Songs that demonstrates Chris Squire's fuzz tone

[Space-Man]

I've always known who Squire was and I hear MK-3 Yes recordings on XM Deep Tracks often and I really like his tone, a little overdrive to, odviously bi-amped. I've heard he uses fuzz and because he bi-amps he gets a great sound out of it, so I just want some recomendations so I'll know what album to buy.

[Hoover]

Chris Squire doesn't "biamp" in the conventional sense of the word; i.e., he's not frequency splitting the signal & sending the highs to one amp and the lows to another. Rather, he's splitting his full range signal to two different amplifiers, one dialed in to emphasize highs and grunge (usually a Marshall plexi) and the other for more clean, deep, foundation (lately, an Ampeg SVT or two). And he uses some combination of those two amps on nearly everything he does.

For a more blatant example of Squire's conspicuous use of fuzz/overdrive, check out the 4th side (er, 4th song if you're too young to remember vinyl) on Tales From Topographic Oceans, a 20-minute tune called "Ritual", or the opening cut on his Fish Out Of Water solo album, "Hold Out Your Hand". I believe he used a Maestro fuzz for those tracks, but I could be mistaken.

[Kink Rimson]

The live version of 'Ritual' on Yesshows was mixed by Mr Squire I believe, so the bass is really loud! It sounds much better than the album version IMHO, and the bass solos are far more defined.

[Kink Rimson]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Chris Squire doesn't "biamp" in the conventional sense of the word; i.e., he's not frequency splitting the signal & sending the highs to one amp and the lows to another. Rather, he's splitting his full range signal to two different amplifiers, one dialed in to emphasize highs and grunge (usually a Marshall plexi) and the other for more clean, deep, foundation (lately, an Ampeg SVT or two). And he uses some combination of those two amps on nearly everything he does.

.

Isn't he sending the output of each pickup to a separate amp? I read in an interview that ever since he had his original Rick modified for stereo all his basses are wired that way.

His original Rick was mono, and he was dissatisfied with the difference in output between the two pickups. Also, the fuzz effect sounded great with the neck pickup but not so good through the bridge. So, the stereo output mod was a product of neccessity.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

Isn't he sending the output of each pickup to a separate amp? I read in an interview that ever since he had his original Rick modified for stereo all his basses are wired that way.

I knew he did that with his Rick, but I didn't realize he had all his basses wired that way. Excellent!

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Chris Squire doesn't "biamp" in the conventional sense of the word; i.e., he's not frequency splitting the signal & sending the highs to one amp and the lows to another. Rather, he's splitting his full range signal to two different amplifiers, one dialed in to emphasize highs and grunge (usually a Marshall plexi) and the other for more clean, deep, foundation (lately, an Ampeg SVT or two). And he uses some combination of those two amps on nearly everything he does.

True enough, from what I've read about his setup. But if you think about it, sending a full range signal to two amps and then using the EQ on each amp to dial out one end of the range and bring the rest forward is pretty close to conventional bi-amping, only instead of using a fixed roll-off crossover you're using whatever EQ you have to tailor the shapes of your lo/hi cut and boost.

"Fish Out Of Water" is a great album that I haven't heard in a while, I'll have to look it out.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by bassybill

But if you think about it, sending a full range signal to two amps and then using the EQ on each amp to dial out one end of the range and bring the rest forward is pretty close to conventional bi-amping, only instead of using a fixed roll-off crossover you're using whatever EQ you have to tailor the shapes of your lo/hi cut and boost.

Depends what you consider "pretty close". No shelving filter can mimic the infinite cut above/below fc of a lowpass/hipass filter, so the two systems deal with information outside the passband in very different ways. Plus there's a big difference in terms of headroom (and usually also phase response) between actively frequency-splitting a signal and then amplifying only the resultant bands separately, and passively filtering a wide band signal & then amplifying the resultant signal.

iow, all of the advantages that prompted the invention and widespread use of true "biamping" are absent Squire's system. Which is not to say that it would sound dramatically different if he did use a conventional biamp system...and I suspect in the case of Squire's bass tone the end (sonic) result is more important than any technical advantages/disadvantages.

[Stinsok]

9012 live "The Solos." The Fish/Amazing Grace.

[Meddle]

I think he used a Brass Master live (I think its visible on the Yessongs DVD). He used it sparingly on little things. For example in Yours is No Disgrace when the vocals come in (Yesterday a Warning Came, a Smile upon your Face). I used to think it was a moog synth back in the mix, but my ears now tell me its fuzzed out bass.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Space-Man

so I just want some recomendations so I'll know what album to buy.

He's always had epic dirty tone... Right from the Opening track of 'Yes' from 1969 (to this day, my favorite Yes album).

If you don't own any, I recommend seeing if you can find the Greatest Hits collection called "Classic Yes"

[Captain Bob]

Hold Out Your Hand.....opening track, from Fish out of Water utilizes a Brassmaster.

[bassybill]

I think the Yes cover of "America" qualifies as a great example of Squire's tone at its gruntiest.