Brian May Discusses His Deacy Amp

In this clip Brian May explains how the Deacy amp contributed to his unique guitar sound.
Original Video Here: • The Brian May Interview
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[@rickbeato2]

Full Interview Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5jOp4hrmqiUj9Esi=6t1YoWpOB2Jg1kOR

[@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248]

One of the coolest and most humble fellows to have ever rocked a stadium

[@hoilst265]

Ya know he's a good bloke when he acknowledges the roadie. And Pete's a proper roadie by the look of him.

[@Wildman9]

Hear ,hear . Enough said period .lol.🎸✌

[@martinheath5947]

or a Palace rooftop

[@lebe220]

Made propaganda for C.-vaccination

[@daviddavies3637]

@@lebe220 Did he? GOOD.

[@marksieczko7766]

I tried this in the 70s. Portable transistor radios had an Automatic Gain Control to normalise the widely different levels of AM signals. Sticking a guitar signal into this circuit it acts first as a compressor and as the note decays an expander. Fantastic overdrive and sustain, easy to get proper resonant feedback.

[@7775Kevin]

I have never heard anyone else do with a guitar what Brian May could do. Brilliant

[@Alex-nk8bw]

Fun fact: Brian's solos are particularly tricky to isolate with audio splitter tools, because the AI keeps classifying his guitar parts as vocals.😉

[@leonskum.5682]

He talks about the guitar solo as an extension of the vocals so that makes sense in his playing.

[@xgreenjacket]

I’ve always enjoyed solos that are played like a vocal more than any other. One of my fav examples is Joe bonamassa and Beth harts collaboration of, “ I’d rather go blind “

[@vapeymcvape5000]

Well, maybe don't use AI trash then.

[@Alex-nk8bw]

@@vapeymcvape5000 you mean the "AI trash" Rick has been using himself? Like the stuff that lets you isolate guitar parts from music, so you can play along to it yourself instead of practicing with a metronome? You're right, that kind of stuff is clearly overrated.

[@robr135]

@@vapeymcvape5000 AI-phobia is so dumb. Its here to stay so stop crying. We are well past the point of no return. Embrace it or be left behind.

[@JT_O4]

Brian’s guitar tech, Pete, is a class act. After a Q+AL concert, he came from behind the stage and handed me the set list for the evening. Cheers!

[@gkkes]

Pete Malandrone is a super guy. I knew him through a mutual friend (who created the modern day IEM used by most performers now - Sennheiser).

[@tz7813]

Looks like a small broadcast speaker. They are commonly seen on the corridors of public buildings for safety announcements. I worked an an offshore oil rig years back, and built a 3W tube amp as a project to stop me from getting bored. I plugged its output into one of these as they were used for announcements on the rig, so spares were everywhere. Amazing for dirty blues and slide. The break up was absolutely sublime. I smuggled one home with me on the helicopter and still have it today!😎

[@DrGaryGreen]

Brian May is so wonderful. I hope he lives forever.

[@JohnAnthonyMusic]

Me too

[@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020]

Who wants to live forever

[@philcorymusic]

@@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020 beat me to it :)

[@A_Final_Hit]

@@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020This is the correct answer.

[@stevec-b6214]

he will

[@OhanaFilms]

He’s always so nice and enthusiastic in every interview.

[@younken24films]

Beautifully conducted as usual Rick! You not only ask the best questions, you are also a master class on not interrupting. It makes me twitch when they pause because I'm expecting the typical interviewer style of jumping in not letting them finish their thought. Thank you so much for not doing that! ☮❤

[@TheEvertw]

Great interview! I was touched by how he spoke of Freddy's death. I well remember hearing the news, I was devastated, and that as a casual fan. So glad the music is still alive, and this legend is still adding to it. RIP, Freddy.

[@rickykent4543]

He was visibly moved, always is when he talks about Freddie, just shows what a special person he was.

[@plasticweapon]

keep yourself alive.

