------|----7--5------------|
E:-0---------7---|-0--------7------|-0--------7----|-0--------7---------|

[Riff 1a]                            [Riff 1b]
   A5                                C5
e:---------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G:-2-2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|-5-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5|
D:-2-------------------------------|-5------------------------------|
A:-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|
E:---------------------------------|--------------------------------|

                                [Riff 2b]
[Riff 2a]                          C
   C5                              +--3--+   +--3--+
e:-----------------------------|---8--8--8---8--8--8--------------|
B:-----------------------------|---8--8--8---8--8--8--------------|
G:-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5--5-5------|---9--9--9---9--9--9--------------|
D:-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5--5-5------|---10-10-10--10-10-10-------------|
A:-3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3--3-3------|---10-10-10--10-10-10-------------|
E:-----------------------------|---8--8--8---8--8--8--------------|

[Riff 3]
   D5 C#5 B4    B5  F#7sus4                 Asus2
e:--------0~----------0~----------0~~~--|----0~---------------------|
B:--------0~----------0~----------0~~~--|----0~---------------------|
G:--7--6--4~--5--4----3~----7--6--4--5--|----2~---------------------|
D:--7--6--4~--5--4----4~----7--6--4--5--|----2~---------------------|
A:--5--4--2~--3--2----4~----5--4--2--3--|----0~---------------------|
E:--------------------2~----------------|---------------------------|

[Riff 4a]              [Riff 4b]               [Riff 4c]
   C#m        Em         Ab          G Ab  G     Ab        G
e:--------------------|-----------------------|--4-4--4~---3-3--3~-|
B:--5-5--5~---8-8--8~-|--4-4-4-4~----3--4--3--|--4-4--4~---3-3--3~-|
G:--6-6--6~---9-9--9~-|--5-5-5-5~----4--5--4--|--5-5--5~---4-4--4~-|
D:--6-6--6~---9-9--9~-|--6-6-6-6~----5--6--5--|--6-6--6~---5-5--5~-|
A:--4-4--4~---7-7--7~-|--6-6-6-6~----5--6--5--|--6-6--6~---5-5--5~-|
E:--------------------|--4-4-4-4~----3--4--3--|--4-4--4~---3-3--3~-|

[Riff 5a]                              [Riff 5b]
   C#m    +-3-+   Em    +-3-+            Ab    +-3-+   G     +-3-+
e:------------------------------------|--4--4--4-4-4---3--3--3-3-3-|
B:--5--5--5-5-5---8--8--8-8-8---------|--4--4--4-4-4---3--3--3-3-3-|
G:--6--6--6-6-6---9--9--9-9-9---------|--5--5--5-5-5---4--4--4-4-4-|
D:--6--6--6-6-6---9--9--9-9-9---------|--6--6--6-6-6---5--5--5-5-5-|
A:--4--4--4-4-4---7--7--7-7-7---------|--6--6--6-6-6---5--5--5-5-5-|
E:------------------------------------|--4--4--4-4-4---3--3--3-3-3-|

[Riff 6a]
     Cm              Bm F#                   Ebm             Dm
e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---4--4-4--4-4--4-4-3-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2--7--7-7--7-7--7-7-6------|
G:---5--5-5--5-5--5-5-4-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3--8--8-8--8-8--8-8-7------|
D:---5--5-5--5-5--5-5-4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4--8--8-8--8-8--8-8-7------|
A:---3--3-3--3-3--3-3-2-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4--6--6-6--6-6--6-6-5------|
E:----------------------2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2--------------------------|

[Riff 6b]
e:------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--4--4-4--4-4--4-4-3-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2----|
G:--5--5-5--5-5--5-5-4-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3-3--3-3----|
D:--5--5-5--5-5--5-5-4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4----|
A:--3--3-3--3-3--3-3-2-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4--4-4----|
E:---------------------2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2----|

Song progression:

[Misc sound effects]

[Spoken]:

In this constellation ....

[Intro] x4 (after fade-in repeats and drum/bass intro)

[Riff 1a] x1
[Riff 1b] x1
[Riff 1a] x1

[Riff 2a] x1

[Riff 3] x2 (no Asus2 second time)

[Riff 4a] x1
[Riff 4b] x1
[Riff 4a] x1

(tacet during drum fill)

[Riff 4a] x1
[Riff 4b] x1
[Riff 4a] x1

[Fill 1]:
e:---------------------------|
B:---------------------------|
G:---------------------------|
D:---------------------------|
A:-------2~-3~s5~-6~s9~-10~--|
E:--3~-4~--------------------|

[Riff 6a] x9
[Riff 6b] x1

   (A)              (C)
Invisible to ...
   (A)                   (C)
Infinity, the ....

 A                         [Riff 2a] x1
All who dare to ....

      A                     [Riff 2a] x1
are swallowed b....

[Fill 2] x2 /w lyrics:
e:-------0~--------0--------------0~--------0------------------------|
B:-------0~------0---0------------0~------0---0------------0~--------|
G:-7--6--4~----4---------5--4-----3~----3---------7-6-4-5--2~--------|
D:-7--6--4~--4-----------5--4-----4~--4-----------7-6-4-5--2~--------|
A:-5--4--2~--------------3--2-----4~--------------5-4-2-3--0~--------|
E:--------------------------------2~---------------------------------|

Through the void, to be ....

