Rush: Freewill From the album Permanent Waves (Mercury Records) Copyright 1980 Core Music Publishing Music by Lee and Lifeson Lyrics by Peart Comments/corrections to C. D. Bruce Transcribed by Joe DeLoro and Branden Robinson Riff A (q = 154) (4/4 time) e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| B:--6--5--3-----------------|----------------------------------------| G:-----------5--4--2--------|---5--4--2------------------------------| D:--------------------5--3--|------------5--3--2---------------------| A:--------------------------|---------------------5--3\--------------| E:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| Riff B1 (q = 154) (6/4 time) (7/4 time) q Q q q e e q e Q q q e e q e:--------------------|----------------------------------------------| B:--------------------|----------------------------------------------| G:--------------------|----------------------0-----------------------| D:--------------------|-----------2--0-------------------------------| A:-(3)----3--2--0-----|-(3)----3--------2p3--------------------------| E:--1--1-----------3--|--1--1----------------------------------------| Riff B2 (q = 154) (6/4 time) (4/4 time) q Q q q e e q e Q q q q q q e:--------------------|--------------|-------------------------------| B:--------------------|--------------|-------------------------------| G:--------------------|--------------|-------------------------------| D:--------------------|-----------2--|--0-----0--2-------------------| A:-(3)----3--2--0-----|-(3)----3-----|-----3-------------------------| E:--1--1-----------3--|--1--1--------|-------------------------------| Riff C (q = 154) (6/4 time) (7/4 time) q e e e e e e e e q e e e e e e e e e e e e q e:--1s3--3---8--8---7---5\--|--1---3--3---5--5---5---8---------------| B:--1s3--3---8--8---8---6\--|--1---3--3---6--6---6---8---10\---------| G:--2s4--4---9--9---7---5\--|--2---4--4---5--5---5---9---7\----------| D:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| A:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| E:--------------------------|----------------------------------------| Riff D1 (q = 77) (2/4 time) e e s s s s e e s s s s e e s s s s e:--------0-----------|--------0-----------|--------3----------------| B:-----------3--------|-----------3--------|-----------6-------------| G:--2--2--------2-----|--2--2--------2-----|--5--5--------5----------| D:--0--0--------------|--0--0--------------|--3--3-------------------| A:--2--2--------------|--1--1--------------|--3--3-------------------| E:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------| e e s s s s e:--------3----------------------------------------------------------| B:-----------5-------------------------------------------------------| G:--5--5--------5----------------------------------------------------| D:--5--5-------------------------------------------------------------| A:--3--3-------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| Riff D2 (q = 77) (q = 154) (2/4 time) (4/4 time) e e s s s s e e s s s s Q e+q q+ e q+e h e:--------0-----------|--------0-----------|--2--2---2--|-(2)-3---2--| B:-----------3--------|-----------3--------|--3--3---3--|-(3)-3---3--| G:--2--2--------2-----|--2--2--------2-----|--2--2---2--|-(2)-2---2--| D:--0--0--------------|--0--0--------------|--0--0---0--|-(0)-0---0--| A:--2--2--------------|--1--1--------------|------------|------------| E:--------------------|--------------------|------------|------------| Riff D3 (q = 77) (2/4 time) e e s s s s e e s s e e e s s s s e:--------0-----------|--------0--------|--------8-------------------| B:-----------3--------|-----------3-----|-----------10---------------| G:--2--2--------2-----|--2--2--------2/-|--10-10-------10------------| D:--0--0--------------|--0--0-----------|--10-10---------------------| A:--2--2--------------|--1--1-----------|--8--8----------------------| E:--------------------|-----------------|----------------------------| e e s s s s e:--------8----------------------------------------------------------| B:-----------8-------------------------------------------------------| G:--------------9----------------------------------------------------| D:--10-10------------------------------------------------------------| A:--10-10------------------------------------------------------------| E:--8--8-------------------------------------------------------------| Riff D4 (q = 77) (q = 154) (2/4 time) (4/4 time) e e s s s s e e s s s s q e e q q e:--------0-----------|--------0-----------|--2--2--2--3--3----------| B:-----------3--------|-----------3--------|--3--3--3--3--3----------| G:--2--2--------2-----|--2--2--------2-----|--2--2--2--2--2----------| D:--0--0--------------|--0--0--------------|--0--0--0--0--0----------| A:--2--2--------------|--1--1--------------|-------------------------| E:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------| q e e q q e:--2--2--3--2--2\---------------------------------------------------| B:--3--3--3--3--3\---------------------------------------------------| G:--2--2--2--2--2\---------------------------------------------------| D:--0--0--0--0--0----------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| Riff E1 (q = 154) (4/4 time) e e q e e q e e q e e q q e q e q+ e:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------| B:--------3--------3--|--------------------|-------------------------| G:-----2--------2-----|--------2--------4--|--1--1--2--2--2----------| D:--0-----------------|-----2--------4-----|--2--2--0--0--2----------| A:-----------4--------|--0--------2--------|--2--2--0--0--0----------| E:--------------------|--------------------|--0--0--2--2-------------| (3/4 time) e e q q e:-----5--5--5-------------------------------------------------------| B:-----5--5--5-------------------------------------------------------| G:-(2)-2--2--2-------------------------------------------------------| D:-(2)---------------------------------------------------------------| A:-(0)---------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| Riff E2 (q = 154) (4/4 time) e e q e e q e e q e e q q e q e