Del Casher
Encyclopedia
Del Casher is an American guitarist and inventor. His many creations include the Wah-wah pedal
, which significantly influenced the development of rock and roll guitar style. He also devised the Ecco-Fonic, and later the solid state Fender Electronic Echo Chamber
. He was the first to introduce the Roland Guitar Synthesizer for the Roland Corporation
.
where he majored in communications. After college, he moved to Hollywood and was invited to perform as the guitar and banjo soloist on the Lawrence Welk
TV show. At that time, he also toured with "The Three Suns
", RCA
recording artists who were well known for their hit song "Twilight Time"
.
While on tour for their album "The Three Suns in Japan", he introduced his new invention, the "Ecco-Fonic", a tape echo device that was portable and could create echo effects that were previously possible only in the studio using large, expensive tape machines. At that time he became friends with Ikutaro Kakehashi
, who was the founder of the Roland Music Corporation of Japan. Later, Mr. Kakehashi, as chairman of Roland, invited Del to Japan to perform and introduce the first Roland guitar synthesizer. He signed on with Japan Victor
and Japan's Union Records as a featured artist on more than 16 hit albums.
At that time, he was a much sought after studio guitarist in Hollywood. Paramount Pictures
chose him to appear with Elvis Presley
in his movie "Roustabout". Elvis liked Del’s guitar playing so much he invited him to join his friends for future engagements. Del then received a contract to appear on Gene Autry
’s Melody Ranch
TV show. During this part of his career, he played with a diverse assortment of musicians, ranging from Eddy Arnold
, Connie Francis
, and Bobby Vinton
to Sonny and Cher and Frank Zappa
's Mothers of Invention.
acquired the Vox amplifier
name from Jennings Musical Instruments
of the UK. Del was a guitarist and consultant for Vox and often performed with the Vox Amplifonic Big Band in California. The solid state
engineering staff at Thomas Organ (headed by Stan Cutler) assigned Brad Plunkett to convert the UK Vox amplifier into the new US Vox solid state amplifier. To save costs, Vox decided to have the Dick Denny Mid-Range Boost Switch redesigned into a variable tone control. As Del worked on the project, he discovered that when he moved the tone control from left to right on the amplifier, it created a "wah" sound similar to a harmonica
player cupping his hands around the microphone and harmonica. This was the new sound that Del had been looking for. It enabled him to express a better bluesy feeling on the electric guitar
Del immediately asked the engineering team to have a breadboard
with that circuit installed into a Vox organ volume pedal. This enabled him to play his guitar while moving the pedal.
However, with the rich harmonics of the guitar, the sound was too harsh in the "bright" position and too muddy in the "mellow" position. With a little experimenting, Del and the Vox engineering staff were able to create a sound similar to a trumpet "wah" mute.
Vox saw no use for a "wah" sound for the guitar, believing it would be better for the electric trumpet. In 1967, after some negotiating, Vox agreed to have Del compose and release a record using the new Wah-wah pedal.
hired him to be the featured artist on three movies using his prototype Wah-wah pedal: "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
", "The Shakiest Gun in the West
" and "The Travelling Saleslady." MGM followed suit, hiring Del to play on the Tony Curtis
film "Don't Make Waves
". In the meantime, Vox was unsuccessful in its efforts to promote the pedal for use on the electric trumpet.
His playing is also featured on the theme for "NBC Nightly News
" and is the longest running TV news theme.
's educational materials.
He has composed a classical work in three movements: "Americana Suite for Orchestra". He is also the producer of the Japanese TV anime
shows, in English, "Love Hina
", "Tenchi Muyo", and "Sakura Wars
".
He recently played a series of small gigs in London and the south of England. He was backed by The "Delstars" of London and members of "The Lotus Pedals".
Wah-wah pedal
A wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
, which significantly influenced the development of rock and roll guitar style. He also devised the Ecco-Fonic, and later the solid state Fender Electronic Echo Chamber
Echo chamber
thumb|right|Echo chamber of the Dresden University of Technologythumb|right|Hamilton Mausoleum has a spectacularly long lasting unplanned echoAn echo chamber is a hollow enclosure used to produce echoing sounds, usually for recording purposes...
. He was the first to introduce the Roland Guitar Synthesizer for the Roland Corporation
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
.
Life and career
Del is an alumnus of the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
where he majored in communications. After college, he moved to Hollywood and was invited to perform as the guitar and banjo soloist on the Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
TV show. At that time, he also toured with "The Three Suns
The Three Suns
The Three Suns was an American instrumental pop group, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.The group was formed in 1939 by Al Nevins and Morty Nevins and Artie Dunn , . Their first hit record was "Twilight Time", which was written by the band along with Buck Ram. "Twilight Time" sold over four million...
", RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
recording artists who were well known for their hit song "Twilight Time"
Twilight Time (song)
"Twilight Time" is a popular song with lyrics by Buck Ram, and the music by The Three Suns .Original hits of "Twilight Time" included the Three Suns and Les Brown & His Band of Renown ....
.
While on tour for their album "The Three Suns in Japan", he introduced his new invention, the "Ecco-Fonic", a tape echo device that was portable and could create echo effects that were previously possible only in the studio using large, expensive tape machines. At that time he became friends with Ikutaro Kakehashi
Ikutaro Kakehashi
is an engineer, an entrepreneur, the founder of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments.-Biography:During the 1950s, Ikutaro Kakehashi, repaired electronic organs and created new prototype organs, all the while running an electrical appliance shop...
