How To Play Dickey Betts Volume Swells
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- Опубликовано: 6 июн 2024
- 0:00 - Volume Swells Demo
1:10 - The two methods explained
1:27 - Dickey Betts footage
1:50 - Method #1 - the single pickup method (Dickey Betts)
3:37 - The gaff tape trick
4:12 - How to get the "violin bow" attack
5:55 - Advantages/Disadvantages of each method
7:00 - Method #2 - the two pickup method (Lee Roy Parnell)
8:30 - Tone differences
9:41 - Both methods compared
10:40 - Equipment tips / Deoxit Gold
13:16 - More about timing
13:55 - How to anticipate the note
15:50 - Major scale exercise
16:12 - Finger position on the knob
Dickey Betts is a living legend whose contributions to the world of rock guitar are almost incalculable. Among his most famous techniques (and one of our personal favorites) are his unmistakable “volume swells”, which helped him create incredibly expressive lines using simple melodic ideas. Dickey used this unique effect on countless recordings and live performances, allowing him to emulate the sound of a violin, a cello, or at times even a human voice.
Dickey was raised on Western Swing and country music, and he almost certainly heard this technique from legendary steel guitar players like Herb Remington, Jerry Byrd, Billy Bowman, and Noel Boggs. Nonetheless, he quickly reimagined it into his own variation. Alongside Roy Buchanan, Mr. Betts was among the first rock players to attempt volume swells on a standard electric guitar. The technique became a Betts trademark and he will forever be synonymous with it.
Now for the first time on RUclips, you can learn this amazing technique correctly, as taught by Willie Williams of the Allman Brothers tribute band SKYDOG. It’s difficult to master, but once learned you will be able to add haunting and ethereal sounds to your playing with no extra equipment whatsoever!
If you enjoyed this video, please check out Willie’s band, SKYDOG, which is one of the most sincere Allman Brothers tribute bands in the US. You can visit the band's website at www.skydogtribute.com or come say hi on Facebook at / skydogtribute . You can also find Willie on facebook at: / brianwilliewilliams 
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I have actually never commented on a RUclips video before, but your video addressed exactly what I was seeking to learn! I play a 70s Vintera Telecaster, so it is sort of "Les Paulish", meaning that the volume knob is within reach and it makes nice swells, now the only question is practice, practice, practice ...
Thanks so much for the comment! I'm glad the video helped you. Yep, this takes a ton of practice, especially if you have smaller hands like me. Also, those Vintera Teles are really nice! Check out players like Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton, and Jim Campilongo, all of whom do incredible volume (and tone!) swells on the Tele. Cheers, VW
Of all the Allman Brothers lessons I've watched, this is the first I've seen tackle the volume swells. Thanks.
Speaking of Dickey techniques, his harmonic tapping trick would make a good video.
agreed and noted. thanks!
Incredible
Truly great electronic guitar technique doesn’t have to be hard but sometimes the simple techniques elude us. This is good stuff. Thx!
Thanks, for sharing this trick, it’s really cool and I didn’t know how he created this sound. I am in the early stages of learning ABB song, tones and trick so this was really helpful, keep’m coming.
Great video. I love this cello like effect.
amazing lesson, sir. Thank you very much!
Any time to do a whipping post tutorial.....both Duane and Dickey parts......including the coda......boy that a lot to ask...... thanks for all your hard work......really enjoy hearing your band......
thank you! All of that is on the list, it's just taking me a long time to get around to everything. Stay tuned for more content!
Great!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing I am very impressed that you sound like Dickey my favorite guitar player
I always wanted to be able to do this technique now I can try it
very helpful... thanks
Great. Thanks!
Much appreciated
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching. 🎶
thanks for this video! i am learning E Reed and not bothering with the volume swells until now, still have a ways to go but now I at least know the nuts and bolts of the volume swells. couple questions if I may?? is commenting here the best way to ask questions or is there an email or web site that is more appropriate for that sort of thing? The volume knob on my SG special is stiff and a pretty far stretch for my hands, so my last questions is will a volume pedal do the same thing? I'm not looking for a hack or an easy way out only curious. Again thank you for this video E
Hello Earl, and thank you for the comment. Yes, RUclips is the best place to reach me. As to your other question, unless you are Bruce Banner, you’re going to have a real hard time trying to do these swells on an SG. A volume pedal will work just fine. I just like this method because it doesn’t require any extra equipment and it’s a little more efficient IMHO.
Great video and sound, what Gibson and pickups are those ?
Thank you! Guitar is a stock 2018 R9 Les Paul except for the pots which were switched to RS Guitarworks super pots.
@@VirtualWoodshed Thanks 👏
Hey great stuff. You start volume pot at O. How high are you going? Or is it just a feel thing. Thanks for making my day.
thanks! great question. It depends on the amp, but generally on the 1 pickup method I usually don't roll it past 5. On the two pickup method you can roll it even less because you get a quicker gain taper. On faster passages, you won't have time to roll it much past 3 or 4 anyway.
