Song Rig

La Villa Strangiato

Alex Lifeson · Hemispheres · 1978

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Rush's most ambitious instrumental — twelve sections spanning classical fingerpicking, heavy riffing, and jazz-influenced fusion. Lifeson shifts between clean arpeggios and full Les Paul crunch through a Gibson/Marshall setup, covering more tonal ground in nine minutes than most guitarists cover in a career.

Signal Chain

1Gibson Les Paul Standard (multiple pickup positions)
2Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W
3Echoplex EP-3 tape delay
4MXR Phase 90 (on specific sections)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume6

Bass7

Mid7

Treble7

Presence6

Versatile Marshall setting that works for both the clean arpeggio sections and the heavy riff passages — slightly lower gain than pure crunch to allow clean note articulation in the quieter sections.

Technique

How to Play It

Classical-style fingerpicking on the intro (thumb and fingers without a pick) transitions to full plectrum playing for the heavier sections — Lifeson uses a hybrid approach that allows rapid switches between fingerstyle and pick technique.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Les Paul → Marshall Origin or JCM800 → MXR Phase 90 → Echoplex or Boss DD-3 Delay. The key is a versatile amp that handles both clean arpeggios and driven riffing without switching channels.

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