Steely Dan Members, Gear & Sound

group founded by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen

Genre

Rock Jazz Pop rock Soft rock Country rock Folk rock Art rock Psychedelic rock Roots rock Classic rock Yacht Rock Folk Jazz rock album rock mellow gold

Members

Select a Steely Dan band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Larry Carlton

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Fourplay The Crusaders Larry Carlton With Yellowjackets Lee Ritenour & Larry Carlton Larry Carlton & Michel Colombier Larry Carlton & B.B. King Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather Larry Carlton, Martin Cohan, Blake Hunter & Robert Kraft Larry Carlton-Steve Lukather Band

See Gear
Walter Becker

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

China Crisis

See Gear
Jeff Porcaro

Roles:

Drummer Composer

Groups:

Toto Greg Mathieson Project

See Gear
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

The Doobie Brothers Billy Vera & The Beaters The Holy Modal Rounders Ultimate Spinach The Louisiana Gator Boys Jimmy James and the Blue Flames Texas Toad Lickers The Best The Cheap Dates

See Gear
Donald Fagen

Roles:

Singer Keyboardist Composer

Groups:

The Dukes of September

See Gear
Chuck Rainey

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Afriqué Cal Tjader, Arthur Adams & Chuck Rainey

See Gear
Jon Herington

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Chroma

See Gear
Michael McDonald

Roles:

Singer Keyboardist

Groups:

The Doobie Brothers The Dukes of September Artists United for Nature

See Gear
Chris Potter

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist Composer Music Producer

Groups:

Pat Metheny Unity Band

See Gear
Keith Carlock

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Toto Toxic Monkey

See Gear
Elliott Randall

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

The Doobie Brothers Asia Electro-Harmonix Work Band

See Gear
David Palmer

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Yellow Magic Orchestra The The ABC The Amboy Dukes

See Gear
Denny Dias

Roles:

Guitarist

Needs more gear

See Gear
Tom Barney

Roles:

Bassist Composer

Groups:

The Honeydrippers Pat Metheny Group Mike Stern (band) Miles Davis (solo) The Sunday Night Band

Needs more gear

See Gear
Roger Rosenberg

Roles:

Composer

Needs more gear

See Gear
Cornelius Bumpus

Roles:

Singer Keyboardist

Groups:

The Doobie Brothers Moby Grape

No gear added

See Gear
Jim Hodder

Roles:

Drummer

No gear added

See Gear
Royce Jones

Roles:

Singer Drummer

No gear added

See Gear

About

Steely Dan is an iconic American rock band known for their sophisticated fusion of jazz, rock, and pop, led by the duo Walter Becker (bass) and Donald Fagen (vocals, keyboards). Formed in the early 1970s, the group emerged as a studio-focused project, enlisting a rotating cast of top-notch session musicians to craft their meticulously arranged albums. This approach allowed Steely Dan to cultivate a sound that is both polished and intricate, characterized by complex harmonies, cryptic lyrics, and a sardonic sense of humor. Their genre-spanning work includes elements of jazz rock, classic rock, and yacht rock, with albums like Aja and Gaucho earning critical acclaim and enduring popularity.

How to Sound Like Steely Dan

Steely Dan's sound is a master class in clean, precise production and sophisticated musicality. Their music often features rich, melodic textures with a focus on harmonic complexity and lyrical wit. The use of Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitars and Fender 1951 Telecaster guitars contributes to their smooth and articulate guitar tones, while the Yamaha CP-70 Electric Grand Piano provides a warm, resonant underpinning to many tracks. The band's penchant for blending jazz-inflected chord progressions with rock and pop sensibilities creates a lush, sophisticated sonic landscape. Their music thrives on the interplay between precise rhythms and layered instrumental arrangements, making use of dynamic shifts and subtle studio effects to achieve a polished, yet deeply engaging sound.

Discography

Can't Buy A Thrill

1972

Countdown To Ecstasy

1973

Pretzel Logic

1974

Katy Lied

1975

The Royal Scam (2025 Remaster)

1976

Aja

1977

Gaucho

1980

Alive In America

1995

Two Against Nature

2000

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Radio Broadcast With Steely Dan

2005

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR: STEELY DAN LIVE (Live)

2021

Get the Steely Dan Sound

Want to sound like Steely Dan? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.