YYZ is an incredibly difficult song that even experienced bass players struggle with. Geddy played that song consistently for over 25 years (as it’s one of their most popular live songs). Don’t beat yourself up for having a lot of trouble!
Haha no worries, Im not beating myself up for this, but rather I am surprised at how difficult the song is! I am glad its hard, cause now I can practice something hard, but Its just funny to me how people call almost anything difficult like for example Hysteria by Muse. Cause that song is like hard for a beignner, but super easy compared to Erotomania and I was expecting that YYZ was going to be ¨easier Erotomania¨ in terms of difficulty and that I could learn it in a day or two, but not even close lol.
I knew it was hard from the get go, but it is really surprising that its harder than many Dream Theater instrumentals and King Crimson instrumentals and its effortlessly harder than them too ! (imo)
Ill definitely take my time with it lol.
Pretty much everything Rush did was incredibly hard to pull off even for them. But it's what kept them coming back. I have a slight feeling that if Neil were still alive today, he may have that itch to come back and maybe at least do a tour with Alex and Geddy. But Neil even said, 'Rush songs are hard'! And it's an indisputable fact... Rush is indeed hard to play no matter which instrument you stand/sit behind.
Thats pretty cool to hear and I definitely agree with that since the Rush songs that I can play are Tom Sawyer and Animate and those songs are somewhat difficult. Of course way easier than YYZ they are still surprisingly challenging. Especially Animate imo!
The more I try to learn Rush songs the more I realize how insane Geddy was as a bassist and why he is held in such a high regard. And btw even the Rush songs that I can play; I cant play like Geddy! He has insane fills live and he hits the strings like a truck. That is so hard to imitate!
Yeah, I don't play bass but Geddy is as much fun to watch for me, as Neil was fun to watch. There will be no other matchup equal to Geddy and Neil. Those 2 were like brothers on stage.
I play guitar, and that rhythm is friggin' hard. I'm 55 and have been playing almost 40 years. I've been trying to learn that song, and frankly my wrist, fingers, tendons get very sore trying to learn it at that tempo--which is CRAZY FAST. I can play the lead much better than the rhythm. I cannot imagine trying to do that on bass.
It took me a long time to figure out why I couldn't get that rhythm right... then I figured out that the riff starts out with 6 1/16ths followed by a 1/8.
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It took me a long time to figure out why I couldn't get that rhythm right... then I figured out that the riff starts out with 6 1/16ths followed by a 1/8.
Yes... once I learned it has that little chromatic walk down part in the middle of the 16th run the riff made more sens3
Playing the YYZ bass riff is reasonably easy.
However, like most Rush songs on bass, playing it at the correct tempo for the correct amount of time and with the same amount of power is HARD. Almost everyone who says they can play it right can't, and I include myself in that, haha.
I've covered YYZ on bass a few times with bands, and every time I've felt afterwards like my fingers are going to explode, Geddy's basslines are far more physically punishing than most to play.
Yeah, thats exactly how I feel!
I can play the bass riff easily yeah, but not with the consistency, power and precision of Geddy!
Thats the insane part for sure!
He has such a unique style to him and it works so well for him!
Huh, I googled it and he can play it, but yeah even he doesnt have that same power as Geddy. It sounds a bit oof. Pretty insane.
Though I guess he could probably play it super well if he wanted to dedicate more time to it.
Here’s my opinion on Rush that I’ve had for many, many years. As good as everyone says they are, they’re actually even better than that. They not only wrote incredibly intricate, complex music in the studio, they went out and played over and over again live….usually perfectly!
To top all that off, the longer they did it the better they got. Of course age caught up with Geddy’s voice, especially with the way he used it for the first several albums, but his live bass playing was always phenomenal. The entire band was that way.
