Chris Squire's bass sound on Tormato?

[Sundown]

 

Hey all,

 

I'm a keyboard player, but I have a deep appreciation for bass guitar, and I have a quick question about an unusual sound.

 

If you listen to Yes's Tormato, Chris Squire had an unusual tone for songs like "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" or "Don't Kill the Whale". I used to think it was a wah pedal, but I don't think that's the case anymore. His playing has a bit of a twang to it, but the tone sounds almost like vowels ("oo" and "ow"). I'm not sure how he got that sound.

 

Any insight is appreciated.

 

Todd

 

 

 

[wraub]

Tremelo pedal (or tremelo amp), or possibly envelope filter, perhaps?

 

I have also always dug that tone, especially on "Wings".

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Sundown]

 

Thanks Wraub...

 

I'm actually not a big fan of it (compared to his other performances), but it's one of the only albums I can recall where he used that sound. There is a similar tone during certain parts of "Does it Really Happen?" (from Drama), but you don't hear it on later releases. And I don't recall hearing it on earlier releases prior to Tormato.

 

But it's an unmistakable sound... Each note has a vowel-like shape to it ("ow", "ou", "oo", etc.).

 

Thanks again.

 

Todd

 

[wraub]

I will agree that it is not Squire's typical tone, but I do dig it for, as you implied, it's relative uniqueness (uniquity?).

 

When I have played these lines, however, "Does It Really Happen?" is much more straightforward, just bass and pick.

"Wings", however, I have come pretty close with either envelope follower or judiciously applied wah pedal, just because I did not have a tremelo effect at that time.

 

Peace,

 

wraub