Producing Stevie Wonder & the Synth that Changed Music | Robert Margouleff Story

[@leowalless9328]

Just beautiful that a self confessed 83yr old pothead can talk smoothly and coherently about anything from his 70 odd years of memories without missing a beat or hitting a pause! This guy should be running for president

[@RaquelFoster]

1:06:04 He definitely didn't use a click on Superstition! When I learned to DJ, that song drove me crazy. The BPM changes so much that it's impossible to mix unless you just spend the whole time beatmatching it. I still have my notes from manually sorting out the beatgrid in Rekordbox: (bar -1.3) = 97.10 bpm bar 4.1 = 98.80 bpm bar 9.1 = 99.40 bpm bar 13.1 = 99.45 bpm bar 20.1 = 100.15 bpm bar 27.1 = 100.75 bpm bar 30.1 = 102.35 bpm bar 32.1 = 102.10 bpm - trumpet! then slow down bar 37.1 = 99.50 bpm bar 41.1 = 100.10 bpm bar 44.1 = 102.00 bpm bar 46.1 = 100.00 bpm bar 48.1 = 101.00 bpm bar 53.1 = 101.70 bpm bar 56.1 = 110.80 bpm - crazy trumpet! bar 56.4 = 102.00 bar 61.1 = 103.00 bar 62.3 = 106.50 bar 64.1 = 108.50 bar 65.1 = 101.65 bar 66.1 = 103.50 bar 67.1 = 102.00 bar 69.1 = 100.50 bar 71.1 = 100.75 bar 75.1 = 98.85 bar 76.1 = 101.00 bar 76.3 = 102.00 bar 80.1 = 100.60 bar 84.1 = 103.00 bar 86.1 = 104.85 bar 89.1 = 102.20 bar 93.1 = 101.75 bar 96.1 = 103.00 bar 100.1 = 104.65 bar 101.1 = 102.90 bar 108.1 = 108.00 bpm! bar 109.1= 101.50 bar 110.1 =104.35 bar 111.1 = 102.50

[@kidfromtheseventies]

Great work.

[@anthonymarinellimusic]

Awesome! You’re serious about beat matching, and thanks for including the numbers, love it!!

[@jedgould5531]

Or…nothing better to do than criticize Stevie Wonder measure by measure.

[@wesleywayne303]

@@jedgould5531Nah, he didn’t play it on time because he wanted it to have swing & elasticity for the keys he heard dancing around in his head. Same idea Dilla utilizes 25 years later not making it perfect & float around (sometimes slightly b4 or after) or slightly off… So it’s not bad playing, it’s Freeform genius. Stevie can play on time there’s tons of recorded footage you can find. He made the tempo breathe by design.

[@wesleywayne303]

That’s wild. That would’ve helped but I had to ride the pitch & be out in a bar or 2 on wax.😂 Even more torture full but not impossible if you lock down the song as you did w/ in/out points & knowing those tempos/bpm & if it’s speeding up or down. Music in the Streets is another fun one, but they were high as kites😂

[@juno6]

This channel is a miracle.

[@GregHighPressure]

synth mana from audio heaven is it not! :D

[@dyscotopia]

I feel like Anthony is building a time capsule. This is irreplaceable treasure

[@levanabrzeni]

People who say Stevie is not the greatest musician at all, have listened to his few most famous hits, but they have surely never listened to his early albums, as well as early live concerts. Stevie is the greatest mainstream musician of the XX

[@TYBO-xl1xz]

Salute Robert Margouleff R.I.P. Malcolm Cecil Underrated Innovative Pioneers

[@scotthd2841]

“You’ve got quad monitors in here, get to work!” 😂 AWESOME interview!!!!

[@goolly1]

As a musician, this interview was food to my creative stomach. Phenominal conversion! 🎶🎙🎸

[@Le_Mer]

I've been praying for a video like this ever since I discovered Stevie's music and realized how incredible his soundscapes were, especially during the 70s. Thank you for this!

[@SessionsWithMike]

This interview is absolute gold!!!

