Simon Fitzpatrick: “Roundabout” Live Solo Bass Performance

Simon Fitzpatrick is a guy who constantly pushes himself to see what can be done on the bass. Here’s the latest example: an incredibly intricate solo bass version of the classic Yes track “Roundabout.”

After putting it all together with just his bass and his hands, Fitzpatrick builds the piece with a looper to lay a superb solo overtop.

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Share your thoughts

  1. Self-indulgent and sloppy…

  2. Very talented guy, but too much of the song is lost in this attempt to hold any interest. This is great for those who really have no attachment to the song because most of the song is lost to a redundant solo.

    • there is actually no soloing in this , he plays the song and cuts it short by a full 3 minutes.

    • Thanks Mike. Harold I have to say that whilst I appreciate criticism as a means a self-improvement I find ill-informed comments like this spiteful and contrary to the spirit of this website. It is clear to me that either you have not carefully listened to this arrangement or you are yourself quite unfamiliar with the original.

      • Simon, I love the attempt to combine bass and guitar parts (with bits of keys?). I think a kinder version of HJC’s criticism might be that you’ve sacrificed parts of each to build the continuity you need to present this as a solo piece. I’m nowhere near your skill level (despite playing “professionally” for… um… 47 years [hey! I got paid :) ], so I would never criticize your technique, but *maybe* in attempting to keep the recognizable bits of separate instruments you’ve created a discontinuity that people who know the song very well find… disconcerting — just because of what’s missing in any given section. Since this is a bass player forum I assume most folks want/expect to hear the bass driving thru regardless of whatever else you’re doing at the moment. And that’s just not possible. I suppose you could write *a* bass line that carries thru but then you’d get different criticism.

        So keep on keepin’ on, do what you do and just take criticism in stride. Good luck, man!

        • Kyle Cannella

          This rendition is fantastic! He gets the tonal points of each movement cross thoroughly and perhaps, sir, you may want to give it a re-listen. If I had anything to critique about it, it would be that the volume levels throughout the piece could’ve been louder. This was an amazingly well done solo piece and he encapsulated the progressive integrity of the piece beautifully. Rock on Simon

      • Jim Genannt

        Touche Simon !!!!!

    • Simon, I have listened to “Roundabout” song since I can remember and your cover is a d*mn good version of it, very true to the original source. You’re not being a virtuoso just for the sake of it, but because your display if skills deal directly with favoring the song, and making it sound familiar, with as many elements as possible from the original song to make it totally recogniseable. Negative criticism towards something as good as this comes from a place called Envy-Land.

  3. Very talented, very good effort but not quiet ready yet. Just a little bit more practice of some passage and this will be killer.

  4. Great Job Simon!
    Be even better with a smile ;).

  5. Simon has since the first time I heard him immediately became the most interesting musician to watch in Carl Palmers band. 1: I wish I had/could have done that. 2: Hope CP doesn’t get jealous of all the attention we’re giving Simon. After all, I’m sure we all want to hear more and when I go to see Simon play I hope that Carl Palmer is still in the his band.

  6. I never claimed I could. I wouldn’t perform a piece that still needs so much ironing out. Better to play straight root notes perfectly than to play something technically brilliant badly.

    • Jim Genannt

      you are really messed up in the head. obviously you never play live, and moreover never take a solo on the spot !

  7. SIX STRING BASSES FOR EVER!
    this is really good. I quite like Simon. I am glad this happened as this was more or less the best thing that happened to me all day.

  8. Absolutely… Astounding…. Yes is hard enough ( read intricate) with a whole band. I cant imagine the amount of talent in Simon to pull this off. totally… awesome !!!!!!!!

  9. David

    would someone please break the pinky and ring finger on his left hand and the index and middle finger on his right hand… just to give the rest of us a chance at playing and sounding good…. really though BRAVO Sir … as my kids would say AMAZEBALLS

  10. He is ridiculously skilled.

  11. Jim Genannt

    I Give Up !!!!!