[@crimsontyger8576]

Brian is the reason I have had a good career playing the guitar. I hadn't been playing long and was taken to see Queen. We had great seats and when Brian did Brighton Rock, he was right in front of me. He looked like a god. I sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed. I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. At the end of the gig, I vowed to work every day and work as hard as possible in the hope of being as good as Brian. I didn't achieve that goal but the memory drove me on.

[@Charlie-Oooooo]

Always so good to see Sir Brian May! Bohemian Rhapsody guitar solo is numero uno!!! And a perfect song! Hello Freddie wherever you are❤

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

You like to say “sir” don’t you 😏

[@Charlie-Oooooo]

@@whynottalklikeapirat Arrr, matey - how bout Sir Doctor Dude Shredder Starman Brian May? 😄 Is that OK with you, or should we parley?

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

@@Charlie-Oooooo Brian May would do. Perhaps Star Fleet Commander May. The rest I might save for the wee hours of a massive bender 👌🧙🏻‍♂

[@GeraltofRivia5150]

This man and his little band changed my life. Thank you Sir May.

[@astroandyborgloh]

Has changed my life to, and continues to do so.

[@dougm659]

Sir Brian….

[@omarks]

He looks like a high court judge these days

[@seanmurphy26]

But going down in rank, due to the decreasing volume of his hair..

[@omarks]

@@seanmurphy26 😆parole board semi retirement beckons

[@Funkybassuk]

Isaac Newton

[@dimejoe2621]

😂

[@AlanSmith-ei5vz]

He looked like a high court judge back in the day.😂

[@dsgb]

Check out my series of four videos on building a replica of the Deacy amp using a Knight Audio Technologies official circuit board kit, vintage ELAC speakers, identical salvaged grille cloth and a scratch build chipboard cabinet. 😀

[@AdamHalford-io5qo]

I've watched all these Doug. They're great. Cheers.

[@tribesmanjohn]

@@AdamHalford-io5qoI watched and really enjoyed them to. Really informative.

[@DoxyWorld]

@dsgb Your Deacy videos are excellent, full of details and usefull info for someone who wishes to build his own Deacy. Very much recommended !

[@timscarrow9151]

Queen was my first concert. I played guitar and never heard of an echoplex. I watched his guitar play itself! I was impressed.

[@eddiec2711]

Queen was my first concert, I was 14 , my dad took me and my buddy. We all had a blast! 1980 The Game Tour

[@timscarrow9151]

"The Game" Same here.@@eddiec2711

[@stephenmarsh3986]

When I started playing in the 70's and before I could afford an amp I ran the guitar into an old Toshiba reel to reel and the speaker was an elliptical ripped from an old tv and boxed up. Sounded great cranked up although my dear dad disagreed 😂. Lots of players back then did similar things when starting out. The Deacy is on a different level though. Kudos to John. 🖖

[@garycrant4511]

Did the same in the mid 70s with my Dad's late 50s/early 60s Mullard valves powered Ferrograph 5 tape recorder... That sounded so gnarly dirty.

[@bhk7777]

Always enjoy hearing from Brian May. That was a great interview you did.

[@arthorn6308]

Rick, when you did the Ch2 promo insert, I was not aware that I was watching your 2nd channel. I've been a subscriber your other channel as well as Mary Spender's for quite a while. Thank you for poking your finger in my ear and getting me to subscribe.😊❤

[@DocLockridge]

What a wonderful way of looking at the solo!

[@imwiththeband8290]

Awesome work, Rick. I share your vids all the time for articles I write and my own vids (when I get to em). Love it!

[@keithlow3056]

This is an incredible info! Good job! Well done for having the knowledge to get this from him. Thank you 🎉

[@jasonremy1627]

Great interview!

[@jonathansteadman7935]

Was rehearsing my band in the bassists room in Barnes in 1990, i said 'ere there's some bloke a cross the road watching us'! Then i said 'it Brian May' the rest of the band looked out the window, and it was indeed Brian May. He was just standing listening, arws folded, then gaves us a 👍 thumbs up. He's really tall, like me 6 ft 3

[@kiereluurs1243]

English please.