q+ e:--------------------|--------------------|--3--3--2--2-------------| B:--------3--------3--|--------------------|--3--3--3--3-------------| G:-----2--------2-----|--------4--------2--|--0--0--2--2--2----------| D:--0-----------------|-----4--------2-----|--0--0--0--0--2----------| A:-----------4--------|--2--------0--------|--2--2--0--0--0----------| E:--------------------|--------------------|--3--3--2--2-------------| (3/4 time) H e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:-(2)---------------------------------------------------------------| D:-(2)---------------------------------------------------------------| A:-(0)---------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| Riff E3 (q = 154) (4/4 time) e e q e e q e e q e e q Q e h w e:--------------------|--------------------|--3-----2-----|--2-------| B:--------3--------3--|--------------------|--3-----3-----|--3-------| G:-----2--------2-----|--------4--------2--|--0-----2-----|--2-------| D:--0-----------------|-----4--------2-----|--0-----0-----|--0-------| A:-----------4--------|--2--------0--------|--2-----0-----|----------| E:--------------------|--------------------|--3-----2-----|----------| Riff F (q = 154) (5/4 time) q e Q q q q e Q q q q e Q q q e:-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------------| B:-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------------| G:--------2--------|-----------------|--------3----------------------| D:-----------5--4--|--------5--3--2--|-----------5--3----------------| A:--5--5-----------|--3--3-----------|-/5--5-------------------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------------| (ritard) (q = 104) (4/4 time) (12/8 time) q e Q q q e e e e e e e e W W e:-----------------|--------------------------|------|---------------| B:--------3--------|--------------------------|------|---------------| G:-----------5--3--|--10-9--7-----------------|-/12--|-(12)----------| D:--5--5-----------|-----------10-9--7--------|------|---------------| A:-----------------|--------------------10-8--|------|---------------| E:-----------------|--------------------------|------|---------------| Riff G1 (q = 104) (12/8 time, last beat occurs in solo) e e e e e e e e e e e e:--1s3--3s8--8--8--8--8s3s1--1/------------------------------------- B:--1s3--3s8--8--8--8--8s3s1--1/------------------------------------- G:--2s4--4s9--9--9--9--9s4s2--2/------------------------------------- D:------------------------------------------------------------------- A:------------------------------------------------------------------- E:------------------------------------------------------------------- Riff G2 (q = 104) (12/8 time) e e e e e e e e e e e e e:--1s3--3--3--5--5--5--8--8--8--7--7\-------------------------------| B:--1s3--3--3--6--6--6--8--8--8--8--8\-------------------------------| G:--2s4--4--4--5--5--5--9--9--9--7--7\-------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| Solo (q = 104) e e e q e q e q e e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:--15---------------------------------------------------------------| G:--0--------------------[5]----------[0]----------[12]--------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (bar) (-1/2) (+1/2) (+1/2) (+1/2) (+1) q e q e q e e q e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:--[0]---------[12]--------0------------------0---------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (bar) (+1) (+1) (+1/2) (-1/2) (dive) e e s s Q e e e e e s s Q+e e q e q e e:------------------------------------------|------------------------| B:--13p12p10----12~---10-12-13-15-------12--|------13-15~-13-15~-13--| G:-----------12-------------------12-14-----|--10~-------------------| D:------------------------------------------|------------------------| A:------------------------------------------|------------------------| E:------------------------------------------|------------------------| AH-------------------------| q e q e q e s s+q+ e s s s s q e+Q e e e e:-----------------------------15-|-(15)-13h15p13p12h13--------------| B:-15b17-15-13~-15-15b17-15-13----|---------------------13--12-13-12-| G:--------------------------------|----------------------------------| D:--------------------------------|----------------------------------| A:--------------------------------|----------------------------------| E:--------------------------------|----------------------------------| e q+e s s e q e+Q e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:--12-----------12h14p12--------------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------9-----------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (bar) (+1) (+1) Q+e e e q e s+s q e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:--0----------------------------------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (bar) (+1) (-1) (+1) (-1) (+1) (dive) ---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 e:--16p15p13-13-13-17p15p13-13-13-13----------15p13-13-13-17-15-13--- B:-----------------------------------13-13h15------------------------ G:------------------------------------------------------------------- D:------------------------------------------------------------------- A:------------------------------------------------------------------- E:------------------------------------------------------------------- s s s s t t s s e:-----------13-------13-17------------------------------------------| B:--17-13h15----13h15------------------------------------------------| G:-------------------------------------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| e s s s s e e s s e e e e e e e:--------------13---------------------------------------------------| B:--13-------13----15-13---------------------------------------------| G:-----14p12-------------14p12---------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:--------------------------------12----------10---------------------| E:-----------------------------15----15-12s10------------------------| ---3--- ---3--- s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s