, who was the founder of the Roland Music Corporation of Japan. Later, Mr. Kakehashi, as chairman of Roland, invited Del to Japan to perform and introduce the first Roland guitar synthesizer. He signed on with Japan Victor
JVC
, usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927...
and Japan's Union Records as a featured artist on more than 16 hit albums.
At that time, he was a much sought after studio guitarist in Hollywood. Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
chose him to appear with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in his movie "Roustabout". Elvis liked Del’s guitar playing so much he invited him to join his friends for future engagements. Del then received a contract to appear on Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
’s Melody Ranch
Melody Ranch
Melody Ranch is a 1940 Western film which tells the story of a singing cowboy who returns to his hometown to restore order when his former childhood enemies take over the frontier town.-Movie:...
TV show. During this part of his career, he played with a diverse assortment of musicians, ranging from Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
, Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, and Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
to Sonny and Cher and Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's Mothers of Invention.
Inventing the Wah-Wah pedal
In the mid-1960s Thomas Organ CompanyThomas Organ Company
The Thomas Organ Company was a manufacturer of electronic keyboards and a one-time holder of the manufacturing rights to the Moog synthesizer. The Company was a force behind early electronic organs for the home....
acquired the Vox amplifier
Vox (musical equipment)
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
name from Jennings Musical Instruments
Jennings Musical Instruments
Jennings Musical Instruments is a manufacturer of musical instruments, notably the original owner of the Vox brand. The company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings.-History:...
of the UK. Del was a guitarist and consultant for Vox and often performed with the Vox Amplifonic Big Band in California. The solid state
Solid state
Solid state may refer to:In science:* Solid-state chemistry* Solid-state physics* Solid-state laser* Solid matterIn electronics:* Solid state , circuits built of solid materials* Solid-state fan...
engineering staff at Thomas Organ (headed by Stan Cutler) assigned Brad Plunkett to convert the UK Vox amplifier into the new US Vox solid state amplifier. To save costs, Vox decided to have the Dick Denny Mid-Range Boost Switch redesigned into a variable tone control. As Del worked on the project, he discovered that when he moved the tone control from left to right on the amplifier, it created a "wah" sound similar to a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player cupping his hands around the microphone and harmonica. This was the new sound that Del had been looking for. It enabled him to express a better bluesy feeling on the electric guitar
Del immediately asked the engineering team to have a breadboard
Breadboard
A breadboard is a construction base for prototyping of electronics. The term is commonly used to refer to solderless breadboard ....
with that circuit installed into a Vox organ volume pedal. This enabled him to play his guitar while moving the pedal.
However, with the rich harmonics of the guitar, the sound was too harsh in the "bright" position and too muddy in the "mellow" position. With a little experimenting, Del and the Vox engineering staff were able to create a sound similar to a trumpet "wah" mute.
Vox saw no use for a "wah" sound for the guitar, believing it would be better for the electric trumpet. In 1967, after some negotiating, Vox agreed to have Del compose and release a record using the new Wah-wah pedal.
Film and TV performances with the pedal
Soon after, Universal PicturesUniversal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
hired him to be the featured artist on three movies using his prototype Wah-wah pedal: "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 American Universal Pictures feature film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a newspaper typesetter who spends a night in a haunted house, which is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas...
", "The Shakiest Gun in the West
The Shakiest Gun in the West
The Shakiest Gun in the West is a 1968 Western comedy film starring Don Knotts. It was directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.The film is a remake of The Paleface, a 1948 movie starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell....
" and "The Travelling Saleslady." MGM followed suit, hiring Del to play on the Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
film "Don't Make Waves
Don't Make Waves
Don't Make Waves is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sex farce which starred Tony Curtis, Claudia Cardinale, Dave Draper and Sharon Tate...
". In the meantime, Vox was unsuccessful in its efforts to promote the pedal for use on the electric trumpet.
His playing is also featured on the theme for "NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
" and is the longest running TV news theme.
Later activities
In 1972, he was hired as Music Director for the children’s TV show "The New Zoo Revue". He produced over 200 shows as well as over 200 children’s music, educational and dance albums for Activity Records of New York. His music is heard in public schools that utilize Hap PalmerHap Palmer
Hap Palmer is an American children's musician and Guitarist whose songs specialize in developing motor skills, language acquisition, math and reading skills, and overall basic skills aimed at young children. Palmer released his first recording in 1969, and has composed over 200 songs for children...
's educational materials.
He has composed a classical work in three movements: "Americana Suite for Orchestra". He is also the producer of the Japanese TV anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
shows, in English, "Love Hina
Love Hina
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine by Kodansha from October 21, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and was published in 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitaro Urashima and his attempts to...
", "Tenchi Muyo", and "Sakura Wars
Sakura Wars
is a Japanese media franchise created by Ouji Hiroi, and is developed and owned by Sega and licensed by Red Entertainment and Sega. The franchise centers on a series of dramatic fantasy and science-fantasy tactical role-playing adventure video games, which consist of tactical wargame and dating sim...
".
He recently played a series of small gigs in London and the south of England. He was backed by The "Delstars" of London and members of "The Lotus Pedals".
Other sources
- "An Oral History of the Wah-Wah Pedal" in Wax PoeticsWax PoeticsWax Poetics is a bimonthly American music magazine dedicated to vintage and contemporary jazz, funk, soul, Latin, hip-hop, reggae, blues, and R&B in the crate-digger tradition; the name of the magazine is itself an allusion to vinyl records....
magazine. Vol.42, July/August 2010