[@BlooblooPea]

As a gearhead, the thumbnail drew me in...but this man 🎉🙂‍↔️🧐🥹

[@wesleywayne303]

A treasure.

[@chrisharrison809]

Just got surgery, stuck in bed, Anthony puts this out and my spirits are up. Thank you Anthony!

[@anthonymarinellimusic]

Makes my day, get well soon!

[@GazWilliams]

Robert is remarkably on point in this terrific interview Anthony! What an incredible 83 year old! Thanks so much for this!

[@alphabonco]

Monster!!!

[@BlooblooPea]

🫠 hearing these stories and sensing this man's heartfelt being makes it obligatory to spead this kind of wonder and passion within every facet of the musical process

[@mathumphreys]

Wow, Robert's memory is SHARP! And the disappointment on Anthony's face when he learnt the Mini wasn't used on the classic albums - I could feel his pain! "No Mini Moog!" "I just wanted to be sure". Classic.

[@dfreeman120]

Played when I moved to LA set up in Malcolm’s studio. Had the pleasure of playing keyboards on the David Sanborn album As We Speak which was produced by Bob. Bob really set the tone for that project in every way plus we recorded all our songs from everyone Dave, Marcus Miller, Mike Sembello who introduced me to Bob since Mike was Stevie’s guitarist and Omar Hakim. Mike also brought me to TONTO saw you see all these connections lead to none other than Bob Margouleff. At the moment I’m in Riga Latvia meeting with Girts the owner of a great company Erica Synths. Much love Bob ❤

[@waskerbasket9601]

Nice, what a trip

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

I really wish you would put all the long form interviews in one playlist. Really hard to find each one.

[@anthonymarinellimusic]

I will do that!

[@neilloughran4437]

Incredible... I remember hearing Superwoman from Music of My Mind back in the mid 70s as a child and it always stayed with me... those beautiful Rhodes chords, the synth bass and eerie leads just mindblowing... I seem to remember a documentary some years ago where Robert and Cecil talked about the 1980 LP with Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson too... these guys were everywhere... even Weather Report were using the TONTO on Tale Spinnin' I recall..

[@djbrady]

What a fantastic interview. This is up there with the best Rick Beato interviews. Thank you!

[@skierpage]

This is _better_ in some ways than Rick Beato interviews. Mr. Marinelli interjected or found great photos to caption to name people and explain their rôle (like Gaudí the Catalan architect) and show album covers. Rick Beato is often lazy about showing or displaying who every Tom Dick and Hermione mentioned by the interviewee is.

[@baronmeduse]

@@skierpage Plus he seems to only ever interview guitar heros.

[@pauleyh]

both great producers opened the doors for greats like Anthony

[@MikeLindup42]

Finally got round to watching this in full. Wonderful on so many levels. It just shows that great music, which stands the test of time, has more than just crotchets, quavers, chords and words going on. It’s the intention behind the music, that spiritual energy that communicates through the artist and his team that produced these landmark albums. There are so many points to pick up on here: the sounds of the “Maxi Moog”, the completely analogue nature of the recording process (no recall, hands on, the synth patches being ephemeral, the studio as musical instrument, no click track, lyrical prompts, music vs business, quad recording, the bass drum vs backbeat, the pioneering spirit looking forward to what the next gen do with the new tools we have…. thanks Anthony for this. One of the first albums I bought was Innervisions when it was released and the sonics blew me away, let alone everything else about the album, and it’s been a template for me ever since. Of course as soon as I’d watched this I had to listen to it in full, and of course with new ears to the synth sounds in particular. What a wonderful man.

[@MichaelJayification]

I got shook when Robert made the comment about Stevie..."God touched him on the forehead...he might've taken his vision, but he didn't take his (vision)."

[@oholm09]

Stevie is one of my favorite artists of all time see I'm a music prodigy since I was a child

[@BullyMaguire4ever]

Stevie has that Innervision.

[@neocollective]

Anthony, thank you so much for having these unsung heroes tell their stories, it really makes their work even more enjoyable the next time I hear it. Thanks for so much music Mr Margouleff !!!

