I went back to put the timecode in the description and realized I didn't title one of the techniques. It's the "Extra High Pinch Harmonics Technique" so I guess we can call that a bonus. haha.
Doesn't Brian use his out-of-phase pick-up configuration to better realise those harmonics? EDIT: Loved the video by the way, especially the section on "cry bends"... very illuminating. Thank you
Brilliant. Loved the 1:35 Orchestral triple harmonies, 4:10 Pre bend vibrato but for whole step above 4:56 Violin (blatant) scale runs 5:29 Classical single-note rhythms 7:21 Sharp hit staccato immediate pick-stops 12:09 The unique May cry bend 13:21 Playing behind the beat 16:20 Chromatic climbing riffs 18:36 Squealing but on higher strings/frets 19:37 Speed sequencing (takes years) 20:39 Speed pull offs 21:23 Pre Bend replacement next fret 27:55 Major 3rd Trill in Pentatonic 28:53 Rake to the note
Great video. I've loved Brian May's playing since the first note I heard him play. He's got incredible tone, he's inventive, and a fantastic all-around musician. If there's anyone that doesn't know the history of his guitar (Red Special/Fireplace/Old Lady), it's a cool story. Brian, along with Simon Bradley, even wrote a book about it: *'Brian May's Red Special: The Story of the Home-Made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World.'* It's even got it's own Wikipedia page.
Great episode. You did an excellent breakdown of the genius of Brian May. He was the hit of the 2012 Olympics closing ceremonies, and your breakdown illustrates some of his techniques that were used at the ceremony.
I know this is an older video but thanks for this. I started in my teens and I had the Star Licks VHS you're referencing, but I spent a few years pretty much going nowhere. Last October I'm trying again after a 10-15 year hiatus, with the Internet a lot easier to access now I'm able to look up exercises and other information on the fly, and having a concise compendium of BMs techniques in one place is fantastic. Thanks again.
A lot of people have argued with me about this but I heard Billy Corgan say in an interview that he's been trying to achieve Brian Mays tone. Side note, those up strokes that Brian May uses i used to use for playing Four Horsemen by Metallica back in the day. Great video.
Cool video! Great stuff. Just wanted to point out: the funky guitar in Another One Bites The Dust (at 26'00) was actually played by bassist John Deacon!
Great video as always, was wondering if you’d ever do one of these on Billy Corgan? Especially since the pumpkins just got back together and released a new album
I've been inspired by Brian since I first picked up the guitar. I honestly feel that just watching him gave me much more precision in my right hand. He has this thing he does with his right hand where his hands come down and delicately pick out every note with precision. It's more of a pluck than it is a back and forth motion, almost like someone plucking lint from his jacket one piece at a time. When I was young, I copied that just because it looked cool and Brian was one of the few guitarists at the time I really knew about. I didn't really know what I was doing but I think it really helped me anyway. No one sounds like Brian. His tone, whether its in his fingers or in his gear, is all his own. And it's superb. Just the sound of his guitar, forgetting for a second that he's an amazing guitarist and just focusing on the way his guitar actually sounds, is just exquisite. You'll have to forgive me. I could kiss Brian May's ass all day.
That harmony trill thing from A Kind of Magic was actually recorded by the drummer, Roger Taylor (BM's own harmonies tend to be less linear) Brilliant video and all spot on :-)
Hey buddy you're one of the better guitar teachers Ive seen.. I've been playing for almost 25 years plus. Picking up a few things you're showing. Thank you sir
Me, too. I grew up with Queen’s IInd, IIIrd and IVth album, turning their records on my parents’ stereo system endlessly. These hours fixed the firm image of how guitar should be sounding on my ears. I disliked this type of music in my later teen years and the years followed after them but recently returned to it in a big way. I must admit it has a lot to do with resurgence in the popularity of their music by the success(?) of the Hollywood movie which depicted Queen’s ups and downs in her best years. Well, I remember and even admit the negative responses from my classmates at school when I introduce Queen at school playing her record in the music class. Well, one girl did respond marvelously well asking me who played the music on the record and was dying to get hold of it ASAP. You could tell by the look of her eyes and the fact that she never spoke to me before!? That is the power of music.
Watching the 3-part harmony part of your video at 50% speed to catch that lick better. Man, at 50% you sure sound drunk. :) Another great video. Thanks!
20:00 Brian actually just holds an A chord there and moves two fingers only while palm muting! I'd say that is way easier than having to move 3 fingers to play it.
Cool video. Brian is the most brilliant guitarist there is. By the way, has anyone ever told you that you resemble John Cusack? He played my other favorite Brian, Brian Wilson in “Love and Mercy”.
There's another great trick of his that I love. When he needs a long note to really sing, scream and stand out he frets the note with his index on the high e or on the b string and frets the lower neighboring string one whole step lower with his ring finger and then slowly bends that up to the same pitch into a strong vibrato so he starts on a strong dissonance, getting worse and then goes into this huge singing sound. For example: He frets a d in the tenth fret of the high e string and a C in the 13th fret of the b string, picks them both at the same time and then bends the c on the b string up to a d. He uses that technique very prominently on a chromatic downward line at the end of the solo on "the show must go on" right before the bridge (my wings are painted...). And live all the time at the end of songs.
I've been trying to learn how to my guitar squeal like Dimebag Darrell and Kerry King. If you haven't already, can you make a video on Kerry's techniques or Darrell's techniques?
Sorry I can't take you seriously when you're trying to teach Brian's style on Angus Young's guitar. If I was playing around with that guitar, I would be playing Thunderstruck. Not Tie Your Mother Down..... Lol