 G  G
to soar...

Play: C - F - D - G, then:

  (C)   (F)  (D)   (G)
e:---------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------------|
G:-9~---10~---7~----12b14r12~------------|
D:---------------------------------------|
A:---------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------|

                   [133211]
   C                  F           D              G
I set a course just east of ....
             [133211]
  C             F             D                   G
Flew into the light of Deneb,   ...
              [133211]
 C               F          D                    G
On my ship, the Rocinante, wheeling ....
              [133211]
 C               F              D              G
headed for the heart ....

    G
e:-------------------------------------------------|
B:--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3-------------|
G:--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--4-4-4-4-------------|
D:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-------------|
A:--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-------------|
E:--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3-------------|

     Cm
The X-ray is her ...

    Ab
my ship cannot ....

  F                      [Fill 1] x1                 [Begin Solo]
Nearer to my deadly goal .....

[Guitar Solo] /w wah-wah pedal over  Cm - Ab - F - G - Eb progression

e:-20~-20-20-18-17--------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------20-18-18~--20-18-17~-----------------------------|
G:--------------------------------------12-12-13-13-14-14-15-15-16--|
D:------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:--------------------20-18-17------17-----------------------------|
B:------------------------------20-----20--18~\--------------------|
G:-16-17-17b19~~r17-----------------------------------14--------12-|
D:----------------------------------------------12-12----12--10----|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-----------------------------------------------------|-10~-15~-18~|
B:-----------------------------------------------------|------------|
G:-----------------------------------------------------|------------|
D:-------10~\-----15p13p12---------------------/17\----|------------|
A:--------------------------15p13p12-------------------|------------|
E:-------------------------------------14--14----------|------------|
                                                          /\
[Fill 1] x1, then end of solo (/w wah-wah) ---------------||


[Interlude] - This tab assumes that this section begins right at the last
        Cm chord of the solo
     C
e:----------------------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------|
G:o--------------------------------------------------------o|
D:o---10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10---o|
A:----------------------------------------------------------|
E:---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8------|

    Ab          B
e:----------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------------------|
G:o--------------------------------------------o|
D:o---6----6------9---9-----10--10--10--10-----o|
A:----------------------------------------------|
E:--4----4------7---7-----8---8---8---8---------|

e:------------------------------------------|
B:------------------------------------------|
G:o----------------------------------------o|
D:o---10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--o|
A:------------------------------------------|
E:---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-----|

e:-----------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------------|
G:o---------------------------------------------o|
D:o---6----6------9---9-----10--10--10--10------o|
A:-----------------------------------------------|
E:--4----4------7---7-----8---8---8---8----------|

e:-----------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------|
G:-----------------------------------------|
D:---10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10---|
A:-----------------------------------------|
E:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-----|

                       [bass and drums fill on 2nd repeat]
e:-----------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------------|
G:o---------------------------------------------o|
D:o---6----6------9---9-----10--10--10--10------o|
A:-----------------------------------------------|
E:--4----4------7---7-----8---8---8---8----------|

e:-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
B:-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
G:o---------------------------------------o|-----------------|
D:o--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--o|----10-10--------|
A:-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
E:--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-----|---8--8----------|

                   Bb      A       Ab  G   F#  F
e:-------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------|
G:-------------------------------------------------|
D:---9---9---9---9---8---8---7---7---6---5---4---3-|
A:-------------------------------------------------|
E:-7---7---7---7---6---6---5---5---4---3---2---1---|

[Repeat 8 times]            [Repeat 4 times]
   (E)                           (F#)
e:-------------------------|-----------------------------|
B:-------------------------|-----------------------------|
G:-------------------------|-----------------------------|
D:----2~----------2--------|--------4~-----------4-------|
A:-------------------------|-----------------------------|
E:--0~---0-0--0-0---0------|----2~------2-2--2-2---2-----|


[Block 1]:
                 _
[Riff 4a] x1      |
[Riff 4c] x1      |
[Riff 4a] x1      |----repeat this whole block four times
[Riff 2b] x1     _|

[Block 1] x1 /w lyrics:

Spinning, whirling, still descending, like a spiral sea, unending!!!

[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 5b] x1
[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 2b] x1

[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 5b] x1
[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 2a] x1

[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 5b] x1
[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 2b] x1

[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 5b] x1
[Riff 5a] x1
[Riff 2a] x1

Continue 1x With lyrics:

Sound and fury drown my heart, every nerve is torn apart!!!!!

Wallop C repeatedly

End on Cm

Strum while fading out:

   Cm         Ebm        Em9    Em
e:--3----------6----------0-----0-|
B:--4----------7----------0-----0-|  (fade out on 3rd repeat)
G:--5----------8----------0-----0-|
D:--5----------8----------4-----2-|
A:--3----------6----------2-----2-|
E:------------------------0-----0-|
Send "cygnus_x-1-tab" Ringtone to your Cell
Rush : "Cygnus x-1" Guitar tabs

Guitar community

Most popular bands and artists:

Love or hate these Rush albums?

Online guitar lessons