[@kidfromtheseventies]

For me this is one of the best interviews I’ve ever seen.

[@michaelbeardmore5943]

Pleasure interning with him at Crystal Studios. Super nice guy in an industry that can be not so nice. And fun to work with!

[@J053B01L]

Thank you for producing these interviews Anthony. They will be treasured by many for years to come.

[@elmerhooper6954]

This is such an amazing interview. I remember I had my first full time job and could afford to buy albums that "looked" interesting. Tonto's Expanding Head Band was one I found that way. And it did blow my mind. Talking Book was another seminal record and now to find that these two guys were at the heart of both. Robert also has a great attitude about AI . He was ahead of his time and to able to look ahead and still be excited about possibilities.

[@shanedunne8488]

Listening to Robert speak is absolutely riveting.

[@C_F_M]

As a young synthesizer lover this is one of the most incredible interviews I've listened to. This is a direct link to the very earliest beginnings of what we do as synthesists. I love it

[@asiwas]

Thank you for putting this out into the world. Had a smile on my face for most of it. What a life lived!

[@josephramone5805]

I grew up with the four legendary Stevie albums, and they've influenced my own music until this day, especially the nasty clavs and Moog basses. To finally see an in-depth interview with Bob is both emotional and mind-blowing to me. Thx, Anthony!! 💯

[@distantcomets]

This is one of the greatest interviews I've ever seen anywhere. What an amazing life and perspective! I'm so grateful to have just seen this.

[@Multi_ToBi]

Dear Anthony and Robert, thank you so much for the insights, the history lessons, and at the end of the video even the deep political and philosophical wisdom that you share with us (me). What a treat! Such an honor...

[@boxfishing]

Great interviewing skills from Anthony! Thanks for letting the guest talk and thank you for adding to the conversation with well thought out comments. The guest intro was much appreciated and made me stop and pay attention. Keep it up, team. What a great interview with such an interesting guest as Robert. Loved it.

[@ChromaticHarp]

I’m LOVING this channel! FASCINATING!

[@rundajulesproductions7735]

I was born in 1975 in LA to two musician's that met in Kent and moved to LA in 1974. My dad was an audio engineer and guitar player and my mom a singer and keyboard player. From her love of Ray and his love of Jeff Beck, and a healthy dose of Hip-Hop, I came upon Stevie and those albums have meant a lot to me and contain so much beauty. I was born on April 2 which is also Marvin's birthday! Both him and Steveland were singers and drummers. (me too) I didn't know you did all that man. God bless you and thanks! I used a sample from Living for the City for a project in my college sociology class and got an A+! Stevie also wrote Thelonius on that J.B. album who, I hope everybody knows, taught us all a good lesson on how to use those keys! Thanks for the interview. It sounds like you are not into Hip-Hop, but you have influenced it regardless, even if it was just Mike Dean (but it wasn't). Syl Johnson and Baby Huey are other good examples of people writing good R&B that was socially relevant even if they didn't achieve the same success. Sly Stone, Bob Marley, Donny Hathaway...and now that I think of it, I want to agree with him bc of how much this guy has done but saying that the only black artists doing socially relevant music were Stevie and Marvin is just not right. He is in his eighties; maybe he is just not thinking. Like every time you asked him what year that was it was 1971. Long live T.O.N.T.O.!

[@barrieflix]

Interesting interview, thanks. As Jeff Beck tells the story of Superstition (about 57min), he says he was messing about on the drums, when Stevie walked in and said "yes, keep playing that groove" Jeff said "no, it's me, Jeff, I'm not a drummer" but Stevie made up the riff & chords on the spot - then a demo was recorded with Stevie playing drums - then Stevie & Jeff chatted about different superstitions in the US and the UK and that formed the basis of the lyrics. The riff sits great on guitar and Jeff wanted the song - Stevie's management insisted he couldn't give it away - but Jeff did record it with Beck Bogart Appice. So far as I know Jeff didn't perform or record 'Cus We Ended As Lovers until the Blow By Blow sessions a few years later.

