Rush - Xanadu

How to play Rush - Xanadu by Rush on guitar

This song is a great pick if you want to build confidence with a dramatic, steady progression that still feels approachable. At about 120 BPM, it should sit in a comfortable groove once you lock in the changes, and it has a strong, flowing feel that rewards clean transitions.

You can lean on the open shapes Dm and F, but the chart also uses the harder barre shapes Fm and G#. The main change to watch is the opening move between Fm and Dm, since it comes up right away and sets the pace for the rest of the progression.

Start by looping just Fm - Dm - Fm - F slowly and make each switch clean before worrying about speed. Then add the other shapes in short groups, keeping your fretting hand relaxed. Once the changes feel automatic, bring it up to tempo in small steps and focus on staying even.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.