Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) album cover

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Album 2018

The music gear and equipment used by the artists, producers, engineers, and more involved in the making of the 2018 album Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack).

Music from Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Gear Used On Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Explore the instruments, equipment, software, and production tools used in the making of Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) (2018). Click more on each item to see exactly how it was used.

Pianos used by Freddie Mercury on Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Grand Pianos

Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano

In 1972-1973, Freddie Mercury used the Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano at Trident Studios. This was the studio's house piano, likely utilized during recording sessions. A notable photo from the Marquee Club shows a white piano, potentially the Bechstein used by Mercury later for "Bohemian Rhapsody." This connection is plausible due to a rental arrangement the club reportedly had with Jacques Samuel, which included the white Bechstein.

Grand Pianos

Yamaha Model G2 Baby Grand Piano

Avg price: $11,630.00

Freddie Mercury used a Yamaha Model G2 Baby Grand Piano, which he purchased in 1975 for approximately £1,000, equivalent to about $2,100 at the time. This piano, with serial number E1683689, was built in 1973 and features a bright ebonised polyester finish. It was delivered to his apartment at 100 Holland Road, London, and was instrumental in the composition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and many other Queen hits until 1988. This information is verified by World Piano News, authored by David Crombie, in the article titled "Lennon and Mercury Pianos Expected to Sell for Millions."

Grand Pianos

Bechstein Piano

According to the book Queen: The Early Years by Mark Hodkinson, Freddie Mercury used a white C. Bechstein IV grand piano for the recordings of A Night at the Opera, the UK tour following the album's release, and the music video for Bohemian Rhapsody. It is reportedly the same piano that Paul McCartney played on the recording of The Beatles' song Hey Jude, as well as the one Rick Wakeman used for David Bowie's album Hunky Dory.

Microphones used by Freddie Mercury on Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Condenser Microphones

Neumann U67

Avg price: $7,193.09

Freddie's piano was miked with two Neumann U67s and we also set up a Shure mic for his guide vocal. He didn't sing all the way through the backing track takes, just the first couple of words of each line as a reference for the band.

This comes from a Sound on Sound article from 1995, where producer and engineer of "Bohemian Rhapsody" talk about how this song was recorded.

Cymbals used by Roger Meddows Taylor on Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Gongs

Paiste 60" Symphonic Gong

From late 1975 to late 1982 Roger Taylor used a massive gong which had to be cleaned, packed, moved, unpacked and set up every concert just to be hit once at the end of Bohemian Rhapsody and during White Man or Ogre Battle.

Drum Sets used by Roger Meddows Taylor on Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack)

Drum Sets

Yamaha S-9000

Avg price: $4,243.00

Roger Taylor used this drum kit during Queen "Magic Tour" in 1986. In this video you can see it in 1:13.

Bass drum logo: Queen on A Kind Of Magic font on a black background