Dickey Betts - Part 1 - "Blue Sky"
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- Опубликовано: 28 янв 2019
- After many requests, I’ve finally decided to launch a series of videos spotlighting the guitar playing of Dickey Betts. Each video in the series will feature a note-for-note recreation of Dickey's solo, with an emphasis on not only the correct notes and fingerings, but also on the subtle nuances like vibrato, string bending, attack and intonation, all of which combine to give Dickey his unique sound.
I'm kicking off the series with my favorite Dickey Betts composition of all time, the indispensable “Blue Sky” from the 1972 album Eat A Peach. This recording is a landmark not only for the Allman Brothers Band but also for rock n’ roll in general, as it was the first time a 60s era Southern band had paired a major key melody with idyllic, evocative lyrics. This formula of course would become a hallmark of the sub-genre known as Southern Rock. Moreover, it was the first time the band was afforded the opportunity to perform extended jams exclusively over diatonic major chords. (“Dreams” and “Mountain Jam” had major elements but were technically modal in their structure.) If Dreams was the crucible in which Southern Rock was conceived, then Blue Sky was the conduit through which it would come to maturity. The formula laid out in this song became a cornerstone of the Allman Brothers’ sound which was copied by nearly every Southern band from that point forward. It’s an essential track not only for its cultural impact, but also because it provides a fleeting glimpse of what the band might have evolved into had the original lineup survived. Poignant indeed.
Many will argue that Duane Allman was a superior guitarist when compared to Dickey Betts. But after spending a lifetime studying both players, I can flatly opine that this is simply not true. Duane certainly took an unconventional approach to the instrument, but that shouldn’t diminish Dickey’s remarkable abilities. Where Duane’s playing was angular, aggressive and unrestrained, Dickey was linear, sweet and measured. More importantly, Betts was perhaps the most melodic guitarist in rock history with nearly every solo sounding as if he had composed it beforehand. Dickey had clearly spent a great deal of time studying not only the early rockers like Chuck Berry, but also the note-perfect jazz improvisers Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian, alongside brilliant Western Swing guitarists like Eldon Shamblin and Junior Barnard. That infectious swing found its way into Dickey’s playing and proved to be the perfect counterpoint to Duane’s hell-for-leather approach. While at first glance both players seem to be very similar, a more careful examination reveals that they were actually on completely different wavelengths in terms of their approach to soloing. And this is the reason these two legends worked so well together and had so much mutual respect.
The Blue Sky solo epitomizes many of the techniques for which Dickey Betts is best known. Opening with an inverted major 6 arpeggio, the solo leans heavy on chord tones and features such a strong melody that one could almost write lyrics for it. Listen carefully for Dickey’s trademark hammer-ons, pull offs, and glissandos, coupled with major scale runs that are beautifully accented with ghost notes. Dickey also gives a strong nod to his swing roots by prominently featuring a “shuffle” rhythm reminiscent of the great Texas fiddlers of the past. The solo is perfectly crafted from start to finish and is quite literally a master class on Southern Rock lead guitar. This is groundbreaking guitar playing that is nothing short of genius.
From an equipment standpoint, Dickey favored 100w Marshalls which yielded a sweet tone with plenty of headroom; again the perfect counterpoint to the overdriven buzz-saw tone Duane coaxed from his 50w bass heads. Like Duane, Dickey also preferred open back cabinets loaded with very efficient JBL D120F speakers. With their tight bottom end and (dare I say?) “Fendery” clarity, these American speakers were a fantastic but unlikely match for the British heads. What resulted was a powerful and unmistakable tone that is often imitated but rarely duplicated.
For this recording I used a stock 2018 R9 Les Paul plugged directly into a ’73 Marshall 50w head. The cabinet is a Marshall 1960ax loaded with Celestion Heritage G12M’s; not the exact Dickey recipe, but close enough for government work. The cab was mic’ed with a single SM-57. For comparison purposes Dickey is on the right and I am on the left.
