Tone Profile

A bright, slightly compressed piano sound with a clear, punchy attack, characteristic of Queen's signature layered production style. The piano cuts through the mix with presence and clarity.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The piano was likely recorded with close miking techniques to capture a direct and clear sound.
• Compression was applied to enhance the sustain and punch of the piano.
• Queen's production often involved layering multiple instruments and vocal harmonies, contributing to the overall depth and richness of the sound.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a bright-sounding piano; a Bechstein is ideal but other quality pianos can work.
• Use a condenser microphone like a Neumann U67 positioned relatively close to the piano strings to capture detail.
• Apply compression to the piano track to even out the dynamics and increase sustain. Experiment with the ratio and threshold to achieve a punchy sound without excessive pumping.
• Consider using a Decca Compressor emulation plugin to achieve the compression characteristic of the era.
• EQ the piano to emphasize clarity and presence in the upper midrange frequencies.
• Layer multiple piano takes or add subtle doubling to thicken the sound.

Original Gear

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• Bechstein PianoShop on Reverb(keyboard)
• Neumann U67Shop on Reverb(mic)
• Decca CompressorShop on Reverb(compressor)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Frequently Asked Questions