Tyler..and Elliot: You have done a GREAT service to the industry by doing this interview. I thank you both tremendously. And especially Elliot Scheiner. I am well aware that Phil Ramone was so secretive about his methods, and thats a shame, now that he is gone. his skill went away with him. Same with Roger Nichols. So Thank you Elliot, you have advanced the whole field by speaking freely about your experiences. Thank you.

@rahihudson2630

2 жыл бұрын

Phil Ramone has a great autobiography. Read it a few years ago. He speaks on his in studio technique quite a bit and the stories behind the songs, how he met Billy Joel, etc. Nice read.

@Zepster77

5 ай бұрын

Nichols wrote a book about his recording method, correct?

@MikeFloutier

4 ай бұрын

Yup, totally agree, a vital historical document, thank you so much! 🍾❤️

Gaucho is my favourite Steely Dan album, too. It has an atmosphere.

16 years old in 1976 my first real job, 1st paycheck, I bought the album royal scam and played it relentlessly. Amazing music.

I knew Roger Nichols. I remember asking him about these sessions and I was fascinated by how he’d explain them. It’s great to hear him mentioned here on such a timeless piece of work.

Thank you for making this important historical document 👍👍

I met Elliot on an Acura TL press event years ago. He had developed the sound system for that model. I was a photographer for the TV show Motorweek and he rode with us. Just the nicest, unassuming guy you will ever meet. He had such great stories and it was fresh to not have a Honda press person in the back seat. We then cranked Dragon Attack (Queen) the rest of the trip. Good Times!

I don't understand half of it but still find it absolutely fascinating. Hats off to these guys who made this masterpiece.

Mr Scheiner's memory is amazing. i can't even remember the stuff i did 5 years ago. but this interview reminds me of the countless times, as a journalist, in the countless interviews i'd done with famous people (Don and Walt were among them), when i thought they must have done something really special or something beyond the ordinary, but they would say something like "Well, I just did what I thought I needed to do." often we think something is magic, but it turns out that it was just very talented persons doing something very normal. they're just super good at it.

@xxczerxx

4 ай бұрын

Very well put. I sometimes have to remind myself these iconic albums that sound like they literally descended from the heavens, were made by guys that ate lunch that same day, might have stubbed their toe on a door on the way to the session....they're mortals like us, just EXTREMELY talented.

One thing Elliot forgot to mention is that the quality of the arrangements made mixing easy. There simple weren’t any conflicting sounds to deal with. Every note in the arrangement was open for discussion. So much of the “balance” was decided upon during recording/arranging. * (To avoid any misunderstanding, this comes directly from Elliot, I had many talks with him about this) Fredo

@Tazmanian_Ninja

Жыл бұрын

Yes. Arrangement (and eliminating what doesn’t need to be there) makes mixing so much easier. And lets the mixing process be more creative and artistic, rather than problem-solving, like fighting collisions.

@adam872

Жыл бұрын

I think that's a good point. Good arrangements definitely make the mixing process easier

@jdamicoofficial

10 ай бұрын

100%

@ColinJarrett

10 ай бұрын

I hear engineer hearts breaking to learn there was nothing on the 2 bus. Everything upstream was platinum quality.

@jdamicoofficial

10 ай бұрын

Lol -- yep. Mix as if there's no mastering...@@ColinJarrett

just finished listening to this for the first time, definitely one of my favorite interviews of all time, thank .you

I just heard the song gaucho for the first time 2 days ago and I was completely floored I was in love with it halfway through the song

@rixvspinner

Жыл бұрын

Part of the title track Gaucho was used in a movie, I forget which one, Tootsie maybe?

Thanks for doing this interview. Great to document these historic sessions.

This is amazing! Thank you so much for doing this. Truly appreciated.

Such an unbelievable record.

Thanks Tyler, fantastic interview with Elliot. The knowledge, the experience and the stories he's shared with us is immeasurable, so very generous of him and so smart of you to have him on. Bravo!

