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15 Great Songs That Use the Wah-Wah Guitar Pedal & Its Funky, Fluid Feel
A feature marking the death of session musician Del Casher at 88 highlights his role in inventing the wah-wah guitar pedal and the sound’s influence on popular music. The pedal became a defining tool for guitarists, shaping memorable riffs, solos and atmospheres across rock and many other genres.
The article traces the pedal’s early history: Casher demonstrated it to Frank Zappa in 1966, and Zappa later gave one to Jimi Hendrix, who made it central to his playing. It introduces a selection of 15 songs, including Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child”, Cream’s “White Room”, Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused”, Zappa’s “Peaches en Regalia”, a Temptations track featuring Wah Wah Watson, and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”. The examples show how the effect can range from prominent soloing to subtle rhythmic accompaniment.
In short
- Del Casher, inventor of the wah-wah pedal, has died aged 88.
- Jimi Hendrix helped make the pedal famous after receiving one from Frank Zappa.
- The feature explores 15 songs using the effect across different styles.