Reflecting on the life and accomplishments of Les Paul is somewhat daunting. Few figures in modern music history have contributed so much to the industry and to the art of American pop music. Just as Elvis was the “King of Rock and Roll”, Les Paul was the “Father of Rock and Roll Sound.” He began his professional career at the age of 17 playing with Rube Tronson's Texas Cowboys. Although Paul’s music career would ultimately yield close to forty albums and fifty singles, some of his most profound work was as an inventor and audio visionary. In 1930 he introduced one of the first solid-body guitars, that would lead to the early 1950's release of Gibson’s® coveted “Les Paul” electric guitar. Equally significant to today’s music world is Paul’s ground breaking work in recording technology. His discoveries and advancements were the catalyst for the modern recording industry.
In the late 1940’s what started out as a garage recording experiment would lead to one of the most monumental developments in recording history, the advent of the multi-track recording. The world’s first multi-track titled, “Lover (When You’re Near Me)”, featured Paul playing eight different parts on electric guitar. Some of them recorded at half-speed, hence “double-fast” when played back at normal speed for the master. These recordings were made not with magnetic tape, but with acetate disks. Paul would record a track onto a disk, then record himself playing another part with the first. He built the multi-track recording with overlaid tracks, rather than parallel ones as he did in later recordings.
Captivated by the possibilities, Paul went so far as to build his own disc-cutter assembly, based on auto parts. He favored the flywheel from a Cadillac for its weight and flatness. Even in these early days, he used the acetate disk setup to record parts at different speeds and with delay, resulting in his signature sound with echoes and birdsong-like guitar riffs. When he later began using magnetic tape, the major change was that he could take his recording rig on tour with him, which allowed him to make episodes for his radio show in his hotel room. Later he worked with Ross Snyder in the design of the first 8 track recording deck.
Paul’s career spanned seven decades and his innovation and musical creativity earned him a much deserved Grammy Trustee Award for lifetime achievements and landed him in the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Through his passion and dedication he literally changed the world of music and audio technology. We extend our sincere gratitude to him for his lifetime of work and genuine love of music.
For more on the life of Les Paul we invite you to visit http://www.lespaulonline.com/.