[@3to5andglassy]

I love the sound of the wah peddle used just for the sound without the wah. Michael Schenker uses it, and the sound is very different but very cool.

[@nonnimeme9670]

That´s the same method Mick Ronson used to get his tone in the ´70 so maybe May got it from there.

[@MrMeadfoot]

I was going to say the same about Ronno @@nonnimeme9670

[@KalosPVP]

Jerry Cantrell does as well.

[@nickmonk7945]

Was doing it in my bedroom as teenager 25 years ago too.. Colorsound wah. Man I loved that wah pedal. Loaned it to a guy for a gig, never got it back, never had another one like it, ever. 😓

[@dougappel5924]

Brian May is such a class act top to bottom. Such a great ear!

[@Lamster66]

And even better Hair

[@polbecca]

Sir Brian also took the care and opportunity to buy famed astronomer Sir Patrick Moore's home in south England to prevent it from being lost to anonymity and redevelopment when Moore's health was failing.

[@SuperWayneyb]

At the end of winters tale there’s a moment where it sounds like the vocal is also passed through this amp as well as the guitar it’s only momentarily but absolutely beautiful 🤘😎🤘🇬🇧🎼

[@grande-bretagnenilpoints8912]

Wonderful. Thank you, Rick.

[@marks8437]

This video made me so happy! Brian is a treasure. I can't possibly thank him enough for what he has contributed to music. My brain is forever thankful for the lush textures and emotions that are his playing.

[@henrykobee]

What a great musician Sir May is. Such an incredible ear, a beautiful musical mind that may be closer to Malmsteen, Vai (as of making melodies) than any other rock guitarist from the 70s

[@chrisjames1924]

Brian May, not ‘sir’….

[@Alfonso162008]

@@chrisjames1924 Well, he was knighted last year, so calling him 'Sir' is correct.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

@@Alfonso162008 Yeah it’s just that people who are overly enamoured with the pomp and circumstance of titles can be a little bit cringe in how they parade it around at every opportunity.

[@QuirqUK]

If you're using the title, the correct form of address is Sir Brian, not Sir May

[@henrykobee]

@@QuirqUK didn't know I'd start a charade in the comment for his name

[@Terp311]

John Deacon and Queen is the reason why I learned the bass

[@MuvoTX]

Brian and Pete... legendary beyond words!

[@jayaybe1]

Mantovani and the Laughing Policeman, good band 😁.

[@harryhirsch3637]

Just looked up what's supposed to be the schematic and it's basically a tube amp layout with germanium transistors and lower voltages, of course. Fascinating.

[@elizabethbottroff1218]

I've been subscribed for ages.😁🎶

[@FreeTimeMastermind]

Is there a video about why there is a Beato 2? We love the music content but we also love the business end of the channel. Rick is a top example of a brilliant content creator.

[@user-qb1sm3rk9r]

It took many years of trying, but a fairiy faithful replica of the Deacy Amp is finally available for purchase!

[@mr.anderson7695]

Thank you Brian for mentioning John and his contributions. When you see him next or when, please let hime know he is missed and wish he could sit with you and Roger for one last interview

[@philcorymusic]

I am 100% subscribed, cmon folks! ❤

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

I wish they would issue the Deacy amp in a pedal.

[@WhaleBluePRS]

I have the little Vox VBM-1 and I put one of the KAT (Knight Audio Technologies) speakers in it. I've recorded with it and a BMG with a KAT treble booster (one of the older discontinued ones) as well as the onboard VBM-1 treble booster. It's such a cool little amp, especially with the KAT speaker. Not saying I sound like Brian May with it but it's definitely in the sonic spectrum. I wanted a KAT Deacy when they made them but I just couldn't swing the couple grand in US dollars. I see the KAT Studio One amp is out and I could afford it but I'm no longer involved in music for health reasons other than teaching. I think I'd love to have one of those maybe for teaching some day.

