Geddy Lee vs. Chris Squire

Okay, this is not who's your favorite poll, it is who is a technically more skilled player poll.  I ask this because I don't play bass or any stringed instrument, so I can't really form a valid opinion.  Please vote for the one you think is better, not your favorite.  For example, you could say: "I prefer Geddy Lee, but I think Chris Squire is better."  In this case you would vote for Chris Squire.  And make sure you vote in the "I don't play bass" part if you don't play bass.  In your posts, specify whether you play bass or not.

Leave Geddy's voice out of this please.


Edited by Sasquamo - November 04 2006 at 08:38

Chris Squire and I don't play bass. In the liner notes of the YES box set, Geddy himself admits that Squire is the man!

Geddy's bass lines are not technically difficult to play. In fact a Rush tribute I went to see said that their music is not difficult to recreate, athough it may sound difficult. Being a three piece means that Geddy's bass is very high in the mix which makes it sounds very prominent but the playing itself is not technically challenging. Squire's playing on the other hand....well that's a different kettle of fish altogether.

I play bass and Chris is slightly more technical than Geddy. They are both amazing, but Geddy's basslines are very spontaneous and the same basic chord changes can be changed every time they are played. It doesn't necessarily take alot of tehcnical proficiency to jam around in a scale around chord changes, though in many cases Geddy does more in a song that Alex. This method works very very well still, and when one looks at a song as hard as Hemispheres, one has to appreciate Geddy's amazing work.

Chris Squire is more more melodic in that he keeps an idea and continues it throughout a section instead of creating a great bassline out of the roots and then jamming around that note and other root notes. Chris squire adds a whole new musical idea that fits with the main melody or chord changes, but is more lead-like and melodic. I think it takes more skill to play vastly different (than everyone else) things and still fit perfectly in line with the other instruments. Therefore, (dispite the fact that Geddy truly is my hero) I must go with the Fish.

Tommy wrote: Geddy's bass lines are not technically difficult to play. In fact a Rush tribute I went to see said that their music is not difficult to recreate, athough it may sound difficult. Being a three piece means that Geddy's bass is very high in the mix which makes it sounds very prominent but the playing itself is not technically challenging. Squire's playing on the other hand....well that's a different kettle of fish altogether.

Do you play bass?

Sasquamo wrote: rileydog22 wrote: As a bassist who has attempted to decypher many a Squire and Lee part, I must say that Squire is the more talented bassist. In my opinion, he is one of the top two bassists alive today (I can't decide if he or TLEV is better). By the way, ever heard of Victor Wooten?  I'm guessing it's pretty hard to leave him off of the "best list" (or best period for that matter) if you've ever heard him play.

Squire is a great bassist but he didn't do anything too impressive between 1981-1999, Lee on the other hand has been consistently great since 74' and also I find him to be a better songwriter, so I have to go with Geddy.

I chose Mr Squire (I play bass) but almost the hardest poll ever made (the hardest would be between Squire/Levin/Lee).

Norbert wrote: I don't play the bass, and I enjoy the playing of Chris more. Both are phantastic musicians!

Seconded

Hmmm.  I can't see anything incredibly amazing in Chris Squire's playing.  Can someone give me individual tracks to listen closer to? (I only have The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge).  I'm really impressed with Lee's fast solos on YYZ and La Villa Strangiato.  I think that just maybe people are a bit biased because of the huge popularity of Yes on this site.  Maybe to test if everyone's biased I should do a "Who's more skilled: Chris Squire or Victor Wooten?"  In that case, there's obviously one right answer, despite you opinion.