[@Bassic778]

WOW!!!!! This is one of the most FASCINATING INTERVIEWS I'VE EVER SEEN!!! Thank you Anthony and thank you, Robert and Malcolm, for creating one of the greatest inventions in music history, and thank the IMMENSE GOD-GIVEN TALENT OF STEVIE WONDER!!! Greg Phillinganes-GENIUS!

[@AzadRatzki]

Such a fantastic interview Anthony. Robert’s comments are so self aware and prophetic it’s refreshing. Hearing about his experiences with Stevie, views on technology, producing, and subtle social activism for positive change through positive music/art…this for me is what an ideal creative looks like. You are bringing creators front center that were (and sometimes still are) at the epicenter of some of the greatest moments of our contemporary music history, I hope you keep it up. Hearing how a given MJ synth sound was made is something my 14 year old self, 25 years ago, is something I never thought I’d see when I first started writing music. Thank you!

[@sean_patten]

Living legend. Love the long form videos!

[@Pillowcase]

It's stories like these that make our history. We're very lucky to have this one shared with us.

[@guyrichardson6556]

Great interview. I’ve heard several interviews with Malcolm Cecil, but this is the first I’ve seen with Bob Margouleff. It’s great that despite the passage of time he has held onto his idealism.

[@GustavoMoradel]

This was one of my favorite interviews ever! Thank you

[@sammcn]

INCREDIBLY deep, interesting, informative and more, Anthony, thank you so much. Those of us old enough to remember "Talking Book" when it first appeared, 1972/73........I had ZERO clue HOW those sounds were arrived at, back then, and this interview/talk explains so very much. Completely RADICAL and innovative was this man and his work, especially with Stevie. Thank you again, Sam McNally Australia.

[@raymondgracie2592]

This channel is beyond words. Excellent job. I’m blown away by the content. Legendary artisans working there magic. The stories are just incredible

[@Amaury1514]

I’m 25 just now really getting into Stevie have been blown away by the quality and creativity. This came perfect timing thank you 🙏🏽

[@robertbarbosa4070]

Beautiful, I want to cry. To see and hear the passion, it's so awesome.

[@SRDhain]

So glad Bob is still around to talk about this in such depth. He's a thoughtful, intelligent, positive, forward-thinking man. I knew about Bob & Malcom due to the Stevie Wonder connection & also some of Bob's remixes, including Depeche Mode's But Not Tonight. Arguably, some of Steve's best work was with Bob, Malcolm & TONTO. I was stunned to hear how casually he said he also did the three note Duracell motif. I guess it was just another job for him on the way to conceive and build one of the best electronic composite synthesizer instruments in existence I'll listen to both TONTO albums later tonight; the bass still blows you away from the first few notes of the opening of Cybernaut . It'd be great to hear it in 5.1 (is there / are there any surviving mixes in quad or surround?) Thank you, Anthony. This was 🌅

[@mistad309]

This is the interview I’ve been waiting for most of my life 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@LesDeuxLoveOrchestra]

Bob produced some of my demos in the mid-80s, at Westlake Studios in Hollywood. No TONTO, but I had my Prophet and an Emulator. I was crazy about Innervisions.

[@xDenneyx]

This was an exceptional interview. Fantastic story. Really enjoyed the back and forth closer to the end. This man is clearly a national treasure and any additional content with him is most welcome. I thought your knowledge and line of questioning was spot on. Great job. ❤

[@DrSynth]

Such a great interview, can't imagine what's in the outtakes 😜!

[@keyboard_customs]

What an interview. THANK YOU, Anthony. Beautiful work.

[@simonporter2189]

This is great. I loved how Anthony’s Quad MOOG was pointed out and he’s “yeah well…um”

[@shadowstealer2790]

Absolutely brilliant,pure inspiration,and I’ve only watched 1/3 of it.Thank you!

[@artistlovepeace]

So cool! Thanks for producing and sharing. Wow! Stevie Wonder is always playing in my head.

