RIP Les Paul

[Rick Sanchez]

It's fairly safe to say that without Les Paul, many of us would not have found our way into this business and Digidesign may never have gotten off the ground.

A lot of young people may only know him by the name on the electric guitar. That was not an endorsement..it was a tribute to the man who, along with Leo Fender, gave us the electric guitar.

What many people don't know is that he developed multi-track recording, overdubbing, tape delay, phasing effects and so much more.

Besides that, he was one hell of a musician, a very humble and nice guy and funny as hell.

So if you never had the pleasure of meeting him, take the time now to look him up and give him the props he deserves.

Thanks Lester....Rest in Peace.

[Evil Jack]

Well said Rick. He was 94 too - not bad for a musician eh?

Incidentally, it was Leo Fenders birthday on Monday...

May they both rest in peace.

+ That 'great gig in the sky' must be one hell of a show by now...

[RussUK]

+1

The first artist to record on magnetic tape, so definitely a father of us all.

[Jay_uk]

A true Genius has left us..... and what a guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foXSXOAfB4U

[Eric Seaberg]

I read that he was doing 'multi-track' recording in his garage in '47 using multiple acetate lathes (vinyl record/play/record/play) prior to getting his Ampex 200 from Bing Crosby.

What a legacy he leaves us all. God be with you, Mr. Polsfuss! Thank you for your desire to 'push' the technology!!

[sleadley]

Les Paul, a life well lived. Music, Technology and a great outlook on life.
Rest in Peace Paul.
S.

[BGMusic]

I don't think there would be a digidesign or a record business or pop music in the form we know it without Lester. His influence on all of this was enormous. I saw a special about him on PBS, he had the worlds first project studio at home. He took those lathes and later 2 huge tape machines on the road in his car so he and Mary Ford could make their records. Just amazing. I'm ashamed to say, I always had planned on going to the Iridium to see him live, and now I'll never get that chance. He had such longevity in his family, I think his mother made it to 108, I figured he'd outlast me.

[sunburst79]

He built his own record lathe from a Cadillac flywheel And a lot of that equipment in his home studio was Les built too. In 1947 if you had a idea you just got out the soldering iron and the tin snips and the drill.....

I had tried to get a group of friends together to go to the Irriduim on a few occasions but we could never quite get the plan to gel. Hopefully their will a nice benefit to raise money for his foundation and that could be a heck of a show