I know this one is tottaly "off " but i always had the idea he could be a talented drummer. Apart from his dynamics and great sense of the rhythm, Brian used to say he played piano like drumms or something...
I am not a drummer and i don't know if its possible to tell if someone "has what it takes" to be gifted in the drumms departement (without actually watch him play), but perhaps someone has a better clue on what i am talkiing about.
Brian meant he had the timing of a drummer, they didn't use a metronome. Doesn't mean he'd have been a good drummer.
Unless he meant he smashed fuck out of the thing like Animal from The Muppets.
^^^ I think Brian already had mentioned his inner metronome ability. I believe he meant the way/feel he hitted the keys. And i can get it concidering Freddie's left hand technique on piano.
As for smashing the chords of piano keys, have you seen the piano covers of vkgoeswild on you tube? She makes a great job with Bohemian Rhapsody and The Show Must Go On.
She also brakes a string in her intruduction video around 3:30 while covering a Heavy Metal song. link
NO. Freddie actually did or tried his hand at whatever HE thought he could do well. He never really tried the skins, because he didn't feel good enough. I'm sure that in 100+ queen tracks he'd have played drums once if he felt able/adept enough
after all, John played electric piano on YMBF and lead guitar once also, Brian tried various instruments on queen tracks,
^^^ I know that they all tried various instruments but drumms i assume need more practice and dedication to actually provide a good result especially for a studio production. Its not like Freddie playing 7 chords on Crazy Little Thing Called Love,or any of the members coming with a worthwhile chord sequence on keyboards.
What i am saying is that he had a very fast attack in his motions and great sense of rhythm.Also he seemed strong and flexible.
But i don't actualy know if thats good enough to make a potentially talented drummer.
Stelios wrote:
Its not like Freddie playing 7 chords on Crazy Little Thing Called Love,or any of the members coming with a worthwhile chord sequence on keyboards.
Except for all the ones where Brian came up with 'worthwhile' chord sequences on the piano, and played it on the final recording in many cases.
Also, Freddie wrote Ogre Battle on guitar - it has 14 chords.
^^^ This is not exactly a post about who was the most "multi-instrumentalist". What you say about Brian is true about piano not keyboards in general. For example Roger and John made the famous Show must go on chord sequence and i dont think that if either of them played it for the studio production would make that of a significant difference.
Drumms on the other hand need more skill (neither of the other 3 had) to provide a good result especially for Queen's standards.
What this post is about is if you can see a "special spark" in Freddie that could evolve to a talented drum-player.
I'd say if he would have pursued drums, he would have been fantastic. He had fantastic time keeping skills that are absolutely required for drumming.
I'm a drummer haha.
^^^ No, they are equally difficult. But with some decent practice you can play a 7 chord strumming piece on a acustic, sounding closer to a proffesional (doing the same thing). Drumms on the other hand, even on a simple rythem make more evident the pro from the amateur. At least thats my view on it...
^John could be a decent singer if he had lessons, he sang out of tune but not off-key, which is a different kinda thing.. I think that if John took a few lessons he could've easily provided the (based on his voice type) low vocals in the harmonies.