[@jeffreyhanc1711]

Brian May: one of my fav British astrophysicists! Didn’t realize he also played guitar…

[@NefastusJones]

And a part-time High Court judge, mainly property law.

[@kiereluurs1243]

Favourite.

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

Most folks don't know that these guys were actual geniuses, and in no small way did it manifest in their playing/writing/tone. I don't mean musical geniuses, I mean geniuses in general that also happened to play music, and extraordinarily well.

[@ColinTCS]

I love the idea of the solo being a continuation of the vocals and then handing back. That makes a lot of sense in terms of thinking about how to correctly phrase the solo and not just wander around aimlessly.

[@tezinho81]

Such a humble legend, suggests he was being pretentious while laying down one of the greatest guitar soloes of all time, pure genius. One of the greatest rock bands of all time, Freddie Mercury gone way too soon, RIP.

[@celticdale]

This gives me chills.

[@peterknicked]

A true legend and a genuine creative genius of a guitarist. Made big things from small limited gadgets.seems like a nice bloke too.

[@ericodijk]

If Fairy Feller is done with the Deacy amp, then that is from the album Queen 2 before Misfire which is on the third album Sheer Heart Attack. So either Misfire is recorded during Queen 2 or Brian's wrong about when it was used for the first time

[@piskipeti]

Procession was recorded with the deacy amp

[@user-qb1sm3rk9r]

@@piskipeti I'm pretty sure My Fairy King and The Night Comes Down on the first album use the Deacy Amp. Brian's memory is a little shaky to be honest, he couldn't remember who wrote Keep Yourself Alive,

[@wumbomandlx]

It is possible that Misfire was even had its first sessions in the year 1973 for the 'Queen' album. If I recall, Misfire was the first song Deacon wrote for the band and the only reason it was put it SHA was because Brian was in the hospital for the recording of SHA.

[@StewartGartland]

What a delight it would have been to be the bassist in Queen. Even the drum sounds were well up in the register overall and with Brians' satisfaction with higher frequencies, as evidenced here, the bassists soundscape was open for adventure.

[@YosepHmusic]

Intro track from queen 2 is also this amp poccession

[@andreafiorini6418]

What an artist. What a gentleman

[@backacheache]

I saw another KZbin say that Brian used vocal (rather than guitar) ideas for his arrangements so it's nice to hear that confirmed :-)

[@HasseC]

I say it again - this channel is a gem! Another Beato gem! 🙂 But what was it about a "Vai Deacy Amp"? Is there a follow up in the pipeline, mr Beato?

[@GaryArmstrongmacgh]

Subbed on both Rick!

[@chineserockethands4578]

Pete looks like a good bloke

[@thefool2007]

Brian is awesome. So smart and talented.

[@ranasneed451]

Any time brian pops up I listen ❤❤❤

[@howardwilder6989]

I must say that he explained everything in a clear and easily understandable way... I know he's got a background in academia... but I've never heard that he was a lecturer

[@conork325]

I'd like to ask Brian why they felt the need to autotune Freddie's vocals in the live releases of A Night At The Odeon and Live At The Rainbow '74. They also slowed down the tracks and made the tempo more consistent, robbing the energy of the original. I've got the bootlegs of both shows. They are much more raw and energetic. Freddie's voice isn’t always perfect because he's performing his ass off, and you can hear it! Much more exciting to listen to.

[@jasondorsey7110]

Today's standards are unrealistic, the acts being promoted by the labels are just a face being put to songs penned by an underpaid songwriter and arranged by a producer, and none of their "concerts" are truely live or you'd see they're far less naturally gifted compared to a band like Queen

[@rickykent4543]

Deacy amp and red special, I'd say both priceless.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

My very first guitar amp was one of those early tube entertainment systems that was a piece of furniture! It was a Philips stereo with an early 33 1/2 and 45 record player with auto-loader and a radio, with a "Cat's eye" tube, two built in speakers, and a dang loud tube amp. The tone controls were buttons with instruments on them, indicating which instruments frequency range you are highlighting when pushed, and there were like 12 of them or more in a long row. It sounded freaking great as a guitar amp, warm and even a little distorted when set right, and you could even make it feedback in a controlled manner. I loved it but had to get rid of it when I moved to a much smaller apartment. It was way too big! I found a much smaller one that was just a radio/amp, no speakers, still tubes and cats eye, a few EQ pots... RAD!