Great to hear from Elliot about these sessions; between he and Schnee, there's some greatness to be heard on Aja & Gaucho. Back then these top shelf engineers were just trying to make great sounding records with relatively primitive tools, and we are the better for it. Back then, the band and the arrangement was king - no need to carve out vocal space - it was written that way. Today's DAW operators cannot fathom the pressure of live rhythm dates and live-to-2 track sessions, never mind the set up and signal path to achieve their goals. Try mixing with one EQ on each track, 6 or 8 dynamics plugins total, no automation, no bus processing, maybe 2 reverbs, tape delay, and 24 tracks with all of your instruments.

@Flips77Coupe

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like the difference between drawing with ink and drawing with pencil. When you use pencil you are not as technical or accurate because you know you have an eraser. With ink, very calculated on what you do. I’m not a music engineer, don’t even play an instrument but I love Steely Dan and this intrigues me how great they sounded so many years ago

What a super interview, great technical details and such clarity for a album recorded 40 years ago.

Amazing info! We need a part 2 🙏

Thank you so much for this great interview.

Wow. Gotta say. I LOVE the Dan and this interview was so far over my head and yet answered so many of my questions about the sound. Fantastic interview… Great work, keep it up!!

Thank you for this! Great to have this information captured for all time.

Thank God the subject is interesting because this interviewer has the style of a prosecutor on the spectrum.

This one's incredible- to get to hear from a legend like this is so rare- Thank you Ty!

@lewbaldwin

2 жыл бұрын

This is a good interview: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f2yjz9h9mNqYfbQ.html

That’s great work man. Thanks for doing that.

I feel a little better about my tracking/mixing methods now... Thanks guys!!

Royal Scam/AJA/Gaucho ...imo, the best back to back to back album trio done to date...change my mind

@CHEERACCIDENT

Жыл бұрын

Foxtrot/Selling England/Lamb weren’t too shabby.

@rixvspinner

Жыл бұрын

Pretzel Logic should be added. My fav SD album is The Royal Scam, then Aja. However, I was listening to Countdown To Ecstacy the other day. There are elements of this album that one could say is the best work SD have done. In terms of sheer muscianship etc. Countdown is one of their best. They are all great albums so I'm splitting hairs. I just remember hearing The Royal Scam for the first time thinking it was a perfect album. The title track which has the 1920's horn with the bell sounding section. At the same time, The Royal Scam is their funkiest album. The range of musical influence is broad on this record.

@SoundlabStudios63

Жыл бұрын

I would say Can’t Buy a Thrill-Gaucho was a great 7 album run

@WEREWOLFCaT_STORIES

Жыл бұрын

I love gaucho / and this probably is agaisnt the rules but i would swap that one for nightfly even though it was solo work. But yeah. ❤

@edguilherme2

Жыл бұрын

Sure, I can do that! Cartas Caatingueiras/Na Quadrada das Águas Perdidas/Árias Sertânicas.

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!

I’m surprised there was no question about Donald Fagen doing something like 274 mixes of Babylon Sisters. That’s a crazy amount. I read that the studio gave him a mock award for it.

@TylerBurnsOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Was not aware

@violetmoondance8182

2 жыл бұрын

But it's so perfect

@SPAZZOID100

2 жыл бұрын

@@violetmoondance8182 it was likely mix #7.

@chrisd6736

Жыл бұрын

@@SPAZZOID100- either that or #167

@fredogevaert8262

Жыл бұрын

@@SPAZZOID100 If I remember correctly, it was #3. (According Elliot)

Elliot, this is one of the most sonically beautiful albums I have ever heard. New Gold Dream by Simple Minds is another. Thank you for the music.

@TylerBurnsOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

I LOVE that album. Holy cow. I've interviewed Peter Walsh about it...but only over email.

@AlecEagon

2 жыл бұрын

Woa! We couldn’t possibly agree more. What a brilliant comment to mention those two records in the same sentence!

This is a great interview, I’m glad you talked gear with him. 👍🤟👏

I don't really understand much of anything being said here, but I just wanted to say I really love your music. You deserve so many more subscribers. Keep up the great work!

