Donald Fagen on Sound, Precision, and the Instruments That Shape Music
In a recent episode of the Down the Rhodes webisode series, Steely Dan cofounder Donald Fagen offered an engaging and revealing discussion on his long standing relationship with keyboards, sound quality, and the philosophy behind instrument choice. The conversation provided rare insight into how one of popular music’s most exacting composers thinks about tone, tuning, and the technical realities that influence artistic decisions.
Fagen began by reflecting on his earliest encounters with electric pianos, recalling how his perception of the instrument was shaped by seeing Ray Charles perform. What stood out was not only the visual presence of the instrument on stage, but its expressive potential. From a technical standpoint, Fagen explained that the Rhodes electric piano represented a significant advancement. Its ability to be tuned and stretched in a manner similar to an acoustic piano made it, in his view, a superior musical tool. This quality alone cemented its place in his work for decades.
The discussion soon turned to a broader critique of digital instruments and synthesizers. Fagen spoke candidly about what he sees as a fundamental limitation in many digital keyboards. According to him, their tuning across the keyboard range is constrained by mathematical design, resulting in high notes that sound flat and low notes that sound sharp. While such discrepancies may escape casual listeners, they matter deeply to musicians who value harmonic integrity. For Fagen, this difference explains why electric and acoustic instruments continue to feel more alive and responsive.
One of the most memorable moments of the webisode came when Fagen shared a story about his experience with an early analog synthesizer, the ARP Odyssey. Though innovative for its time, the instrument proved unstable. Over months of use, it began drifting out of tune with increasing frequency, disrupting recording sessions and breaking concentration during takes. Fagen described how the frustration gradually built until it reached a breaking point.
In a moment of dark humor and honesty, he recounted how the synthesizer was ultimately destroyed during a fit of rage. What followed was almost surreal. The remains of the instrument were later framed and displayed in the studio hallway as a kind of accidental artwork, a visual reminder of both the passion and volatility that can accompany creative work.
Beyond the anecdotes, the webisode underscored a consistent theme in Fagen’s career. Precision matters. Instruments are not neutral tools but active partners in the creative process. His reflections offered viewers not only technical insight, but a deeper understanding of why Steely Dan’s recordings sound the way they do. It was a thoughtful and often humorous reminder that great music is shaped as much by discipline and standards as by inspiration.