[@user-yo4gl1fb2k]

His story about him and his dad making his guitar out of an old dresser was beyond inspiring. I gained so much respect hearing that, I’ve also never looked at a broken dresser the same ever again. His dad rules

[@nocrazyfx]

Subscribed!!!

[@eddiec2711]

You got it!!

[@APlagueOfButterflies]

Good to show you; just listen to the damn sound! Too many guitarists are hung up on pedal boards and name plates and changing around pickups before they even listened to what the guitar sounded like.

[@jameslocke9406]

Is the guy building Steve Vai’s version Thomas Nordegg ?

[@HansDelli]

2:46 Sh*t just got real. Subscribed ✅

[@nicholasfooong.]

How to make deacy amp?

[@realheadphonecandy]

Time to add it to the Kemper/Tonex thing so we all can try it!

[@Juno58]

Brians "Red Special" is imho the best sounding electric guitar i ever heared - and i heared a lot...

[@jimmysaviano4950]

WHAT???? I had no idea that John Deacon was playing some of the guitar parts on “Misfire!!”

[@visionsofhere3745]

I knew he played some on that, but I assumed it was the acoustic. Turns out there's some Deacy lead stuff! I have a theory that he wrote the Spread Your Wings solo (I'd guess on piano) - it's like no other Queen guitar solo, and it almost never got played anything like the record in concerts.

[@louiebee6745]

John also played the funky rhythm parts at the end of Another One Bites The Dust.

[@basstian]

He didn't just play 'some of the guitar parts'; the album liner notes credit him for 'almost all guitars' on that particular track. He did the solo on it as well. Brian's participation was for the outro (you can tell the difference in their playing styles).

[@Lilah1754]

Thought John Deacon wrote that song?

[@louiebee6745]

​@@Lilah1754Yep Deacon wrote Misfire.

[@pastorsprinkles]

I’m subscribed already

[@ckelly5141]

So interesting.🎸🤔👍

[@Jomomma1]

Brian May is THE nicest guitar legend in Rock. I have never read about or seen him say a bad word about anyone. Class act all the way.

[@christianpucciarelli]

Uncle Brian ❤️

[@fredimachadonet]

Hey Rick, please interview Eric Steckel, the guy is Epic!

[@cynthiabrandt679]

Hello my name is Stuart. I'm using my wife's channel here on KZbin. I must say Brian made always sounds and behaves like such a fine English gentleman just saying hello to Rick. Also from Stewart and Naples Florida. Have a great day😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@potterwalker4823]

Stuart

[@greenwave792]

Got you Rick, subbed, sorry bro. I’ve been subed sense the beginning, now #2.

[@WDXash]

I’m subscribed 😁

[@hugolafhugolaf]

Subscribed

[@michaellewchuk8272]

The most recognizable tone on Earth (at least to me!)

[@JeremyNasmith]

Only reason I hadn't subscribed despite being subscribed to thebmain channel for years: until this video the algorithm never bothered to put one in my feed.... Grrr. Anyways, subscribed!! (Of course)

[@fatsuperfly]

Omg! I kinda hit me, so he would do a wah pedal but not play with it. There is a lot of tones I love, and they probably did the same😂 my favorite solo sounds, I like hard death metal, but also like my classic stuff. But the solo sounds on queen are amazing, in flames had a solo sound, that I still want to figure out, it was the album (whoracle) it wanted that sound for so long for solos, then a band called glass casket on a new album (very old now) had similar lead tones, i thought it was chorus at first, it maybe synth and the guitar. This is something I need to try. Just blown away

[@robertm6820]

Love it!

[@idiotburns]

Proof the John Deacon interview is what the world wants and wont get

[@DANCEDWAT]

That was my thought when he was mentioned, not the most charismatic of people, but his insight is illusive as hell.