As an aside, I recently connected with Sandy Wabegijig, Dickey’s inspiration for this song. It was an honor to be able to communicate with her and I’m thankful she was there to inspire such a great work! This one's for you, Sandy.
Thanks for checking out the video and be on the lookout for a lot more. Like, subscribe and comment if you enjoyed. Eat a peach folks! ~VW 
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I'm honestly confused about which impresses me more. Your playing, or your writing skills! Both are superb! Thank you, VirtualWoodshed.
Douglas Buzby Wow. Thank you so much! I really appreciate the encouragement. 🎶
He did copy and play the lead very well, but he didn't write the song. The song is "Blue Sky," written by Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers Band, recorded sometime between 1969 and 1971 at Capricorn Records in Macon, Georgia, USA. Recording date is probably closer to '71 in the range I cite above, because Duane Allman is playing on the track, and he died in a motorcycle crash on October 29,1971.
In any case, it's a Dickey Betts tune.
Totally cool. Saw ABBand 2x in early 1970s and so glad I did. Rest in peace, Dickey Betts. 🎸
thanks - 100% agree Dickey was underrated, however his playing more than speaks for itself.
I enjoyed your write up as much as the lesson....subscribed!
RIP Dickie
Thank you for all the time you spend sharing your knowledge. I've been playing these tunes for 20 years - but I'm still learning new things. Thanks again.
I really appreciate your playing and your lessons. Thank you.
Beautiful, truly amazing how those notes evoke complex emotions. I remember the first time I heard this song, it was an epiphany. Such a basic composition could sound so sophisticated. Do not confuse basic with easy. Vermeer used basic colors and made masterpieces. Dickey Betts did the same with this song. You feel like your in it, a sense of joy and contentment. A true artist. Great playing sir. Your videos of Dickey and Duane are great. Your understanding and integrity of their music comes through. This partnership was brief on the Earth but will resonate for ages. Well done.
thanks Turkee. Another commenter made a similar observation recently. I feel the same way about Dickey's playing, particularly his Mountain Jam solo from Eat A Peach. The genius and beauty lies in its simplicity. But it is EXTREMELY difficult to do. Mr. Betts was a true composer and had he been high born in 17th century Germany, we would probably all know his symphonies.
Thanks for both the video and the essay, which is kind of brilliant, and really helps this lifelong fan of early ABB better understand Dickey's techniques and tone, not to mention, overall contributions to their sound. As big a fan of Duane as I am, I've always had a soft spot for those beautiful melodies that come from Dickey's strings. Thanks for helping me better understand why.
blaborde thanks so much for the nice comment. Eat a peach! 🍑
Hey man, continue to dig your playing. Isn't amazing what those guys did without flying all over the neck. The best stuff! If you have time can you break down the harmony intro and harmonies over verse. Keep it coming!
Love the pre-bent notes that feature heavily in Dickey's solos, including this one. Nicely done!
Awesome! I remember having a cassette of Eat a Peach and hitting ff and rw to figure it out. Great lesson. Beautiful Les Paul too.
Perfect.
Astro Pop thanks Astro 🤘
Nice..thanks for posting
railroaded you’re welcome!
Awesome stuff man ! Thanks again for doing these. Been working on the Liz Reed solo now I have this to look foreword to as well. Keep up the great work...The Road Goes on Forever ~
Paul Parks thanks man!
Duane's lead next?
John Pandolfino we’ll get that one eventually, thanks.
Tone is in the fingers cause you are near spot on there....no D120's required!? Would you ever consider paying out for some JBLs? Might be worth it since you are deadly close already. .02¢
Nick-O Yes, I had two restored last year by Upland Loudspeaker out in LA, and have been using them now for about 6 months. They are indeed fantastic speakers, and were pretty much the last major link in the chain as far as I’m concerned. I recommend them, but they are not for the faint of heart, and they are definitely an acquired taste. Takes some getting used to both sonically, and the way you play. They are super transparent, and they shine a spotlight on every little mistake you play. It’s a bit unnerving at first, but you get used to it after a while. Look for an upcoming comparison video on this channel. Thanks for the nice comments my friend.
