About Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody is a groundbreaking six-minute suite composed by Freddie Mercury that defied all conventional song structures. Blending ballad, opera, and hard rock sections, the song was revolutionary for its time and remains one of the most beloved songs in rock history. The operatic section required over 180 vocal overdubs, and the song spent nine weeks at number one in the UK.

Tips for Playing Bohemian Rhapsody

• Break the song into sections: intro ballad, operatic middle, hard rock finale

• The piano intro can be adapted for guitar using arpeggiated chords in Bb

• The hard rock section uses simple power chords - focus on the aggressive strumming pattern

• Practice the tempo changes - the song shifts dramatically between sections

• Use a clean tone for the ballad sections and switch to overdrive for the rock section

Fun Facts About Bohemian Rhapsody

• The song took three weeks to record - an unusually long time for 1975

• Freddie Mercury reportedly had the entire song mapped out in his head before recording

• The 2018 biopic brought the song back to #1 on streaming charts

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Frequently Asked Questions