[@semmcstevenson]

John Deacon Amp?

[@douglasgreen437]

Correct..

[@-Finlander-]

Now that EVH is gone, Brian must be the nicest rocker in the world. I love to listen to him.

[@waynegram8907]

Which Queen Songs was the Deacy Amp used on? I think only 2 songs

[@Kossman58]

Tons of songs. Wherever you hear the guitar harmony "choirs", it's nearly always it's the Deacy amp.

[@basstian]

Master-Stroke, Good Company, The National Anthem, The Wedding March, Procession, White Queen, Save Me, All Dead All Dead, China Belle, The Dark, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Millionaire Waltz, Dreamers Ball, Leaving Home Ain't Easy, A Winter's Tale, You Take My Breath Away... the list goes on!

[@tonymaner5510]

This interview is not even recent...It dates back to some years ago...I remember that; that's a little segment

[@Lilah1754]

Yes, I thought I had seen this part of original interview with Brian May before, talking about Deacy Amp.

[@erikamontiel2901]

Nice

[@ilblues]

Saw the thumbnail and thought to myself "what would Rick look like with Brian's hair?" ;^)

[@ericbgordon1575]

Dr. May is definitely an inspired genius himself. He and John definitely made "a kind of magic", even if he's gotten more credit than John.

[@turokforever007]

Has anyone looked at the parts to find another or has it been plugged into a machine trying to just copy the sound

[@johncook30284]

Deacy is J. Deacon - bassist. ?

[@LessAiredvanU]

Cocking the wah pedal at a certain point to achieve a particular tone; that would a Mick Ronson move, that it would!

[@hardrada8637]

So that's how Brian gets his unique tone 😮

[@marty7442]

To each their own

[@jerryking8877]

Believe it or not, I developed my own DC Instrument Op Amp about 5 years ago, long before I became aware of the fact that John Deacon had designed DC amplification gear for his band "Queen". I too have a degree in electronics, as well as being an IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Certified Master Journeyman Union Electrician. Everyone knows from Eddie Van Halen's experimenting with a power soak (dropping the AC voltage from 120v AC to around 85v AC) that you can and will get some very useful guitar tones from your rig. By the same token, if you mess with the sinusoidal waveform of the input voltage, you will also get an amazing tone effect from your guitar rig. The problem arises in the fact that guitar amplifiers (Instrument Op Amps) have output capacitors on their output stages which anyone who has studied electronics will tell you is a problem all its own as capacitors block DC voltage/DC current and only pass AC voltage/AC current, essentially eliminating the output signal in a fully DC driven instrument amplifier. I was in a Walmart at 3am one night telling the kid working the floor in the automotive car stereo isle that I wish I could buy a 100watt AC amplifier for $35 instead of $3,500 (EVH 5150 III being on my mind) and the kid just about fell over after hearing this drastic price difference between DC car stereo amps and AC guitar instrument amps. I explained the issue at hand as well as the difference between AC and DC telling him DC only cycles once where AC cycles twice and the powers that be know that they have you over a barrel. The kid, making a joke looked at me and said "So..., give the amp DC twice". 😂 Only, I wasn't laughing. 🤯💡 The kid had no idea of the amplitude of what he had just said (no pun intended) and it was actually a little more involved than giving the DC amp DC twice, but in a nutshell... The kid was right. I'm probably crazy AF, and should develope this myself (you can hear exactly what a DC INSTRUMENT OP AMP sounds like in a few of my KZbin videos, one being "Jerry King Sultans of Swing" and "Jerry King Dee by Randy Rhoads" and several more)... It makes the guitar sound become... 🤔... 🙂 3-D, like you could literally reach out and grab ahold of it, where we all know how easily regular guitar amplifiers "wash out" easily in a live mix.

[@jagmarc]

Dried out HT caps sound good when 6L6s cranked

[@hydroturd]

3:00 Rick I'd subscribe even if there was a Rick Beato 10