Close To The Edge - Full Bass Transcription

[Bilbo]

I wanted to draw people's attention to this as it took me 'kin ages and I am not altogether sure who looks at my Transcription Archive page.

 

I have completed a FULL transcription of Chris Squire's bass part to Close To The Edge. I have been meaning to do this for years and, now we have these 'Isolated Bass' things on YouTube, it's a no brainer. A labour of love, this one.

Close To The Edge Bass Part.pdf

[ezbass]

Good Lord, man! 👏👏👏

 

Now if you could just go back and TAB it out for us too. Ooh, is that my coat? It’s ok, I’ll get it myself. 😂

Edited May 11, 2020 by ezbass

[Bilbo]

That would be tantamount to self harm...

[Dad3353]

Not that I'm able, or even willing to try, such virtuoso gymnastics, but I think your time spent should at least be recognised. There may only be a small numbers of members taking it up, but that only makes it all the more high-flying, in my eyes. Good on you, old chum. 

[Oopsdabassist]

Wowsers..double impressed!  I just wish I could read music.........😥

[Bilbo]

40 minutes ago, Oopsdabassist said:

Wowsers..double impressed!  I just wish I could read music.........😥

It's never too late. 

[TrevorR]

That’s amazing. It’s inspired me to do a full bass transcription of Madrigal, Mood For A Day and The Clap. Shouldn’t take too long!

[GeeJayW]

Good job @Bilbo , Thanks. Chris Squire was a hero on bass, well in my book anyway.

Mood For A Day transcription can be found here...

https://lessonsthatrock.com/downloads/Y/Yes/Yes - Mood For A Day.pdf?x68250

I have a TAB version somewhere.

Been listening to it since '71. Still can't play it.

[mikel]

Top man, if only it were in tab. Tab always made much more sense to me. Apart from that, a difficult job well done. Respect.

[stewblack]

Thanks for freely sharing your hard work. I'm using the lockdown to learn to read music and to transcribe every new bass line I learn or create. I have an inkling therefore just how much time and effort goes into it. 

[Bilbo]

It is worth flagging up that there is a massive section of this track where there is no bass (the 'I Get Up, I Get Down' section). And there are other sections where the bars are repeated (e.g. opening riffs is one bar repeated about 48 times across the piece). It did take a while but not as long as you would think (it took longer because I screwed up the time signature and was writing twice as many bars as I needed to).

[Mrbigstuff]

15 hours ago, Bilbo said:

I wanted to draw people's attention to this as it took me 'kin ages and I am not altogether sure who looks at my Transcription Archive page.

 

I have completed a FULL transcription of Chris Squire's bass part to Close To The Edge. I have been meaning to do this for years and, now we have these 'Isolated Bass' things on YouTube, it's a no brainer. A labour of love, this one.

Close To The Edge Bass Part.pdf 111.82 kB · 29 downloads

FYI, I follow your transcription topic and it is an awesome resource.

[Bilbo]

What I found surprising, bearing in mind I have listened to the track for decades, is that there is very little of it that is actually hard to play  The opening bars is about it, really. 

[stewblack]

Well I just listened to it for the very first time today, following your transcription (reading not playing) and I have to say it's a fascinating piece. 

[Bilbo]

23 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Well I just listened to it for the very first time today, following your transcription (reading not playing) and I have to say it's a fascinating piece. 

Isn't it? It was arguably the first Prog track I ever heard and it blew my mind. I still don't know what they are doing half of the time. 

[ead]

Fantastic work @Bilbo having just about got the hang of the first half of Starship Trooper I look on this with some trepidation  

Does this comply with the Salieri note limit per piece of music?

[TrevorR]

4 hours ago, GeeJayW said:

Good job @Bilbo , Thanks. Chris Squire was a hero on bass, well in my book anyway.

Mood For A Day transcription can be found here...

https://lessonsthatrock.com/downloads/Y/Yes/Yes - Mood For A Day.pdf?x68250

I have a TAB version somewhere.

Been listening to it since '71. Still can't play it.

Think I'm going to stick to transcribing Chris' bass part... I know I can DEFINITELY play that one on bass!!!!

[toneknob]

17 hours ago, Bilbo said:

I wanted to draw people's attention to this as it took me 'kin ages and I am not altogether sure who looks at my Transcription Archive page.

 

I have completed a FULL transcription of Chris Squire's bass part to Close To The Edge. I have been meaning to do this for years and, now we have these 'Isolated Bass' things on YouTube, it's a no brainer. A labour of love, this one.

Close To The Edge Bass Part.pdf 111.82 kB · 40 downloads

Where might one find this Transcription Archive page?

And can you do Gates Of Delirium next please?

 

 

 

[Bilbo]

That sounds like a dare..... 

 

[TorturedSaints]

Thanks Bilbo.  I had totally missed seeing your transcriptions!

Edited May 11, 2020 by TorturedSaints

[visog]

Well that's a feet of endurance and no mistake. However, as its one of my very favourite pieces of music - I'll be content to listen now and again. Not a player this one - at least for me...

[mikel]

20 hours ago, Bilbo said:

What I found surprising, bearing in mind I have listened to the track for decades, is that there is very little of it that is actually hard to play  The opening bars is about it, really. 

The sign of a true genius for me. To come up with something iconic and musical, and keep it accessible. The "Why didn't I think of that" syndrome. 

[Spoombung]

On 10/05/2020 at 21:12, Bilbo said:

I wanted to draw people's attention to this as it took me 'kin ages and I am not altogether sure who looks at my Transcription Archive page.

 

I have completed a FULL transcription of Chris Squire's bass part to Close To The Edge. I have been meaning to do this for years and, now we have these 'Isolated Bass' things on YouTube, it's a no brainer. A labour of love, this one.

Close To The Edge Bass Part.pdf 111.82 kB · 65 downloads

Extraordinary work, Rob. Well done.

[4000]

On 12/05/2020 at 09:32, mikel said:

The sign of a true genius for me. To come up with something iconic and musical, and keep it accessible. The "Why didn't I think of that" syndrome. 

This. I’m not sure anything I’ve heard by Chris (who most will know is my favourite player) is particularly difficult - other than remembering the songs! - but it’s the musicality. And THAT tone, of course.😉

[visog]

8 minutes ago, 4000 said:

This. I’m not sure anything I’ve heard by Chris (who most will know is my favourite player) is particularly difficult - other than remembering the songs! - but it’s the musicality. And THAT tone, of course.😉

His picking is pretty refined. And he's a whizz at odd time signatures. And he's singing harmony. Oh and bass pedals. He's a walking church - organ, choir the lot! And whatever it is that makes my arm hairs stand-up and adrenaline pulse when I hear one semi-tone of his playing.

Edited May 23, 2020 by visog