How Chris Squire transformed the bass guitar into a lead instrument for progressive rock

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: As the only constant member of Yes for over four decades, Chris Squire redefined the role of the bassist. By splitting his signal into a tonal sandwich of growling highs and solid lows, he turned the instrument from a rhythmic foundation into a melodic, aggressive force that influenced generations of musicians.

Born in 1948 in Kingsbury, London, Chris Squire began his musical journey as a choirboy at St. Andrew's, where he learned the discipline required to excel. He did not pursue a professional music career until age sixteen, inspired by the Beatles to join a group that eschewed music stands. After a brief stint selling guitars at Boosey & Hawkes, he purchased the 1965 Rickenbacker 4001 bass that would become his signature instrument. This specific bass, an RM1999 export model with serial number DC127, was central to his sound, despite having its mass reduced by repeated sanding after decorative paper finishes were removed.

Squire's technical innovation was born from a desire to achieve harmonic distortion without losing power or clarity. In a 1973 interview, he explained how he rewired his Rickenbacker for stereo, sending high and low frequencies to separate amplifiers. By routing the high-frequency signal through a lead guitar amplifier and the low-frequency signal to a bass amp, he created a growling, overdriven edge that retained a powerful bass response. He further enhanced this unique tone by playing with a pick, using fresh Rotosound strings for every show, and intentionally incorporating fret buzz to add texture.

Beyond his technical setup, Squire was a pioneer of multi-string and multi-neck instruments, including an eight-string bass and a custom Wal triple-neck bass used for live performances of the song Awaken. His influence spanned genres, inspiring bassists ranging from Iron Maiden's Steve Harris to Rush's Geddy Lee and Dream Theater's John Myung. As the only member to play on every Yes studio album from 1969 to 2014, Squire remained the band's enigmatic anchor until his death in 2015. His legacy persists not only in the complex, melodic bass lines he composed but in the fundamental shift he facilitated in how the bass guitar is played in rock music.

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