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" This is sound check I'm John -- producer T bone Burnett is often known as the go to man for artists looking for the sound of gritty authenticity your roots the Americana. He's worked with musicians like Bob Dylan Elvis Costello Robert plant and Alison Krauss. And film directors like the Cohen Brothers his soundtrack to O brother where art that was sold close to nine million copies and won four grammys. And he's also busy as a solo artist right now you're hearing his new album tooth of crime. And there's another side T bone -- activities he's fighting to promote better sound quality in this era of digital downloads. T bone Burnett welcome back to sound check and you have to be here. So before we get to the new record let me ask you about this project that you've started -- code that's what is it. And why did you start well I start the."

" You know we started because we want the world to signal better you know. We've been fighting digital sound since it came out twenty years ago and that the people -- learned from learned. Engineering and music and sound and sonics and fidelity from. On had very specific notions -- down and then and Bill Clinton and these guys. -- Oliver's specific notions about high fidelity sound the daytime they talk alone they taught the whole world actually. -- for onsite when we and us it who I'm talking about our team specifically but until I'm also talking about you and me and it. The 'cause but here's why because. -- 1949. Between 19491952 -- in a -- in our day which -- these organs sound organizations. Came out with finally published the RIA equalization curve which equalized all recorded music. But despite equalization you mean some of it you -- compressing or no I mean. Before before that every manufacturer and its own set of standard -- okay yeah so so. Broadcasters and listeners were counseling him to adjust their supports to try to guess with the artist intended. And from about 1950 until night the mid 1980s. Everybody was speaking the same language the audience in the artists were speaking the same language. And this extraordinary musical culture developed you know Elvis Presley came very shortly after that in The Beatles and on an -- So literally the sounds of the industry was standardized tests -- So you know everyone had two speakers and -- in a turntable and an amplifier. And we were all we rolled plugged -- and we were all together. With the advent of digital sound all those standards are thrown out the windows and the -- inertia from those old days of making things louder to get over surface noise and brighter today. I had to mitigate the effects of them that just the effects the characteristics of taper vinyl. Because people make things brighter and louder and brighter and louder and more compressed into really music's gotten to a place. It's hard either of difficult to listen to a lot a lot of a lot of records are hard to listen to from -- a -- and then. It there it's it's step down and stepped down instead of down from tape. Suit to digital two to compress digital to til now people are listening to. A Xerox of a Polaroid of -- photograph of -- and so what is code. We'll code is taking all of those all of those practices. And but you latte what it is first of all I got to the point where I did not want to put records around anymore in the way they were being put out because they didn't represent what I wanted to hear. So I solve the problem for myself. And the way -- solve this problem for myself to be able to control the way the thinks sounds is to make. We took to release all our records multi format it. So that so that will put on dvd in on the dvd will be version that you can just put in a dvd and play and dvds you'll also be. WAV files and 2496 wave files that you can download and your computer they'll also be ABC files. The -- of BMP three files all in this one thing we're gonna sell people multiple formats for the same price as. Whatever people are paying enough so."

" So for example you by the CD but in this same jewel box is the audio only dvds and I made a film or something but I knew this is all of -- all that's out. So on on this subject disk you have the dvd version which. Is superior solidly to the CD and then you have all these kind of loss lists downloadable file don't digital files that's right instead of forcing people to rip them or buy extra -- formats are Brit bad copies. And all these things have the shortest possible wire back to the very original most original source which is one of the view that one of the main maximum of fidelity mile and you're the producer whether your time that one of your own records or records that you've produced for someone else -- you know what you were hearing in the control room as some the mixing and mastering was going on. So you want us to have this close to that experience."

