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Surfgitar

Joined: Mar 16, 2007
Posts: 1342
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
United States

Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:12 PM

Did anyone catch the PBS special on Les Paul titled Chasing Sound? I had no idea he is credited with so many recording innovations. If the program comes on again I highly recommend watching it.

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CUTBACK

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DannySnyder

Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11048
Berkeley, CA
United States

Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:21 PM

I tivo'ed it and watched it the other night. I concur, the man is truly amazing. His playing alone is enough to make him a legend, but what he could do recording with such primitive equipment should be an inspiration to all of us and humbling to the gear geeks out there.

Watch it!

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Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

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LRDrummer

Joined: Apr 06, 2006
Posts: 94

Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:35 PM

I'll have to look for that program myself. Sounds interesting.

If anyone is ever in New York check him out over at the Iridium Jazz Club. I saw him back in 2003 and had a marvelous time. He's a great performer and his band was solid too. As far as I can tell he's still holding down his weekly gig there. Very inspiring.

-Taylor

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drummer-Lava Rats

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websurfer

Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 1753
United States

Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:45 PM

I saw that too. Fascinating show! The man was a true genius. To have heard a sound in his head that he wanted to get, and then literally having to invent recording techniques and equipment himself to make it possible was amazing. Interesting that he took all the gear with him on the road and recorded in hotels, or any house he knew of that he thought might have good acoustics--setting up in hallways, bedrooms etc.

Funny that when he first pitched his idea of a solid body guitar to Gibson (before Fender later took the idea and ran with it) they laughed him out of the room, calling his new invention a "broomstick". Later when Fender sales were taking off, Gibson came back to Les and said, "so . . . what was that idea you had before about a solid body guitar?"

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DannySnyder

Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11048
Berkeley, CA
United States

Posted on Jul 24 2007 02:06 PM

Did you catch the note of snobbishness by Gibson about Fender, calling it the plank guitar etc... I think history has shown which guitars are truly superior, more versatile and more popular - Hah! Imagine that, me being part of the majority, there goes the last vestiges of my teenage angst.

—

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Jul 24 2007 02:41 PM

Fenders are plank guitars. I love them though.

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SurfBandBill

Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1487
San Francisco
1 News Pin

Posted on Jul 24 2007 04:26 PM

Since I don't know that Marty Tippens is on the board, I will chip on his behalf -- it is that story, of the solidbody electric getting called a "plank" that led him to call his band The Fabulous Planktones. Granted, the plankton homonym doesn't hurt either...

~B~

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surfneptune

Joined: Mar 16, 2006
Posts: 923
3 News Pins

Posted on Jul 24 2007 05:26 PM

Another great vid is the Tom Dowd story, "the language of music" Les paul is on it too!

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THe NEpTuNeS

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LRDrummer

Joined: Apr 06, 2006
Posts: 94

Posted on Jul 24 2007 05:30 PM

Surfneptune is right!

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drummer-Lava Rats

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Kuk

Joined: Feb 13, 2007
Posts: 132
NW Fla Gulf Coast
United States

Posted on Jul 27 2007 06:48 PM

LP's childhood reminded me somewhat of my own. I had to tinker with everything. The parents took away the little tool set they gave me when I started modifying the car!

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Spud

Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Posts: 666
Oz
3 News Pins

Posted on Jul 28 2007 12:12 AM

Les Paul was and is a great guitar player, over the years I have had the chance to tinker around with a few of his songs and it blows me away with the sound he was/is able to get, the clarity of the notes and just the melody overall.

Try "Tico Tico" sometime for a bit of fun...

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SurfGuitar101 Forums » The Shallow End »

Les Paul - Chasing Sound

Surfgitar Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 1342 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida	Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:12 PM Did anyone catch the PBS special on Les Paul titled Chasing Sound? I had no idea he is credited with so many recording innovations. If the program comes on again I highly recommend watching it. — CUTBACK Top
DannySnyder Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11048 Berkeley, CA	Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:21 PM I tivo'ed it and watched it the other night. I concur, the man is truly amazing. His playing alone is enough to make him a legend, but what he could do recording with such primitive equipment should be an inspiration to all of us and humbling to the gear geeks out there. Watch it! — Danny Snyder "With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF Top
LRDrummer Joined: Apr 06, 2006 Posts: 94	Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:35 PM I'll have to look for that program myself. Sounds interesting. If anyone is ever in New York check him out over at the Iridium Jazz Club. I saw him back in 2003 and had a marvelous time. He's a great performer and his band was solid too. As far as I can tell he's still holding down his weekly gig there. Very inspiring. -Taylor — drummer-Lava Rats Top
websurfer Joined: May 14, 2007 Posts: 1753	Posted on Jul 24 2007 01:45 PM I saw that too. Fascinating show! The man was a true genius. To have heard a sound in his head that he wanted to get, and then literally having to invent recording techniques and equipment himself to make it possible was amazing. Interesting that he took all the gear with him on the road and recorded in hotels, or any house he knew of that he thought might have good acoustics--setting up in hallways, bedrooms etc. Funny that when he first pitched his idea of a solid body guitar to Gibson (before Fender later took the idea and ran with it) they laughed him out of the room, calling his new invention a "broomstick". Later when Fender sales were taking off, Gibson came back to Les and said, "so . . . what was that idea you had before about a solid body guitar?" Top
DannySnyder Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11048 Berkeley, CA	Posted on Jul 24 2007 02:06 PM Did you catch the note of snobbishness by Gibson about Fender, calling it the plank guitar etc... I think history has shown which guitars are truly superior, more versatile and more popular - Hah! Imagine that, me being part of the majority, there goes the last vestiges of my teenage angst. — Danny Snyder "With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Jul 24 2007 02:41 PM Fenders are plank guitars. I love them though. Top
SurfBandBill Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1487 San Francisco	Posted on Jul 24 2007 04:26 PM Since I don't know that Marty Tippens is on the board, I will chip on his behalf -- it is that story, of the solidbody electric getting called a "plank" that led him to call his band The Fabulous Planktones. Granted, the plankton homonym doesn't hurt either... ~B~ Top
surfneptune Joined: Mar 16, 2006 Posts: 923	Posted on Jul 24 2007 05:26 PM Another great vid is the Tom Dowd story, "the language of music" Les paul is on it too! — THe NEpTuNeS Top
LRDrummer Joined: Apr 06, 2006 Posts: 94	Posted on Jul 24 2007 05:30 PM Surfneptune is right! — drummer-Lava Rats Top
Kuk Joined: Feb 13, 2007 Posts: 132 NW Fla Gulf Coast	Posted on Jul 27 2007 06:48 PM LP's childhood reminded me somewhat of my own. I had to tinker with everything. The parents took away the little tool set they gave me when I started modifying the car! Top
Spud Joined: Jul 23, 2007 Posts: 666 Oz	Posted on Jul 28 2007 12:12 AM Les Paul was and is a great guitar player, over the years I have had the chance to tinker around with a few of his songs and it blows me away with the sound he was/is able to get, the clarity of the notes and just the melody overall. Try "Tico Tico" sometime for a bit of fun... Top