Awesome ! Time to ditch the volume pedal !
Thank you so much for sharing all the tricks and licks you have learned, always bang on. Wish I knew what "rig rundown" you use to nail these tones at this volume? I've been chasing it for 45 years ha
thanks for the comment! In this video I am using a Strymon Iridium on the Marshall setting. No amp. But it doesn't really matter. I think all that talk about equipment is mostly marketing. Most of the tone is gonna be in your fingers! Remember Duane played the entire Layla album on a 5w Champ and still sounded 100% like Duane. Keep chasing man. ~WW
@@VirtualWoodshed Thanks man, agreed on fingers, but still we chase ha. I have an El Strymon, but never tried Iridium, sounds great. Thanks for the reply and all your lessons. Cheers!
D S yeah man, the Iridium is a game changer. Amazing tone in a very user-friendly package. I also used it on this
ruclips.net/video/bIV7iBe0KpY/видео.html
I use a TC Crescendo auto volume swell pedal. For @ $70, I am able to spare the volume pot from wear and tear and avoid vol pot replacement costs, not to mention the cost of a can of Deoxit Gold
#ThatsCheating. 😜. Just kidding man, there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s! Happy pickin’. 🤘
@@VirtualWoodshed I am in awe of your technique, sir. I have tried learning volume swells years ago but gave up due to dry hands. I tried out a Fender Strat with rubberized knobs and seemed to work nicely. Recently, I have been using Gorilla Snot (which I bought so I stop dropping my pick) to sticky up my pinky and seems to be working very well when i use the technique on my Les Pauls..
Have been searching the web for video footage of Pony Boy, unable to find anything. Would really like to see what he is playing during the verses. Are those finger fretted notes or is that all slide? Thank you for the excellent tutorials.
That's a great idea. We should really do a Pony Boy lesson. I've added it to the list. He's playing fretted chords and runs on the 4 chord and then answers it with a slide run back down to the 1 chord. I'll do a video soon and show ya. Stay tuned.
@@VirtualWoodshed Great! Thanks. Look forward to it.
Hi what do you mean by volume taper?
The rate at which the volume increases or decreases.
Is this technique doable on a Gibson ES-335?
If you are a Sasquatch. 🙂
@@VirtualWoodshed What do you mean?
@@jkta97 I mean it’s doable if you have gigantic hands.
@@VirtualWoodshed Ah understood haha. I love the 335, but sometimes, I wish it had the same volume and tone knob configuration as the Tele.
I learned how to do this without a RUclips video 50 years ago.......
Is that a Wegen pick?
you mean the one I'm playing? No. I play Fender 346 picks in Extra Heavy. I'm not sure what Betts is playing in the short clip at 1:27. Looks like a standard tear drop of some sort.
@@VirtualWoodshed They look real close to the Wegen picks that I play also extra heavy...
@@avatar90404 Yep, same shape. I got used to that shape from years of playing bluegrass and just never gave it up. Wegens are great! I own several and use them for acoustic guitar and mandolin, in addition to some Bluechip and "tortoise" picks. They're all fantastic, but I don't want to risk losing them on wild rock gigs, so I use the closest cheap pick I can find, which is the Fender 346. I buy a giant bag of them each year and use a couple per show. Basically disposable!
At that price, you gotta keep an eagle eye on those wegens...They work good on electric guitar too....@@VirtualWoodshed
I caught a Fender. medium tear drop that Dickey tossed out after Elizabeth Reed . The tip was rounded.
I would lower my tone knobs.....
Another thing justifying the purchase of a Les Paul that would leave me broke and hungry.. sg volume nobs are too far from stop bar
Joshua Hicks get yourself a $400 epiphone LP on Craigslist and have at it.
@@VirtualWoodshed good point but I've wanted one for so long I mayswell put in the work to have a beautiful piece of wood I can have for the rest of my life. Great work by the way awesome playing 🤘
Your swells at 9'31" remind me these ones.ruclips.net/video/jvpoxua4alw/видео.html
wow, great call Musty. I confess, I've never heard that track. I wonder if Mick Rogers was a fan of Dickey and Roy Buchanan, or if he just came up with that on his own? Sure sounds a lot like Dickey to me! Interesting stuff.
@@VirtualWoodshed Sure, Rogers had a wide musical culture and is an admirer of his glorious alter egos. After reading some of his old interviews, it's an evidence that he knew well ABB or Buchanan work, as Jeff Beck did. But he's a hell of a guitarist on his own too. All this make me think of these superb swells by the great Rory Gallagher on his famous Irish tour Walk on hot coals version (5'28 to 5'55 and 9'52 to 10'12). At the beginning of this last sequence of swells, it seems to me that it's sometimes a double trick : volume AND tone at the same time… Really difficult to achieve IMHO ! ruclips.net/video/qhih0IZHYNs/видео.html