" This weekend I didn't feel bad that it did audiences the listeners are being sold these to generated copies of what we did and we never intended me wide by. You know stradivarius guitar command creditors file income would that he had made a guitar I have -- that was that he did. But it you know they -- five million dollars what's the point of playing and recording a five million dollar violence going to be played back essentially the speaker of hallmark greeting card. So so and and what was happening was. We were finishing these tapes -- were getting did they're down to sixteen bit which you automatically throw out over half the information you've recorded. On tape would you make it CD. And then after the CD -- they were being compressed in the MP threes and then that would be compressed and you know. And I just can't be an -- nobody that we knew was doing it. It would be some kid -- workstation and record -- somewhere someone who did not have the years of the training -- it wasn't there -- in the studio in -- essentially re mixing the record for -- speaking with T bone -- his new CD is called tooth of crime on nonesuch which releases CDS_CD. so what's the what's the the format here mean as well this this came just as -- CD because it would the timing wasn't right the first. The first record that we've been able to actually put applied the whole process -- is John Mellencamp record that's coming up in July. And it's coming out in five if initially in five formats. You know I mean we we're -- relief it's the same price yeah same prices the regular CD yeah yeah well -- charged or causes no more -- there's no more expense. It's you know the record companies did themselves and they really didn't. And yet been one of the most unfortunate outcomes of the decline in the record industry is this decline in and quality control. So so you know as we go along we're gonna offer more and more reform -- rule -- we're gonna offer optimization for your car you know. Will will if you want me to look at your house and do an optimization -- house."

" I want that I want -- liberty going through the filth in my card optimal sound if I -- I have to tell me you know I love. These crappy MP three files on my iPod when I'm driving down the road because I can feed into the car stereo system and that compressed sound. I know it's not given me everything but when I'm competing with the sound of the engine and cars going by. It works from so if -- if there's a way to optimize ticket good sound in the car that I can actually hear then I'm interest."

" There is -- that's what we're gonna do mean as I mean we're we're we're taking -- step at a time when Henry Miller said if we just take care which -- right under our noses everything would be okay. So instead of even thinking about trying to change the industry or any kind of stuff we're just gonna start putting the things that we have to put out an out. In a way that solves the problem I have and solves the problem that the that the audience that that's."

" I'd let's what's your little bit of the CDS so presumably down the road -- hope -- tooth of crime will be re released in these other formats the audio dvd et cetera everything that's ever been digitized will be re digitize because. Because see this this treasury of American music is too important. To have -- you know half of it through half of the information recorded throat and I and and just when listening to. Digital only really in the last couple years has gotten to a point where it's actually good enough to rival any kind of power it's simply because the the sampling its more information per second you're getting very close and and you're not cutting off in with CDs you cut off everything and all of those high frequencies and how we balance you know. If we live to new world. -- worked with CD quality we would we would be less stable we."

" Spoken like a true producer and after T bone Burnett is my guest he's actually in town with Robert plant and Alison -- he produced their record is leading there band. But this is a song from his new record called tooth of crime the song is -- island."

" Don't violence is a song from -- and Burnett's new record tooth of crime duet here with. Sam Phillips and T bone I I keep saying to new record it's in new record but the songs go back a ways down the."

" go back to the 1996 when I was working on play on the on the play tooth for a second dance with -- Sam -- I had about about the mid ninety's I decided to -- retire because of the record companies all wanted everything to go through really. -- slot and everything in -- them to certain way and if it had become completely uninteresting so I just stopped. And I would -- my agent sort managers and or whatever they were. I I just stopped and them. It's very shortly there after Sam Sheppard called and said would you like to would you like to write some music for this -- into the crime message sure so what we came appear for about five months. Live to appear and wrote and and played in corrales and had a great time."

" And so that was 9697596 so then two questions commander of that. What made you come back to these songs in particular and what eventually brought you back into the recording industry in such a big way. You know in general. Well what."

" You know these songs never left me that does the -- alone kills them that Roy orbison knew were tonight and started years before. And generally die very shortly thereafter and that was I was caring personality of whoever since the -- you know there was. There was no KD Lang -- version of it. After the World Cup leaders after the play the there was no voice that can carry -- there was no frame confident. It's so that it wouldn't it which infectious Dicey putting out some you know we have to wait there a certain period. The excuse me all of those all of those songs I love those things worked hard on -- and and you know eroded in perfect rhyme in the whole. The whole piece is written in perfect rhyme which had never even gotten close to form but some of them being in New York in the theater let me in that direction. And and so I kept between between other things you know would come back to work on trying to find. Find and he knew that that the funny thing was while we were working on this there was applied there was a version buried child Steppenwolf. Brought to Broadway. Sam -- first time on Broadway in and -- and I went to the opening -- in and we -- and Jules Coleman outside and he city -- Look at me do movies it's going to be a sound -- movie. And which you like which were to do in a censure immediately incidents do it and it was the big Belsky. And then that led to. Over over -- and then you know then just I just went on get I got out of the record business and into this other world of music. Music and image and back it back into the art world which we started."

