Few guitar solos in rock history are as iconic as the middle section of Queen’s 1975 epic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” After the head-banging guitar and drum thrash intro gives way to the mock-operatic ballad, an interlude emerges with one of Brian May’s most memorable guitar solos.
The soaring layers of guitar harmony seem to capture the emotional ups and downs conveyed in Freddie Mercury’s cryptic lyrics. In this article, we’ll break down May’s note-for-note guitar solo for “Bohemian Rhapsody” in tablature form. Learn how to play this iconic rock solo that has inspired air guitarists for generations since it first brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to its knees.
Track Info
- Song: Bohemian Rhapsody
- Artist: Queen
- Produced by Queen & Roy Thomas Baker
- Release Date: October 31, 1975
Key Info
- Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)
- BPM: 144
- Key: Cm
[Guitar-solo] e|---------------------------------------------------------| B|-----------------11~---8--11b---13~--15-16-13~--15--16b--| G|-------10p10b8-------------------------------------------| D|--8~-----------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----13-15-16-18-18b---16-15h16p15-------15----------------------------------|
B|-13-----------------------------------18----18--16--15h16p15-----15----------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------17------17--15~-|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|-----------------15-16-18--------------15-16-18-18b-| B|--------15-16-18---------------15-16-18-------------| G|--15-17-------------------15-17---------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------| A|----------------------------------------------------| E|----------------------------------------------------| e|-------------------13----------13-----------------------------------------| B|-13-15-16-13-15-16-------------------14-----------------------------------| G|----------------------10-12-13----13--------------10----------------------| D|-------------------------------------------11-----10----------------------| A|--------------------------------------------------8-----------------------| E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| ================= | h Hammer-on | p Pull-off | ~ Vibrato | b Bend | pb Pre-bend | r Release =================
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