Such a great interview! Thank you!

Incredibly eye opening. Glad to know that they decided to go with the sound from the console and leave any comp up to the mastering. Also just the amount of "No's" returned from Elliot shows how conservative the whole process was from start to finish. You did an excellent job on this and I really appreciate how you conducted the interview.

Amazing interview ! Thanks

Thanks for posting this informative interview.

Please do another one like this. Awesome 😎

I love Gaucho. It was the epitome of a great career. Ultra sophisticated. Hey Nineteen makes me want to crack open the Cuervo Gold and go skating.

@xxczerxx

4 ай бұрын

It's also the audio capture of the death of a career, via perfectionism. I guess the album has a whole mythos behind it now, but Fagen has said in interviews that their pursuit of sonic perfection made them pretty miserable/anxious as music makers. The whole creation of Gaucho (particularly the Wendel incident, and the destruction of the Second Arrangement) was the pinnacle but also the very bottom. It's a minor miracle it ever got released.

Wonderful to hear Elliot Scheiner give his insights into this legendary album. There is so much to the 'Dan story that it even deserves a second interview, at least! 4,718 views May 28, 2021

Fascinating discussion. Thanks & kudos. On YT & elsewhere, the Dan gets lots of play for & about the great musicians who performed on various tunes, but of equal (arguably, greater) importance is the resulting sound that comes out of the speakers or headphones. All too seldom discussed. Listening to Mr. Scheiner's recollections, admiring his steel-trap mind & amazing recall of equipment, techniques, processes, etc., was a real treat. Also appreciate learning about those who influenced him, like Al Schmidt, Phil Ramone & of course Roger Nichols. This was time well spent. Thanks again. No denying the ultra-professional, unforgettable sound quality of Gaucho. For audio aficionados, it's so pristine that it can't help but leave an imprint in one's DNA.

This are so good please do more vids like this ....

Elliot is fucking awesome those songs and mix are fucking amazing

Great interview....how can your channel only have 189 subscribers?...Well you just got one more.....looking forward to seeing what other gems you have on this channel. Thanks very much. Al

@mrkymrk99

2 жыл бұрын

This is what I was thinking! Maybe it’s a new channel.

Just fabulous. Thank you.

Love this. Thank you both.

Freaking amazing! I didn’t even understand half of the technical stuff they were talking about, but the absolute LOVE AND RESPECT for the subject matter and THE MUSIC was there throughout the interview. Well done! 👍🏼🎸🎼🥂❤️😎

22:02 "...enhance the stereo imagery" perhaps the Aphex Aural Exciter, which was the thing for that at the time.

holy crap this is freaking amazing!!!! thank you so much :)

Finally some authoritative info on Wendel credits! Been wondering about that for a long time.

Great work. Thank you for posting. I love the reverb explanations. Mono with pre-delay of 150 ms, interesting. Roger Nichols was pretty proud of the "No EQ" ethos back then. I usually worked with some sketchy plates i- hand tuned in mysterious ways by Phil Ramone indeed, cool stuff. Right up there with Sun records stairwell, Abbey Roads stacked tiles and Roy Halee's office building elevator shaft snare reverb on "The Boxer". The verbs were always everybody's secret sauce. I never really got a satisfactory explanation of "The Andy Williams verb" vs "The Tony Bennett verb" Maybe someone will do a secret verbs of the sixties KZread series.

Fantastic interview. Love the story about the "original Gaucho band". Priceless stuff, man!

My fave SD album as well. Every song is just perfect.

Interesting, thanks for the interview.

Fantastic interview !

Great video, thanks a lot

This is GOOOOD!

@TylerBurnsOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Good to hear from you, Doctor Mix!

greetings from rio de janeiro. thanks for the amazing interview. he is so humble that he makes us think that the recording process is very simple (we all know it's not)😀😀😀

Amazing interview!

Excellent. Thanks!

This is such a cool interview! I was always curious if that was an oxide flub on Time Out of Mind. Its funny how you strive to create such a perfect record and in that pursuit, incidentally create an imperfection as a result of it.