[@Meteotrance]

I'm so happy that you give the opportunity to the Legendary Bob Margouleff , able to told what they realy achieved on those classic albums, by one of my favorite one man band and composer that was Stevie Wonder.

[@davewestner]

Glad to watch this, thanks for putting it together!

[@Geopholus]

Thanks for this WONDERFUL INTERVIEW ! especially happy that You included the social justice aspect of what music can inspire and how it opens minds to actually listen to the HEART of what it means to EXIST. Lots of truth to the deadly 4 beats dead nuts on the downbeat,... it really kills all the beauty in Music.

[@heathwellsNZ]

This piece should be part of educational syllabus for taught music. What a delight and privilege to watch and hear. Thanks Anthony and your hard working family and team who let us hear from Robert like this. I was captivated throughout!

[@danthomas9624]

Thanks for so much for this interesting, epic, interview! Thank you for the all the support photos, videos, and graphics to help explain details in more detail!!

[@grooveduststudio]

capturing the history and the creative moments of Robert is just a very special interview

[@WoodworkerDon]

"Like a ball bearing through mayonnaise." I really enjoy these story time videos. Fun. Educational. Enlightening. 🎵👏

[@hellorambo]

This is one of the most amazing things I've ever watched. Thank you.

[@dfreeman120]

Hi Anthony, I am thrilled that you have my good friend Bob Margouleff producer visionary extraordinaire on your channel for all his contributions to electronic music and beyond to this very day. As I said earlier TONTO was the first synth I pl

[@Esperluet]

13:16 One million dollars question

[@PatternRecognitionMusic]

Had to pause only 20 minutes in to go look for Aurora and listen to it. So great to get to hear the history from Robert himself! As always, thank you, Anthony.

[@cljdryden]

This is an outstanding conversation. Thank you so much for the privilege of hearing this. 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾

[@joeriben]

It is incredible that we can watch something of this quality and relevance just like this on this channel. Thank you Anthony!

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Absolutely brilliant. Sharing it everywhere I can. Thanks for doing this.

[@MusicoElectronico]

Such a blessing to hear all these incredible stories from Bob Margouleff 🎶 🎵 ❤️

[@dyscotopia]

I hesitated to click on this video due to its length, but it's such a pleasure to hear these stories so clearly told by a pioneer who had contact with so many other legendary figures. Thank you for making me aware of soneone who left an indelible influence on music and culture

[@bobfrye448]

What an amazing interview with one of the most amazing musicians of our time. Thank you Anthony!!!

[@William.Driscoll]

Man- What an interesting conversation-! Thank you both. Just fantastic.

[@THR-zf6ti]

Thanks so much! What I learned from this wonderful man: less business - more music! all the best for you, Bob and Tony!

[@mistermac56]

A fascinating, inspiring, and wonderful interview. The one thing that blew me away is the mixing in the quad domain. Absolutely brilliant.

[@HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES]

What an absolute treat and excellent interview technique ! Here’s to you Anthony for really digging in and getting the story so thoroughly documented. Just brilliant to hear all this. Bob you are a treasure ❤

[@mobial]

Everything about this is incredible. Thank you for documenting our culture in such a wonderful way!

[@BenA718]

This video was fantastic! I love how this video isn't just a great conversation, or even a great interview, but an affirmation, thanks, and celebration of Mr Margouleff's legacy. I love the humanity you put into your videos, thanks for this!

[@marcherrmann9635]

I've really enjoyed every second of this unusually long interview!

[@zemertz]

This was a great interview thanks !

[@Big_Schnuck]

being a studiocat myself for over 20y this brings me to places why i dedicate big parts of my life to the churches of synth. epic interview. love this channel and his creator. thank you !

[@MikeS-1969]

It was everything said in all the previous comments. What more to say. Great interview, so many great points and also information! Great content as always in this channel, presenting very interesting people too. But THIS guy! WOW!