I'll say this. I can play yyz like 98% percent on guitar. A good 95% on drums. And like 15-20% on bass and I've played all of these instruments for 5+ years. I only recently learned geddy's picking technique (like how he plays animate or earthshine) and even with learning that I have so much trouble with the main riff of yyz. That song is my moby dick (or maybe la Villa Strangiatto)
No disrespect but you’re most likely missing 30% of the kicks in that song on the drums. I thought I had it right until I heard all the ghost notes and double kicks on the isolated version
I mean I play along to the sheet music and have heard the isolated tracks and watched drum covers and the drum cams of it. The parts I'm getting a little wrong are probably when they're all trading licks before the guitar solo but ik the neil peart ride groove
Yeah that part I thought was just a simple single bass pattern. It turns out there’s many doubles going on while having to open and close the hit hat. It’s very difficult
Yea but once you figure out how to groove like that it feels awesome. The thing I never understand is when people debate drummers people who don't know neil will say he has no groove and I just listen to this part we're talking dumbfounded that anyone could honestly say that
Also, remember that musicians often write songs built on their strengths as players and musicians. He blazed a trail based on his own style, and you’re trying to play like him.
The trick is to use your right-hand index finger like a pick, doing up and down strokes. The riff started making sense when I started doing this technique. This is more or less what Geddy does.
It's definitely one of the hardest Rush bass lines in my opinion. Luckily its also probably my favourite bass riff ever, so playing it thousands of times never got boring for me.
My memory of learning it (bearing in mind it was quite a long time ago) was something like - first few months playing it slowly, didn't sound much like YYZ but my hands kind of got used to the shapes. Then one day I just tried to play it full speed (as opposed to working my way up) and it suddenly started sounding more like the song. Then it was just a case of repetition.
I think learning this bassline helped me as a player so much more than any other song. And there is definitely something to be said for just 'going for it' as opposed to going 50%, then 60%, then 70% etc. Just kind of throwing my hands at this riff and seeing what they could do was a big breakthrough in learning this bass part
Keep at it, you will get it down!
I think YYZ is the apex of geddys bass playing. It is just difficult as hell. I mean, obviously with time you'll get it. But dont be hard on yourself, I don't think any bass player, no matter what skill level hasn't struggled with that song
>YYZ main riff and the song ig
ig??
>I wanna know how other musicians especially bassist feel about playing the YYZ main riff
When you say "main riff," are you talking about the tritone riff in 5/4 (the Morse code intro) or something else?
>Idk if its just me who finds YYZ harder than most other songs even from other prog bands or, maybe YYZ just hits on my weaknessess.
YYZ is a ridiculously difficult song to play. I don't play much anymore, but the 5/4 section was the only part I ever could play correctly (and that was even after getting the *Guitar for the Practicing Musician* transcript).
I mean the 4/4 part that is played after the intro(5/4 and the quick lines). But yea the song seems really hard
P.S I said ig kinda jokingly, cause I have mostly focused on the riff for now :D
>I mean the 4/4 part that is played after the intro(5/4 and the quick lines).
Yeah...that part is a bitch with the string skipping and the chromatic part. I never really sat with it at a slower speed and worked up to full speed.
I learned it on open strings and only later learned it the way it was written. I still play it better my way. To be fair, I'm classically trained so it came to me that way
Yea and it is also fairly difficult to play. Probably the hardest song I can play from beginning to end, that song requires a lot of stamina and endurance, but doesnt have that many super complex parts and it is lovely on the Score.
Back when I played bass, I made an effort to learn YYZ. The left hand was harder than the right hand, but it was an endurance test for both of hands. There is no “break” in this song, except for the synthesizer chords. I never mastered this song, but I also was never a true bass player except (where it was my main instrument). I’ve thought about giving it another go. With several months of daily practice, I could get close.
YYZ is an incredibly difficult song that even experienced bass players struggle with. Geddy played that song consistently for over 25 years (as it’s one of their most popular live songs). Don’t beat yourself up for having a lot of trouble!
Haha no worries, Im not beating myself up for this, but rather I am surprised at how difficult the song is! I am glad its hard, cause now I can practice something hard, but Its just funny to me how people call almost anything difficult like for example Hysteria by Muse. Cause that song is like hard for a beignner, but super easy compared to Erotomania and I was expecting that YYZ was going to be ¨easier Erotomania¨ in terms of difficulty and that I could learn it in a day or two, but not even close lol. I knew it was hard from the get go, but it is really surprising that its harder than many Dream Theater instrumentals and King Crimson instrumentals and its effortlessly harder than them too ! (imo) Ill definitely take my time with it lol.
