Just wondering why it was considered more acceptable to use electric pianos (ie. "You're My Best Friend") or organs in the '70s, but not synths. They're both electronic so I never understood the bias against synths but not other electronic keyboards....
The thing is that the band wanted to make clear that the "orchestral" sounds they made wasn't done with synths, for example the varispeed guitars in KYA solo, or the violin-like tone in the intro of White Queen & Leaving Home Ain't Easy. But not all effects in 70s are guitars: Nevermore has piano "rings" (one person got inside the thing and plucked the strings while someone else played), there are organs here and there, and some reversed toms and stuff. Most of The Game is synth-free indeed.
Synths can make any sound you want it to make... electric pianos don't they just make a piano sound...So that's why electric pianos are more "natural" than synths... I think that's why they didn't use synths for so long...
I don't think synths sound as you want them to sound, they sound as you CAN make they sound. Otherwise tracks like Jump (Van Halen) would haave a beautiful string orchestra instead of that out-dated synth pad.
"Otherwise tracks like Jump (Van Halen) would haave a beautiful string orchestra instead of that out-dated synth pad."
Well... not really. That track does sound outdated because of the artist's choice. Queen were very careful in their choice of synths and I think it shows. There are very few songs that sound outdated.
Not to mention the synth technology was still pretty early. These days, it's very easy to make a "beautiful string orchestra" on keyboards. You just need to know how an orchestra is constructed, i.e instrument choice and placement.
Peace,
Adam.