Organization: Penn State University
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 20:42:47 EDT
From: <LPR100@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.bass
Subject: Re: Chris Squire fan
Distribution: usa

Well, I can answer some of your questions and take a guess at some
others.

>I have some questions regarding YES.  I am a recent bassplayer- (read:
>I bought a bass two weeks ago.)  But I seem to be picking things up
>awfully quickly. -probably because I've fooled around with a guitar for
>awhile- but I am serious about playing bass.  And (contrary to popular
>opinion) I play bass because i think it is an under-used instrument
>with alot of potential for making some bitchin sounds NOT because i am
>a failed 6-stringer.

Great!

>I bought an anthology of sheet music for YES
>about a week  ago which contains everything they ever recorded previous
>to 90125.   But it's been rather a dissappointment.   For several
>reasons-  First of all, it doesn't contain the complete arrangements.
>Lots of the more improvised sections of song are ommited.  Not that I
>expected transcriptions of every little fill and solo, but the best parts
>of some of these songs are missing.  Also- many of the transcriptions
>seem to be incorrect.  I play everything note for note according to the
>sheets but it just doesn't sound like the way Chris Squire does 'em.  And
>I KNOW the bass-line for 'Roundabout' is different from what i hear on
>Fragile or any of the live versions I've heard.

The Anthologies that I've seen tend to have this problem, though I
don't have 90125. Many times they greatly simplify and leave off big
chunks of songs. That's one reason to learn to pick stuff up by ear...
besides the fact that it's cheaper, more fun, and helps you learn faster.
The good stuff is never out in books or Tab either.
   Tab is usually pretty accurate, but I haven't seen a lot of Yes
songs in Tab form for Bass.
   Chris' sound is a tough one, and there's been a lot of talk here
about the things he does to get it. Take a Rick, Shave it down, wallpaper
it back up, play through a guitar head, play with a quarter, etc.
The best I can do is play with a pick with the amp LOUD to get some
distortion.  But nothing says that you _have_ to sound like Chris.

>And also- I seem to
>see sub-E notes ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!  I've never had a chance to see Yes
>live, but i have seen several of their videos and I don't ever recall
>seeing Mr. Squire use anything but a four string.  Does he use weird
>tuning?

I think that with Anthologies, they often transcribe a single Bass Clef
line that's often not the bassline at all. Sometimes it's a combination
Bass and Keyboard line, so that may cause some of the low notes to be
written.
   I don't think Chris uses a 5 string either, or weird tuning.
Offhand, The only song I know on 90125 that is tuned down is City
of Love, where I think the guitar(s) and Bass are tuned normally but with
the E string tuned down to D. I don't know all the songs on that album
by heart, but I think that most of them are standard tuning.

>And most importantly-  does anybody have TAB versions of these
>songs that I might take a look at? i'm specifically looking for songs
>from "The Yes Album" and "Fragile".  But anything from "Yes" to "Union"
>will make me happy.

I have seen, in guitar magazines, "Roundabout" and "Long Distance
Runaround" for Bass. You might check Guitar for the Practicing
musician back issues for these. But, like I said, the best stuff
never gets printed, so it pays to learn it on your own.


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Larry Rossi                     | "He Harkened unto her.
LPR100@PSUVM.PSU.EDU            |     'Hark Hark,' Harkened he!"
Pennsylvania State Univiversity |                     -Stimpy
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