I'm a layman when it comes to this stuff, but how is it that Duane has credit for only writing one song yet his solos on Dickey's compositions are seemingly much more complex in combining modes?
Nick Tancula I’m not sure I understand the question man.
@@VirtualWoodshed I'm trying to say in a nice way, why is Dickey credited with writing basic chord progressions and the melodic themes yet his solos at this stage of his career are not the defining solos on his own songs.
My thought is that it was Duane being humble in his own contributions to the 'writing' process?
And perhaps I'm leaning towards the live SUNY version, but you really cannot argue after trying to piece out Duane's solo on that who is doing more with the basic structure of the song rhythmically and note wise.
@@Nick-bd6jj I think that’s a fairly harsh dismissal of Dickey’s early contributions to this band. Duane was never a strong writer, which he admitted in at least two interviews. So I don’t think humility had anything to do with it. As good as his guitar playing was, Duane’s most enduring role was that of visionary, talent scout and bandleader. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for in late ’68, but when this group of players assembled for the first time in early ‘69, he knew he was onto something big.
Dickey wrote some of the most beautiful melodies in rock history and paired them with evocative lyrics that would go on to define an entire genre. His unmistakable guitar playing can go from hauntingly melodic to jarringly dissonant, sometimes in the same phrase! Dickey Betts is a genius and one of my personal heroes, period.
As to their guitar playing, neither one of these guys is really doing anything that harmonically sophisticated. Every single Allman Brothers solo is based on either a major scale, a minor pentatonic, a blues scale or a dorian mode played over a fixed tonal center. Very occasionally they would employ tritones or chromaticism, but for the most part this is straightforward rock n’ roll. If I want to hear harmonically complex guitar players, I listen to guys like Larry Carlton, Pat Martino, Julian Lage, etc; not the Allman Brothers. What I like about the music of the ABB is the way it expresses the human spirit so directly and effectively. It’s pure soul.
I think it’s fair to say that Duane made more unusual and surprising choices in terms of note selection and rhythmic motifs whereas Dickey took a more traditional, linear based approach. But Dickey was every bit Duane’s foil in terms of technical ability. And if you don’t believe that, listen to Dickey’s solo breakdown on “You Don’t Love Me” from 6/27/71 at the Fillmore East. It’s a bootleg, but worth finding. Frankly Duane couldn’t have hung with that fiery display of speed and dexterity and he knew it. Duane’s gift was quirky inventiveness and uncanny intonation.
But it’s not a race to me anyway. It’s just music, and Dickey and Duane are simply different colors of the same rainbow. Neither better than the other, just equally beautiful. Sorry for the long response but you’ve touched on a subject that is dear to my heart. Cheers, ~VW
@@VirtualWoodshed Dude, with respect, you cannot be serious. Obviously you are emotionally invested, but for a guy who could apparently write the main theme to Liz Reed to not really take any of that into his solo, I do question why that is.
To me, on the album version of Blue Sky, Dickey was obviously allowed to take his song to it's climax. Duane was a good leader in that he was sensitive to the man's ego, which eventually would clash with the rest of the band long after Duane's untimely end.
Nick Tancula yeah totally serious! Haha, but it’s all good man. I don’t begrudge anybody for having favorites. Honestly, in this age of watered down garbage pop music, I’m just absolutely delighted that people still care enough about the music of the Allman Brothers to even discuss it! Thanks for checking out my video. All the best my friend, keep rockin’ 🤘. ~VW
i was inly five seconds into the vid and had to turn it off! i could already tell you could out do it with not more than a couple mire years of playing. from one guitarist to another.