Tone library / Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody (Live Aid)

Bohemian Rhapsody (Live Aid) amp settings — Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3

The Queen guitar tone for “Bohemian Rhapsody (Live Aid)”, dialed in for a Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3 with a Ibanez GIO GRX40. Live Aid at Wembley Stadium (1985), main guitar solo and heavy rock section

Original rig

Red Special (Burns Tri-Sonic pickups in series/out-of-phase) + Pete Cornish TB-83 Treble Booster + cranked Vox AC30 Normal channel

Saturated, singing vocal midrange with upper-mid chime and long violin-like sustain

Amp settings — Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3

CHANNELSuper Crunch

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Reverb	2
Master	8

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Guitar

PICKUPneck+middle TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Dallas Rangemaster / Pete Cornish TB-83 Treble Booster

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; key to authentic Brian May chime and push

Boost 8

Why these settings

The ID:Core 20 V3 uses a single ISF EQ knob rather than standard Bass/Middle/Treble controls; set the ISF control fully clockwise to 10 for British AC30-style upper-mid bite and tight low end. Use the onboard Super Crunch voice with Gain at 7 to capture Brian May's pushed power-tube saturation without needing an external drive pedal. The neck+middle single-coil selection mimics May's series out-of-phase wiring punch on your HSS Ibanez.

PRO TIPBrian May uses a British sixpence coin as a pick; use a thick, rigid coin or hard heavy pick held at an angle against the strings to emulate that distinct metallic transient 'chirp' on note attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.