as seen in the picture above, on 22nd march Freddie doesn't play a piano, do you know for sure what he played on 31st March?
all I can say is that Freddie had played an instrument that doesn't sound exactly like a piano, it could be a piano but it could also be something else
if you have proof to support what you say show it!
Oscar J · Member since
You're being ridiculous.
1. Bad Seed just stated above that Freddie used an upright piano.
2. As I said: In the early 70's, there was nothing electric that sounded even remotely close to a real piano. So it must have been a real piano. If it's an upright piano like stated above, that'd explain the slighty twangy quality of the sound.
So yeah.
Oscar J · Member since
it's strange though, this pic is according to Bob's website from the March concert, and shows, by the looks of it, a full grand piano and not an upright.
1. Bad Seed just stated above that Freddie used an upright piano. [/QUOTE]
Bad Seed stated that Freddie used un upright piano on 8th march 1974, not on 31st march
on 22nd march of the same tour Freddie used an Wurlitzer
bootLuca · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]Oscar J wrote:[/b]
it's strange though, this pic is according to Bob's website from the March concert, and shows, by the looks of it, a full grand piano and not an upright.
full grand piano or not, if this picture was taken 31st march, this is the proof that Freddie used an acoustic piano (that sounds like a toy :P ) that night, great discovery thank you!
master marathon runner · Member since
I guarantee you, the stage a Sunderland locarno could hardly have accommodated a grand piano with band.
BETA215 · Member since
^ But being Queen, that incredible new "fashionated" band, why don't be nice to attract the band and have more money 'cause of the audience? Even, they are going to record the entire concert! Why not?
MercurialFreddie · Member since
I've made two snapshots of the march footage (bonus material on the very recent Rainbow release). As seen here, there was grand piano that day on stage.
MercurialFreddie · Member since
Vocal harmony · Member since
What has to be remembered is that a Grand Piano is difficult to mic up, particularly for live work. Also capturing the sound on tape is not easy.
This show very early in their career and I'm sure there would have been limitations on what could be spent.
From about 77 onwards the very expensive and high quality Helpenstil piano pickup was fitted to Piano. This device is like a guitar pickup, only bigger, and fitted to the sound board. It is designed to produce a clear piano sound.
Before this system was used, they put two mics under the piano lid, which did the job but not as well. Discrepancies in what the mics pick up and the recording process are what has resulted in the "toy piano" sound, which actually doesn't sound that bad
Oscar J · Member since
Thanks for explaining. I said it probably was the miking, but they didn't believe me! I like the early piano sound, it sounds vintage.
thomasquinn 32989 · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]bootLuca wrote:[/b]
all I can say is that Freddie had played an instrument that doesn't sound exactly like a piano, it could be a piano but it could also be something else[/QUOTE]
No, it couldn't have been something else, because there was nothing else available at the time that sounded remotely like a piano. When there is nothing available that sounds like a piano and you hear a piano, even if the sound is a little odd, it has to be a piano.
When you say it wasn't a piano, the question is what else could it have been then? The answer is "nothing, it was a piano".
bootLuca · Member since
all doubts are resolved now, you're right! that night Freddie played a grand piano
however I think that my doubts were well supported: in that tour Freddie used to play what the venue gave to him
march 8th in Sunderland he played an Upright Piano
march 22nd at Canvey Island's Civic Hall he played a Wurlitzer
march 31st at the Rainbow Theatre: Grand Piano
bootLuca · Member since
You will hate me!
How do you explain that in the Reel to Reel tape transfer of the march show, the grand piano sounds better than the official release? (in my humble opinion)
Could QP have made a better equalization on the official release?
Oscar J · Member since
I would be fairly surprised if he actually used that barky Wurlitzer instead of a piano to be honest. Wouldn't really work with songs like White Queen, MOTBQ or FOTW.
