Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Activity 1: Finding meaning and story in Bohemian Rhapsody

Watch this video, which details a variety of opinions about the meaning behind Bohemian
Rhapsody and offers a compelling insight into the song’s conception and meaning. The
themes suggested can help bring cohesion and a sense of story to what can seem like
unconnected sections in the song.

Form & Meaning What is your understanding of the meaning behind each section of
Bohemian Rhapsody the song. . .

Introduction
Bars 1-14

Ballad Verse 1
Bars 15-34

Ballad Verse 2
Bars 35-46

Guitar Interlude
Bars 47-54

Operatic Section
Bars 55-95

Rock Section
Bars 96-122

Recap and Coda

Bars 123-138

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Activity 2: Collecting aural signposts for each section of Bohemian

Rhapsody
As music listeners, we are constantly using aural cues to interpret and categorise
pieces of music we hear. We associate the Timbre of heavily distorted electric guitars with
the Genre of rock music. The underlying pulse in Electronic Dance Music often has a fast
Tempo. Jazz Rhythm is often characterized by syncopation or swing. A film composer will
use a memorable Melody and melodic features to remind us of different characters or
elicit different emotions depending on the scene.
Listen to the different sections of Bohemian Rhapsody and write down what you
hear under each heading in the tables below. *Use the Elements of Music vocabulary
sheet as an aid.

Timbre/ Genre/
Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments Style

Introduction
Bars 1-14

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments

Ballad
Verse 1
Bars 15-34

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments

Ballad
Verse 2
Bars 35-46

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments

Guitar
Interlude
Bars 47-54

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments

Operatic
Section
Bars 55-95

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments

Rock Section
Bars 96-122

Timbre/
Genre Tempo Rhytmic Features Melodic Features
Instruments
Recap and
Coda
Bars
123-138

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Activity 3: Recording Techniques used in Bohemian Rhapsody

In the 1970s, many advances in music technology enabled bands to become more
ambitious and inspired great creativity and experimentation on albums. This is particularly
evident in Bohemian Rhapsody; namely in the use of Overdubbing and Multitracking,
Stereo Panning, Distortion and Variety of Synthesised or Special Effects.
Read the definition of each of the recording techniques below. Now, listening to
Bohemian Rhapsody, suggest a bar on the score where the technique occurs.

A bar where this technique is heard.

Recording Technique
Explain what happens.
Bar:
Overdubbing/Multitracking What happens?:
The process of layer different audio
material in, over or with existing material

Stereo Panning Bar:

Panning refers to the stereo field where What happens?:
different elements in a recording are placed
in the left or right speakers. In addition
panning can be automated as an effect
where a sound will move from one speaker
to the other over a predetermined amount
of time.
Bar:
Distortion What happens?:
Increasing the gain on an audio signal to
give the sound a “fuzzy”, “growling” or
“gritty” timbre.

Bar:
Special Effects What happens?:
A generic term for a sound that would not
typically occur in the natural physical world.
Eg. Reversing the audio of a cymbal crash

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Activity 4: What can Bohemian Rhapsody teach us about harmony?

Below are the first four bars of verse 1.

A) Without looking at your score harmonise the melody and provide a bass note under
each chord box. You will need to do a chord bank for the key of Bb Major. Then
check if your harmony matches Queen’s on the score.

Notes A Eb
Of F C
Triad D A

Chord
Bb Dm Adim
Symbol

Roman
I ii iii IV V vi vii0
Numeral

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Below, is the second part of verse 1 with the harmony indicated.

B) Can you identify the key signature based on the melody? Explain your answer.
Key: __________________

Explain: _____________________________________________________________

C) Under each of the boxes put the correct bass note.

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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Vocabulary for Activity 2:

Elements of
Meaning Ways to describe it
Music
“The guitar was heavily distorted”

“The strings of the orchestra have

The distinct, characteristic a rich tonal quality”
Timbre sound of a particular instrument
or group of instruments “The vocalist has a powerful chest
voice in their upper register”

Some examples include:

The style of music being Blues, Rock, Metal, Classical, Jazz,
Genre performed Disco, Funk, Punk, Hip Hop, EDM,
Country, Folk, Indie Rock, Trap

Fast (ca. 110-150 bpm):

Allegro, Vivace, Presto
Medium (ca. 78-109 bpm):
The pace of the underlying pulse
Tempo in the music
Moderato, Andante, Allegretto
Slow (ca. 50-77 bpm) :
Largo, Adagio, Adagietto

We can say a rhythm is:

Rhythm is the pattern of beats Simple, straight, syncopated,
Rhythmic
that happen around and swung, dotted, triplet feel, strict,
Features interact with the pulse. free

To describe a melody we can

comment on its:
Melody is defined as a linear
Melodic Contour (Shape), Range, Register,
succession of single notes that is
Features often satisfying to the listener
Tonality, Scale, Intervals used,
leaps vs. steps