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Queen - Under Pressure - Guitar Lesson

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Queen - Under Pressure - Guitar Lesson

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Queen - Under Pressure guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Queen Rock D major
Capo Advisor 0 D major · Original key

Under Pressure

"Under Pressure" is a rock classic by Queen and David Bowie, released as a single in October 1981 and later featured on Queen's tenth studio album Hot Space (1982). The track reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, marking a major milestone for both acts. For electric guitar players, it offers a study in restrained rhythm playing, dynamic tension, and the interplay between guitar and bass in a high-profile rock collaboration.

  • The song became Queen's second UK number-one single and David Bowie's third, charting top 10 in over 10 countries.
  • Originally released as a standalone single in 1981, it was later added to Queen's album Hot Space in 1982.
  • The track is a rare full collaboration between two separate headline acts, making its guitar parts a blend of Queen's and Bowie's distinct styles.
Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

Brian May stacks Vox AC30s cranked to full volume, letting natural tube breakup and the Top Boost channel create the chimey, harmonically rich overdrive that defines Queen's sound. Driven hard by a treble booster rather than pedal distortion, these amps deliver the compressed, singing tone central to May's signature style.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

May uses digital delay as a live equivalent to the tape echo (Echoplex) he favored in the studio, adding subtle spatial depth to his solos without cluttering his famously minimal effects chain. The DD-3 provides clean, repeating echoes that complement his vocal-like tone without compromising the directness of his treble booster-driven AC30 sound.

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