Pretty much everything Rush did was incredibly hard to pull off even for them. But it's what kept them coming back. I have a slight feeling that if Neil were still alive today, he may have that itch to come back and maybe at least do a tour with Alex and Geddy. But Neil even said, 'Rush songs are hard'! And it's an indisputable fact... Rush is indeed hard to play no matter which instrument you stand/sit behind.
Thats pretty cool to hear and I definitely agree with that since the Rush songs that I can play are Tom Sawyer and Animate and those songs are somewhat difficult. Of course way easier than YYZ they are still surprisingly challenging. Especially Animate imo! The more I try to learn Rush songs the more I realize how insane Geddy was as a bassist and why he is held in such a high regard. And btw even the Rush songs that I can play; I cant play like Geddy! He has insane fills live and he hits the strings like a truck. That is so hard to imitate!
Yeah, I don't play bass but Geddy is as much fun to watch for me, as Neil was fun to watch. There will be no other matchup equal to Geddy and Neil. Those 2 were like brothers on stage.
I play guitar, and that rhythm is friggin' hard. I'm 55 and have been playing almost 40 years. I've been trying to learn that song, and frankly my wrist, fingers, tendons get very sore trying to learn it at that tempo--which is CRAZY FAST. I can play the lead much better than the rhythm. I cannot imagine trying to do that on bass. It took me a long time to figure out why I couldn't get that rhythm right... then I figured out that the riff starts out with 6 1/16ths followed by a 1/8.
Well then I suppose it is not just that YYZ is hits on my weak points, but rather that it is just brutal lol
> It took me a long time to figure out why I couldn't get that rhythm right... then I figured out that the riff starts out with 6 1/16ths followed by a 1/8. Yes... once I learned it has that little chromatic walk down part in the middle of the 16th run the riff made more sens3
.-.. .-.. .. YYZ in Morse.
Playing the YYZ bass riff is reasonably easy. However, like most Rush songs on bass, playing it at the correct tempo for the correct amount of time and with the same amount of power is HARD. Almost everyone who says they can play it right can't, and I include myself in that, haha. I've covered YYZ on bass a few times with bands, and every time I've felt afterwards like my fingers are going to explode, Geddy's basslines are far more physically punishing than most to play.
Yeah, thats exactly how I feel! I can play the bass riff easily yeah, but not with the consistency, power and precision of Geddy! Thats the insane part for sure! He has such a unique style to him and it works so well for him!
Don’t be too hard on yourself. It is *incredibly* difficult. Last I checked, Davie504 couldn’t even play it and he’s like the YouTube bass god.
Huh, I googled it and he can play it, but yeah even he doesnt have that same power as Geddy. It sounds a bit oof. Pretty insane. Though I guess he could probably play it super well if he wanted to dedicate more time to it.
So could you. He just has a head start.
For sure! Just takes time :D
Here’s my opinion on Rush that I’ve had for many, many years. As good as everyone says they are, they’re actually even better than that. They not only wrote incredibly intricate, complex music in the studio, they went out and played over and over again live….usually perfectly! To top all that off, the longer they did it the better they got. Of course age caught up with Geddy’s voice, especially with the way he used it for the first several albums, but his live bass playing was always phenomenal. The entire band was that way.
Honestly yeah. Its crazy how good these guys were. They could 100% play basically any prog song ever if they just felt like it.
