Gibson Ramps Up Production of Iconic Les Paul Recording Equipment - First Installment
In March 2021, the Les Paul Recording Studio was reopened inside the United Recording Studios in Hollywood, marking a significant moment for music history. The studio, which houses iconic equipment such as the Monster, the Octopus, and the Ampex 300-3, is a testament to the pioneering work of Les Paul, the Grammy Award-winning engineer, and inventor.
Les Paul, best known for his innovations in the 1940s and 1950s, is credited with the invention of the solid-body electric guitar, the precursor to modern electric guitars. His first solid-body electric guitar, nicknamed "The Log," was built in 1941 [3]. Another of his groundbreaking contributions was the development of multitrack recording techniques, using multiple acetate discs to record different parts of a song and overdub to create complex musical arrangements [3][4].
Paul's technique of sound-on-sound recording, where he would record a track, then play it back while adding another track, was a precursor to modern multitrack recording [3]. This method was later refined with the advent of magnetic tape. Paul was also among the first musicians to use magnetic tape for recording, working closely with Ampex to develop and refine multitrack recording technology [1][3].
The Les Paul Foundation, with a focus on education, hearing health, and preserving Les Paul's legacy, relocated the gear to reintroduce Les Paul and Mary Ford's music to a new generation of fans. The foundation's plan is to have the catalog remastered and to create newly restored and remixed stereo versions for a box set and for sync licensing [2].
Thump Recording Studios in Brooklyn spent 10 months restoring all the gear for the Les Paul Recording Studio. The Monster mixing console, built in the 1950s, had features that did not appear in commercially available mixing consoles until many years later [5]. The Octopus, the world's first 8-track tape machine, was created by Les Paul in 1956 [6].
Les Paul's 1951 hit "How High the Moon" featured 12 tracks of guitar and another 12 tracks of vocals, recorded on a modified Ampex 300 [7]. Bing Crosby introduced Les Paul to the Ampex 300 mono tape machine in 1949, which led to the concept of sound-on-sound recording [8].
The sound-on-sound recordings were destructive, but over 3,000 acetate discs and numerous tapes from Paul's double-lathe process are preserved in the archive [9]. Les Paul kept all of his recordings, totaling 33,000, from when he was 16 to two months before he died in 2009, and never recorded over anything or threw anything away [10].
The Les Paul Recording Studio stands as a testament to the innovative spirit of Les Paul, whose contributions to music recording technology continue to influence the industry today.
References: [1] "The History of Recording Technology." The Recording Academy.
- In the Les Paul Recording Studio, iconic equipment like the Monster console, the Octopus, and the Ampex 300-3 are employed during mixing sessions, showcasing the studio's rich history and Les Paul's pioneering work in audio technology.
- One notable innovation by Les Paul is the technique of sound-on-sound recording, where he recorded a track and then added another track playing back the first, which is a precursor to modern multitrack recording techniques.
- The advent of magnetic tape allowed for further refinement of Les Paul's sound-on-sound method, enabling complex music arrangements and paving the way for modern music production.
- The Les Paul Foundation, dedicated to preserving Les Paul's legacy, relocated the original gear to reintroduce Les Paul and Mary Ford's music to a new generation, with remastered and remixed versions set for release in a box set and for sync licensing.
- Thump Recording Studios spent 10 months meticulously restoring the gear for the Les Paul Recording Studio, unveiling classic pieces of technology like the 1950s Monster mixing console and the world's first 8-track tape machine, the Octopus, created by Les Paul himself in 1956.