@Jalliams

2 жыл бұрын

It’s fascinating to hear technical explanations for these type of things. At approx 1:20 in Time Out Mind there is definitely a wrinkle or flub during the transition into the pre chorus. My best guess was mix buss compression, because at that moment there’s a flourish on lead guitar (panned right), a staccato jab on keys (panned medium left) and horns (panned far left) all at once, and maybe pushed threshold & recovery was too slow? BUT, as Elliot says, there was no compression on the mix buss! In fact nothing on it. So “oxide flub” is an explanation I’d never have realised without this comment, following this cool interview! Ha. Cheers to that.

@giovanna722

4 ай бұрын

Imperfection and grace 😂

Truly awesome

GOLD! Thanks for that.

Thank you so much:)

Great! I didn't understand half of it, but this gold for the upcoming generations!

I love listening to people who's language is totally beyond my comprehension. I do it all day listening to the business channels who's guest are using economic lingo that I have no idea what-so-ever what they're saying. I don't know what these guys are saying as well but I love Steely Dan and the music they've created over the years

This is an amazing interview! Loved every minute of it

@TylerBurnsOfficial

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Glad you liked it! Cheers!

Phenomenal interview. WOW!

wonderful lessons and informations

Thank you very much.

What a lovely man, very accommodating.

I guess they were very wary of noise reduction after the Katy Lied experience. A lot of the equipment model references went over my head, but I got a lot from the video. Never realised that Gary Katz was the man who did Don and Walt's 'Dirty Work'! Interesting to find out how Scheiner, Nicholls and Katz worked together. Fantastic interview. Thank you!

@MonkeyBars1

2 жыл бұрын

What happened with NR on Katy Lied

@PhilUKNet

2 жыл бұрын

@@MonkeyBars1 They used dbx technology, which was supposed to have a better signal/noise ratio than Dolby, but there was a problem with the encoding that made the tapes sound dull and lifeless. It's quite well documented on-line.

Every Steely Dan album is good to great. Gaucho is transcendent.

Thank you for this.

Awesome interview! I love all the techie stuff.. Super fascinating. 😎 Please ask about the Royal Scam & Katy Lied next!

Excellent interview! Subscribed.

You had me at Aja (maybe my favorite album of all time!!) Gaucho is my 2nd fave SD album.

Great interview and questions but I was really hoping you were going to ask him about the second arrangement and what went down

Great stuff! Thanks for capturing it. Would have liked to hear the story about the lost track, though.

Good work ☺👏👏🙏🏻

Awesome!

Brilliant insight. This is gold

This was a great Q&A session. I would have loved to hear Elliot talk about the DTS surround mix he did. That surround mix sounds incredible. There are element flowing around all 6 speakers. The bass and kick are in the pocket on that mix.

Fundamentals. Great musicians make the engineers job so much easier. Humble man.

Fantastic

Absolutely! The "Goucho" album gave out a certain atmosphere that I haven't heard on any other record. Schneider obviously was responsible. But you also have to hand it to the gear they used. The A800 running at 30 had a lot to do with it. I've cut lots of tracks on it, and I haven't yet been able to replicate the texture and 'warmth' that it delivers. I remember soloing just the kick drum up in the monitors, and it seemed that it actually breathed. A stunning machine, to me the best recording device ever known to man -- digital or analog. Fantastic interview, thanks so much for posting.

@MonkeyBars1

Жыл бұрын

Some tape emulation plugins seem to be improving, but I haven't heard an actual owner of a Studer (like @WhiteSeaStudios) say they can replace analog tape yet.

Ha! Fired! Just for doing the exercise. Classic!

That very last statement, it wasn't about Christmas at all but that one hit hard nevertheless. Gave me goosebumps.

Wow great questions !

God bless Elliott for doing this

Bravo Tyler!! 🙌 Have Elliot back to go in depth about his early years and career with other artists.

@TylerBurnsOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it, but the amount of flack I've gotten for this interview doesn't inspire me to do another video.