[@DavidGilden]

Great interview. I love the Electronic /R&B/Jazz fusion music from the 70s, the tempo and groove of the music was never static but was evolving and organic -- it was analog not digital - I think that was the key!

[@unclejerrysworld]

Wow! Your channel just gets better and better!!! Great work Anthony!!! I love this channel!!!

[@9VDC]

Stunning stories and Anthony: you're a wonderful interviewer! Great place here to learn about art and synthesizers!

[@PabloSintesMartinez]

What a WISE man! When you put together a brilliant artist interviewed by another brilliant one, the result is an interview like this: absolute treasure. Thanks, Bob for your generosity to share and thanks, Anthony for your intelligent questions and comments. Truly enjoyable video. Cheers from Uruguay! 😃🇺🇾❤

[@ChromaticHarp]

As a Huge Stevie Fan, I can’t believe how GREAT this is! I can’t stop watching!

[@jfs_films]

amazing! Thank you Robert and Anthony!

[@JohnLRice]

Fascinating and fantastic interview! Thank you Anthony and Robert! 👌💖👍

[@moonelfcosmo]

This is a fantastic and engaging interview. In this day and age of pleasing the algorithm, much thanks for the authentic long form video which allows the true essence of the conversation to live and breathe. All I can say is I wish I knew about this living legend sooner. Bravo 👏🏽

[@OldBoans]

Wow! I loved this interview, thanks Anthony.

[@waskerbasket9601]

Great interview. Thanks to both of you.

[@electricmooofficial]

what a great interview, and what legend! I had to laugh when Robert turned around & pointed at the mixer "get to work!" haha...and NO MINIMOOG! a MAXIMOOG....classic! Thanks both

[@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879]

Great channel. Absolute joy. Fantastic. Anthony is brilliant. Insightful and smart. Great guests excellent research and questions.

[@Lofyne]

What a great story! Many thanks Anthony for getting Robert in there and putting this together.

[@neilloughran4437]

Anthony just an idea... would be lovely if we could hear insights into specific Stevie tracks... i know its hard with respect to copyright but to hear Bob talking about the synths on Superwoman (which is incredible) would be quite something and would be perfect for short form content...

[@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO]

Musicians are notoriously bad at business. I believe because, like car designers and other artists they feel if the art is right the business will take care of itself.

[@yodamandala]

Indeed business bods is the musicians kryptonite

[@IC-Alchemy]

No, because we are not sociopaths and music has nothing to do with business

[@scottstuit9305]

I agree. A family friend was a pioneer in "modern" lithography. A Holocaust survivor he arrived in Detroit circa 1944. He could have patented several innovations but never pursued them. Advancing the industry was more important. He later worked with the US Secret Service on difficult counterfeiting cases even receiving a thank you gift of an uncut sheet from a case. That would not happen today. 😂

[@chrisolley2762]

@@IC-Alchemywell said

[@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO]

@@IC-Alchemy Been signed yet? I know a few artists that have. By the time they wake up, it's too late. Fortunately, labels are not really necessary for commercial success these days. Oh... You do know that the real Charles Manson, had opportunities to sign record deals. He used to hang out with The Beach Boys, they were impressed with his talent.

[@nilspipenbrinck8040]

Awesome interview. Great production as well. What I really liked was the little detail when Robert asked to play the synths and was was rolling up his sleeve in anticipation :-)

[@martynkentfrancis]

So good to hear these stories. The questions I’ve wondered about for decades and ones I couldn’t even think to ask. Thanks to all concerned 🙏 fascinating ❤️

[@stevebeye1585]

Love this! I was a little kid that was captivated by Boogie On Reggae Woman. Stevie Wonder and Tonto is ground zero for me, musically. Thanks for this!

[@scottstuit9305]

My first favorite song.

[@g3cd]

Thanks Anthony for the teaser, I came here from the short Tonto version and it was totally worth watching the whole lot of it.

[@pneptun]

amazing interview! thank you for moderating it, because Robert obviously has a lot to say and has a bit of a disregard for time and space coherence 😀thanks for keeping the story on tracks!