In the Studio...

[Sebastian]

I don't know if it's been discussed before but I'd like to know more about the more technical side of their records... does anybody know anything about that or can point me in the right direction?

All I know is what I've read on Felder's book, about them doing take after take after take of the guitar solos and the vocal parts until they were virtually flawless, etc., but I'm sure there's a lot more to be discovered, such as:

* How did they synchronise? Did they use a live backing track as guide (like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc.) or did they use a click track?

* Did they always record backing vocals in a way that could be reproduced on stage and, if so, does it mean they stayed away from the 'self-backing-vocalist' trick?

* Anything related to session musicians (orchestras and the such) and the way they recorded with them, who took care of that, etc.

I appreciate anyone who can give me a hand with *any* of that

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Sebastian - I am far from being a 'techie' so I can't shed any light on most any of this. There isn't a lot of info available that I can recall in terms of interviews from the band that addresses your questions either.

If I had to guess, I'd wouldn't be surprised if there were occasions where they used the self-backing vocalist technique in songs with very full harmonies. But, who knows.

The only thing I know of regarding session musicians is what is listed on the credits for each album.

[Sebastian]

Thank you for the prompt reply.

If I had to guess, I'd wouldn't be surprised if there were occasions where they used the self-backing vocalist technique in songs with very full harmonies.

And which songs would those be? I suspect maybe 'The Last Resort' and, generally those with big 'oooh's and 'aaaah's in the background (another one could be 'Desperado', of course). Any other idea?

[UndertheWire]

The closest I've found is Glenn talking about the recording of his first solo album in detail. You may be able to glean something about the Eagles from what he says he's done differently when solo.
http://tttan.com/HT/boards/P.hunterk...233799394.html

[WalshFan88]

No clue, other than I can pretty much tell you the exact guitar rig for every song, especially On The Border and forward for Felder and Walsh's rigs. There isn't much out there on Bernie's gear other than just the Tele's he played.

Already Gone - Glenn used his Old Black Gibson Les Paul Jr, and a Fender Nonreverb Blackface Deluxe which he still uses live. Don Felder played a Gibson Les Paul Jr (according to Felder, it might have even been Glenn's since I never seen Felder with a LP Jr) into the same Blackface Deluxe which has a Vox Silver Bell speaker in it.

One Of These Nights - Don Felder used a Gibson Les Paul Standard (from '59) into a mid 50's Fender Deluxe Tweed amp straight in and cranked loud and proud. Not sure about Glenn's rig but since Old Black was still in use, maybe that but that is just a guess.

Hotel California - Don Felder used a Martin 12-string with a DeArmond soundhole pickup into a leslie and EMT units for the acoustic parts. Don used the same '59 Les Paul as on OOTN for Hotel, with the same 50s Fender Deluxe. He used a BOSS Chorus and Echo units and that was it. No other pedals or amps. Glenn used a Takamine 12-string for his acoustic parts. Joe Walsh used a 70s Fender Telecaster into a Tweed Deluxe as well, with an MXR Phase 90 for some phase effect, which is really subtle but audible with headphones.

Life In The Fast Lane - Joe Walsh used a 50s Fender Stratocaster into a Fender Deluxe again. Don Felder used the 59 Les Paul into a Deluxe as well. (Seeing a pattern here?)

The Long Run - Joe Walsh used a Les Paul into a Roland Micro Cube (of all things!) for slide on The Long Run as well as Heartache Tonight. Don Felder used a Les Paul (not sure if it was his '59) into a Blackface Fender for his parts. Glenn used a 70s Telecaster modified with a humbucker in the neck position into a Fender Tweed for his rhythm part.

I Can't Tell You Why - Glenn Frey used a Gibson 335 into his Blackface Deluxe for the solo in ICTYW. Not sure about Joe and Felder.

Those are just the main songs, if there is a song in particular you'd want to know, I can search my documents and see if there is info on it. A lot of it comes from interviews and pictures.

[Sebastian]

Thanks, that's great. What about basses, drums and keyboards? I suppose for piano, they'd play whatever was available in the studios, which would be a Steinway at Olympic and a Yamaha at the Record Plant.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thank you for the prompt reply.



And which songs would those be? I suspect maybe 'The Last Resort' and, generally those with big 'oooh's and 'aaaah's in the background (another one could be 'Desperado', of course). Any other idea?

I really don't know anything for sure, but, if I have to guess, a few likely choices could be Witchy Woman, Doolin-Dalton/Desperado Reprise, or One of These Nights.

[Sebastian]

Here's my (temporary) breakdown of Hotel California:

Basic track: drums, bass and twelve-string rhythm (by Felder, I reckon).

Guitar overdubs:

• Another twelve-string electric (doubling the first one), most lilely by Felder although it could've also been Joe... or Glenn... but most likely Felder.
• Felder's acoustic on the second part of the intro: bass-doubling and some arpeggios. Definitely his style.
• Glenn's acoustic: strummed chords from the first chorus onwards. He double-tracked it from the fourth verse onwards.
• The reggae staccatos, which reportedly Glenn recorded at first but then Joe replaced.
• A clean Strat (or maybe Tele) doubling the bass one octave higher at some points. Most likely Felder.
• A two-part harmony playing throughout. Possibly Felder played both (Don and Joe would do it on stage for practical reasons).
• Another two-part harmony, entering on the fourth verse and playing some antiphonies with the previous one. Felder did both IMO.
• Don Felder's lead, playing some licks (e.g. on the secod chorus) and then the famous solo.
• Joe's lead, doing the second part of the solo and then harmonising with Felder's lead.

All of that means the original recording has thirteen guitars (or perhaps even more if the harmonies were double-tracked to give them a fatter sound, in which case there are seventeen guitars), of which Glenn and Joe played two each, and Felder did the rest.

There are also some keyboards: an organ and a piano, both playing softly in the background. The piano's a bit more noticeable on the first verse (just when Don sings 'hair') and on the fourth (when Don sings 'night'). I'd suppose Glenn played both, but it could've been virtually anyone in the group... most likely, whoever came up with the idea of adding them... but most likely Glenn considering his story of ever so subtly overdubbing keyboards. Those two overdubs aren't too noticeable but if you take them out the song loses some of its magic.

Despite what happened on stage, harmonies didn't include Joe or Felder at all. Choruses are Randy and Glenn (plus Don's lead of course) and the 'and still thsoe voices are calling from far away' line is just Don + Don (so yeah, they did do self-backing vocalist).

[Freypower]

How can you tell that 'and still those voices' is just Don? Why would you harmonise with yourself when you have these other great harmony singers? I always thought it was Glenn harmonising there.