@CharlesStarlon

2 жыл бұрын

@@TylerBurnsOfficial I didn’t hear any problems with the interview. A couple of jokers are always around the comment section. I learned a lot. Thanks Tyler.

@MonkeyBars1

Жыл бұрын

Hey Tyler, that's just the internet. Bunch of dweebs hiding behind the lack of social consequences. Lean into your role as content creator and let it roll off you. It's a good lesson to ignore the losers and focus on the positive. This was a very special interview and we are so grateful.

Please do a follow-up interview to ask Elliot about the 5.1 mix that he also did for Gaucho. Lots of folks curious about instrument placement decisions and challenges.

Great interview! Thank you so much for sharing this. I have a question that's been gnawing at me for a while. I hope that you see this and are able do answer it. Somewhere along the line I heard about Larry Carlton answering questions during an interview. At some point the interviewer call Larry Carlton how great he thought the solo on Gaucho for third world man was. At that time Larry shot back at him and said but I didn't play on the Gaucho album. Those guys were in La I was in New York or vice versa I forget. And then I heard another story that there was an assistant engineer who had dumped one of the Masters for another song I don't know if it was a different version of third world man or what but apparently Becker and Fagan remember that they had it in the can from the Royal scam album and they used it to fill the gap. My question to Larry and he did get back to me was did they just use your solo and build the song around it or is that how the song was recorded storing the Royal scam sessions? Larry did get back to me on messenger and he said honestly I cannot remember. But the fact of the matter is that he didn't know he was going to be on Gaucho until somebody told him about it. Do you have any information about this?

At 22:14 the stereo device he is referring to is an Aphex Aural Exciter. Back in those days you had to rent them, as they weren’t available for sale.

@AlecEagon

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome. Great to know!

@RobinMorley

2 жыл бұрын

Not sure that’s right… The Aural Exciter added brightness/sizzle to material (a sophisticated high frequency booster, basically, that used psychoacoustic trickery to do more than what was achievable just by boosting with EQ). I don’t think it did anything to the stereo image.

@collyerspreen6697

2 жыл бұрын

More likely an MXR 126 flanger/doubler - or possibly lunchbox-style autophaser or autoflanger. Remember, this is 1978-vintage gear. The Roland Dimension D debuted in 1979 too.

Seems like he has his eyes closed the whole interview.

The device that they used to widen the stereo imaging could have been one of a couple of things. One was the Eventide harmonizer, which was almost always set to 99 percent of pitch on one side. We had a Roland Dimension D, which was a subtler effect, but did a great job of widening the stereo image of an electric piano track.

Gaucho is my fav Dan album. Hard to pick one but it is my go to sleep piece

*Gaucho* I felt they left everything in the recording studio on this album. They were panned by critics, exited the music scene and we didn't see them live until 20 years later. I also feel that the song 'Gaucho'; it's the pinnacle of their musical career.

@TylerBurnsOfficial

2 жыл бұрын

Hindsight is 20/20. It's bizarre how some things are panned at the time and then hailed later. Case in point: 90s comedies were largely panned by critics when they were released, but are now considered masterpieces. Comedies just weren't considered high art at the time...now they are. (Tomatometer represents the critics' score at the time of release.) Tommy Boy (1995) - Tomatometer: 44%, Audience Score: 90% Billy Madison (1995) - Tomatometer: 41%, Audience Score: 79% Heavyweights (1995) - Tomatometer: 29%, Audience Score: 77% Happy Gilmore (1996) - Tomatometer: 61%, Audience Score: 85% Black Sheep (1996) - Tomatometer: 28%, Audience Score: 70% Baseketball (1998) - Tomatometer: 41%, Audience Score: 74%

Fascinating interview! 16 bit digital recording would've been very cutting edge in 1980... after all 16 bit was pretty much the mastering standard until the late 90s when 24 bit became available. Even today 16 bit is considered good enough for the final product.

The title song is, in fact, Steely Dan’s highest songwriting and production peak

Even Cratchit didn't have to work Christmas day!

THE GOAT.