e:------------------------------------------------------------------- B:------------------------------------------------------------------- G:------------------------------------------------------------------- D:----------------10------------------------------------------------- A:-------------------------12p10----10-10-10-14-12p10-14-12p10------- E:----10h12-12h13----12h13-------13---------------------------------- ---3--- s s s s s s s e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:-------------------------------------------------------------------| D:--------10-------10h12---------------------------------------------| A:--14-14----14p10---------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| s s s s s s s s s s s s s s t t s s e:------------------------------------------------------------------- B:--------------------------------------------10h12-10h12------------ G:--------------------------10----10-12-10-12------------------------ D:--12-10h12-14-14-10-12-14----14------------------------------------ A:------------------------------------------------------------------- E:------------------------------------------------------------------- ------3----- e s s t t s s s s e:--13--------------------|---------------10-------------------------| B:-----15-13-15p13-15p13--|------------------------------------------| G:------------------------|------------------------------------------| D:------------------------|------------------------------------------| A:------------------------|------------------------------------------| E:------------------------|------------------------------------------| (riff G1) (this measure over riff G2) s s s s s s s s s s s s s s q+Q e:--13p10-------10-13p10-------10h13p10----10-13b15------------------| B:--------13p10----------13p10----------12---------------------------| G:-------------------------------------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| s t t e:--------------20h22------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:-------------------------------------------------------------------| D:-------------------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (riff G1) (this measure over riff G2) e e e+q s s e e e q q e:--20-20b22-20b22-------17-20-20b21-20b22-(22)----------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:-------------------------------------------------------------------| D:-----------------19p17---------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| (this measure over riff G2) e q e+e e e e e e e s s e e e:----------------|-----------------------------[14]-----------------| B:----------------|--13b15-13b15-13-10-13-13b15------10h11p10-(10)\--| G:----------------|--------------------------------------------------| D:----------------|--------------------------------------------------| A:----------------|--------------------------------------------------| E:----------------|--------------------------------------------------| (riff G1) (this measure over riff G2) e e:----------------|--13-10-------10-10------------------12----------- B:----------------|--------13-10-------13-10------------------------- G:----------------|--------------------------10s9h10p9--------------- D:----------------|----------------------------------------10-11----- A:----------------|-------------------------------------------------- E:----------------|-------------------------------------------------- (riff G1) PM----------- e:-------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------------------------------------------------------------------| G:--------------0----------------------------------------------------| D:--12-10------------------------------------------------------------| A:--------12-11------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------------------| ---------------| Song progression: Riff A x 1 Riff B1 x 1 Riff C x 2 Riff B2 x 1 Riff B1 x 2 Riff B2 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E3 x 1 Riff B1 x 1 Riff C x 2 Riff B2 x 1 Riff B1 x 2 Riff B2 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E3 x 1 (omit last measure) Riff F x 1 Guitar tacet for 4 bars Solo (includes riffs G1 and G2) Riff A x 1 (first measure only) Riff D3 x 1 Riff D4 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff D1 x 1 Riff D2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E2 x 1 Riff E1 x 1 Riff E3 x 1 Riff F x 1 (first four measures only) Riff A x 1 G5 [3x0033] Remarks: In riff B1, the 1st position F is played as a power chord during the verses, but as a single note otherwise. Riff C is always played twice; the second time it is played omit the slide at the beginning -- play the chords distinctly. The ends of riffs D2 and E2 are handled somewhat liberally, as are the D riffs in general. I suggest using alternate strokes in riffs D1 and D3 as well as the first halves of riffs D2 and D4. Play the fifth measure of riff F like the first measure of riff A if you can get up to the 12th fret fast enough. Even Alex does not reproduce the solo exactly when he plays it live; the key to the fast part is to observe that except for a couple of (accidental?) accidentals, it stays rigidly within the D Dorian mode; Geddy, however, seems to boogie around D Phrygian (perhaps a bass player could confirm this?). Tablature explanation: | - bar line |----| |----| |o--o| repeat |o--o| |----| |----| w - whole note h - half note q - quarter note e - eighth note s - sixteenth note t - thirty-second note x - sixty-fourth note Captial lengths indicate dotted notes, + indicates tied note Length notations with no information below them indicate rests Duplets, triplets, and their ilk are indicated by "---3---" and similar constructs above the note lengths h - hammer on p - pull off tr - trill b - bend (use tremolo bar for downbend) r - release bend s - slide / - slide up \ - slide down ~ - vibrato t - tap (with strumming hand) x - muted, struck string + - wah pedal back o - wah pedal forward () optional note, or note held from previous articulation <> natural harmonics [] artificial (pinch) harmonics NH natural harmonics AH artificial (pinch) harmonics PM palm mute