Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody - Guitar Cover

A Night At The Opera (Deluxe Remastered Version)

1975 5:54

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About Bohemian Rhapsody

Few songs demand as much stylistic range from a guitarist as this one. The hard rock section in the middle is where the guitar really earns its place, built on crunchy rhythm work and Brian May's layered lead lines that cut through the dense operatic arrangement surrounding them. Getting that tone right is a study in itself: May famously used his homemade Red Special guitar, and his trebly, multi-tracked sound is hard to replicate exactly, so focus first on the phrasing and note choices before worrying about gear. The key of Bb major means some of the chord shapes sit in less comfortable positions on the neck, so take the time to map out your fingerings before playing up to tempo. The ballad intro, though piano-led, translates well to fingerpicked guitar and is worth learning as a complete contrast to the rock section. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the hard rock passage slowed down until the rhythmic feel sits naturally under your hands. Queen packed more ideas into this track than most bands manage in an entire album side.

• The hard rock section features Brian May's layered, multitracked guitar lines, so practicing each voice separately before combining them is a productive approach.
• The song is in Bb major, which puts several chord shapes in awkward positions, making clean left-hand shifts a specific challenge to work on.
• The ballad opening translates well to fingerpicked guitar and is a good low-tempo warm-up before tackling the more demanding rock passages later in the song.