SEVEN PROFICIEN-CIES OF BRI…
Our rundown of the Queen guitarist’s arsenal of techniques
1. FINGER VIBRATO
Brian’s elegant vibrato is a cornerstone of his playing Make sure you're able to bend up to a note and add vibrato below the pitch you’ve bent to for a typical Brian style vibrato.
2. GUITAR VIBRATO
Brian’s pick-hand rarely strays from the guitar’s vibrato arm Keep one or two free pickinghand fingers in contact with your guitar’s whammy bar. Brian uses it on chords, arpeggios, solos – everything, really!
3. PICKING DYNAMICS
You know about Brian’s preference for a sixpence, but… Despite using a metal coin for a pick Brian’s touch ranges from firm to very gentle, even switching to fingerstyle at times.
4. CLEANING UP
Every guitar has a volume control. Use it for clean tones
Brian’s signature cleans aren’t always that clean. Often he'll keep his drive tone dialled in and just back off his guitar’s volume for a janglier tone.
5. BENDING
Brian’s a melodic master, and pre-bends will get you in his ballpark
Simply bend the string before you pick the string. You don’t get the benefit of listening as you bend, but the bend-downs can sound sumptuously sweet.
6. TAMING FEEDBACK
Make feedback musical
The semi-acoustic construction and colossal neck of the Red Special give a surprisingly musical feedback. Turn your amp up and walk around the room to find the sweet spot.
7. FINDING HARMONY
Harmony guitar lines are a Queen trademark
For Queen-style harmony guitar parts, think of the chords that underpin your melody then record them one note at a time. Laborious? Maybe, but that’s how it’s done!