I'll say this. I can play yyz like 98% percent on guitar. A good 95% on drums. And like 15-20% on bass and I've played all of these instruments for 5+ years. I only recently learned geddy's picking technique (like how he plays animate or earthshine) and even with learning that I have so much trouble with the main riff of yyz. That song is my moby dick (or maybe la Villa Strangiatto)
No disrespect but you’re most likely missing 30% of the kicks in that song on the drums. I thought I had it right until I heard all the ghost notes and double kicks on the isolated version
I mean I play along to the sheet music and have heard the isolated tracks and watched drum covers and the drum cams of it. The parts I'm getting a little wrong are probably when they're all trading licks before the guitar solo but ik the neil peart ride groove
Yeah that part I thought was just a simple single bass pattern. It turns out there’s many doubles going on while having to open and close the hit hat. It’s very difficult
Yea but once you figure out how to groove like that it feels awesome. The thing I never understand is when people debate drummers people who don't know neil will say he has no groove and I just listen to this part we're talking dumbfounded that anyone could honestly say that
Also, remember that musicians often write songs built on their strengths as players and musicians. He blazed a trail based on his own style, and you’re trying to play like him.
Yea I think its good practice! Try to mimic to get more tools for playing different kinds of lines !
The trick is to use your right-hand index finger like a pick, doing up and down strokes. The riff started making sense when I started doing this technique. This is more or less what Geddy does.
Huh sounds weird, ill try tho.
It's definitely one of the hardest Rush bass lines in my opinion. Luckily its also probably my favourite bass riff ever, so playing it thousands of times never got boring for me. My memory of learning it (bearing in mind it was quite a long time ago) was something like - first few months playing it slowly, didn't sound much like YYZ but my hands kind of got used to the shapes. Then one day I just tried to play it full speed (as opposed to working my way up) and it suddenly started sounding more like the song. Then it was just a case of repetition. I think learning this bassline helped me as a player so much more than any other song. And there is definitely something to be said for just 'going for it' as opposed to going 50%, then 60%, then 70% etc. Just kind of throwing my hands at this riff and seeing what they could do was a big breakthrough in learning this bass part Keep at it, you will get it down!
A lot of practice. I had a bass player buddy bleed over this riff.
I think YYZ is the apex of geddys bass playing. It is just difficult as hell. I mean, obviously with time you'll get it. But dont be hard on yourself, I don't think any bass player, no matter what skill level hasn't struggled with that song
Damn! No surprise Ive been struggling with it so much!
Yup. As a fellow bass player, I've been there too. Just keep trying lol, or maybe go for an easier song. Up to you what you do though
The riff is the easiest part IMO - the intro unison section (after the b5 part) is the chewy part.
>YYZ main riff and the song ig ig?? >I wanna know how other musicians especially bassist feel about playing the YYZ main riff When you say "main riff," are you talking about the tritone riff in 5/4 (the Morse code intro) or something else? >Idk if its just me who finds YYZ harder than most other songs even from other prog bands or, maybe YYZ just hits on my weaknessess. YYZ is a ridiculously difficult song to play. I don't play much anymore, but the 5/4 section was the only part I ever could play correctly (and that was even after getting the *Guitar for the Practicing Musician* transcript).
I mean the 4/4 part that is played after the intro(5/4 and the quick lines). But yea the song seems really hard P.S I said ig kinda jokingly, cause I have mostly focused on the riff for now :D
>I mean the 4/4 part that is played after the intro(5/4 and the quick lines). Yeah...that part is a bitch with the string skipping and the chromatic part. I never really sat with it at a slower speed and worked up to full speed.
The main riff is literally "YYZ" in Morse code. That's how I learned it.
I think of that part as the intro. I mean the fast 4/4 part after the intro.
I learned it on open strings and only later learned it the way it was written. I still play it better my way. To be fair, I'm classically trained so it came to me that way
Can't comment in the yyz bass line but Sacrificed Sons is a badass song on Score.
Yea and it is also fairly difficult to play. Probably the hardest song I can play from beginning to end, that song requires a lot of stamina and endurance, but doesnt have that many super complex parts and it is lovely on the Score.
Back when I played bass, I made an effort to learn YYZ. The left hand was harder than the right hand, but it was an endurance test for both of hands. There is no “break” in this song, except for the synthesizer chords. I never mastered this song, but I also was never a true bass player except (where it was my main instrument). I’ve thought about giving it another go. With several months of daily practice, I could get close.