🎸 Tom Sawyer | How Does This Song Work?

In this free guitar lesson, I analyze some of the guitar parts heard in the song “Tom Sawyer” by Rush and explain how the parts work. You get to know the song’s music theory including the key, chords, chord progressions, scales, modes, and more. I also discuss guitarist Alex Lifeson’s musical influences and how “Tom Sawyer” borrows ideas from music by The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Cream.

GEAR
PRS McCarty 594
Seymour Duncan '59 pickups
Kemper Profiling Amplifier

[wshaw]

Useful new chords to me, modal harmony application, creative process and preparation. Thanks for the hard work, Desi!

[jeramyashlock]

Thanks for the awesome analysis! It is easy to forget a song when we just memorize its chord shapes and scale patterns, but when you learn the key and musical structure of a song it is a lot easier to remember how it goes. I just bought your two Fretboard Theory books after listening to the Podcast and studying this video. You are a teacher's teacher!

[walkerson]

I have always loved Lifeson's contribution to the band RUSH. Loved how Desi breaks down this song systematically and in layman's language. And by the way, this is my fave of the Rush catalogue!

[wolverine]

Great analysis Desi, this is very helpful to understanding the structure of this incredible song. Your explanations are clear and concise. In particular I appreciate you playing other song licks that are similar or influential. Production wise looks great, clean black floating in space background instead of clutter that’s seemingly everywhere in other vids. Fabulous job my friend. I can’t believe more ppl haven’t found your channel yet. They will.

[KKMWB]

Excellent as always and timely. Thanks for this, Desi.

[robertchurch]

A very good an informative presentation.

[sfkimrush]

Desi consistently has some of the best explanations. Often I feel like i am in the room with Desi. This lesson is no exception. Thanx Desi!!

[philf]

Great video, it is nice to have the tab/chords overlaid while hearing your description. Very well arranged! Thanks!

[marybethhempel]

Wow Desi! This video is packed with information on theory and musicians. You play it all so well also! Thank you for your expertise! :)

[stevejohnson]

Great video and related article on your website. What a great way to explain innovative song writing. I know the basics of theory including major and minor keys and modes, but this really helped me put it all together. Using the minor scale as the basis for the main chord progression, using modal interchange to bring major chords in, using unique chord voicings and why, using mixolydian mode for the solo, and thinking about how all those ideas came together based on his influences. All well explained. Great job.

[nickb]

When he days “only contained 3 members” it hit me so hard.

[JimLarranagak]

Just watched this for a second time (I had commented on it 7 months ago) and still learning from this video. It's amazing to see and hear an artist's influences coming through their music. This reminds me of those "Magic Eye" pictures where you stare a a series of dots and then the real picture inside is revealed. It was there all the time. Keep doing more in this series.

[jamessbca]

Desi, I've been starting to work through Tom Sawyer from a video of Alex Lifeson explaining it. It is great to see you explaining it. (In more detail of what's going on than Alex ;) )

I've been trying to figure out much of the stuff that you're explaining here - what chords are they, ? etc... (I can't sleep at night if I just memorize a shape without knowing what's going on) :)

Something to note, in the opening chords, I *think* Alex also plays the open High E String on the Dsus2 and Csus2 chords (What would that make it, Cadd2 or something?) - which I think is what gives it that crazy Alex Lifeson "ringy" sound. It also (I'm pretty new at guitar) opened my eyes to the concept of using open strings on chords that might not generally be considered open string chords...

You should be a music professor of rock or something. You totally know what's going on with this stuff. And I love how you figured out where the inspiration likely came from. (I can do that with drumming stuff - a bit easier to figure out - but I was seriously wondering how Alex Lifeson would come up with these progressions - you're helping me understand music little bites at a time). Thank You!!!

[JimLarranagak]

Excellent lesson, Desi! Your background research on the influences of the artists, who they emulated are fascinating. It really puts context to what they created and shows how they learned to create their own sound.

[gregarious_one]

There was a reason why Rush was guarded about their future even in their later years. This was that reason. Best rock drummer ever. One of my favorite bands ever. RIP Neil. And thank you for more great work, Desi!

[michaelchadwick]

How good is that A7sus4. I think they call it surprising. How about awesome.

[mattyc.]

How very interesting the correlation between Led Zeppelin and the Who...