" We're speaking with T bone Burnett his latest album is tooth of crime but of course he produced the soundtrack to O brother where art -- and that is the Robert plant and Alison Krauss CD which you're you know the music director for their band. Performing tomorrow and Wednesday night 8 PM -- the one -- theater at Madison Square Garden. T bones my guest on sound check today. You mentioned the -- kills unlimited can hear a little bit of this of this was something that you would even Roy orbison had begun to work on right so we was your task to finish this well."

" We've gotten you know we've gotten halfway through it and then he he died. Yeah I thought I probably should finish it it was a beautiful melody and I didn't wanted to slated to to let's let's hear a little bit. From my -- T bone Burnett. Candidate."

" Kill zone is from T bone Burnett his new record is called tooth of crime currently out as a conventional CD one of these days we'll get the dvd audio with the full sound that you -- here in the studio in -- When your mixing and mastering these records you've produced raising sand for Alison Krauss and Robert plant. Did that chemistry that very obvious chemistry between them that happen right away or was it your job as a producer to kind of facility that."

" No you know it was it was there are completely from the beginning and my my job most of you know participate in that chemistry."

" And how did that participation work well Alison Krauss and Robert plant were here in our sound -- studio in the fall and they told us how that worked. We send things back and forth in our online and sent things that the and then when Nat T -- got involved he had a group of things together that fit very well. And we both for intrigued by and then Robert and it a number of songs to that list after that."

" Ahtyba and really he's reset and he's choices of material was so far rat and a challenging and it was a descending selection of songs which I think I've -- I couldn't believe how beautiful themselves in their original form."

" And."

" Robert plant and Alison Krauss rich woman is from there collaborative record raising sand produced by T bone Burnett is that you playing the guitar and -- So when someone approaches you -- it to produce a record for them. What are US I mean US for free range you choose the studio which you helped choose the songs was or is that a project by project you know I I have a doctor. Drew Francis -- Just told me about a year community can't work with anybody who doesn't love me it is not a doctor or therapist."

" Now -- that he's used them as actual doctor but he's right you know. Because all of this that all of the things that were to win the people who love each other and are willing to be generous and not. Not take -- not everybody's taking constantly. So I don't I don't really choose the things they that the the thing people you know love each other and then it happens and if you try to do something in the person. Starts of living -- the begins withdrawing you know it and it hurts and -- so he was writing about the -- try to music right -- here."

" Has this happened that you've had to walk away from the project because it started off well and then something went wrong halfway through."

" Well yeah their are and they're you know there have been records that were. There were less successful where I started you know I started out in good faith but never could find my way into our. But couldn't make it always I never have never with you know I've never quit but but I have -- back backed way off because. When people start saying well -- only do it this way one of the things that is a producer and a university no. And -- never offer any resistance of so if somebody wants to do send the message okay and sometimes it turns into. Into a complication where. I'm saying yes to things that are causing me to sort of disappear so that's happened a couple of times I don't mind him there he teaches him."

" We're speaking with T bone Burnett singer songwriter guitarist and ace producer. Phil Spector had his wall of sound -- also very different way of approaching people in the studio often armed and dangerous. That you obviously have a different approach is there but T bone Burnett sent as far as you can ascertain and."

" Think we're I think we're did developing line I do think in the last ten years we've we've come close to developing something it's certainly. It's certainly is different from the way most records come out these days it's you know we've set we've set now a set of standards. That goes through every -- we're we're we're now into. Buying the most popular playback equipment and and optimizing just for that to try to achieve the same depth in this same. The same interaction dissent in the same overtone interaction the same interaction between the musicians."

" So it again it comes back to the clarity of the debt. Realism if you will -- play sound a sense of place so that you feel like you're in a room with the musicians and you can see the musicians playing and you can see the room. So I mean you know the the the woes of the music industry have been. Greatly you know talked about him noted in the press and whatnot. Is this just one of them is this one of the ways in which the industry has lost its ways purely from a sonic standpoint I would say it's a it's a massive part of it was if we use just in nature. Sounds go up to in 96000 cycles well beyond human hearing you well know you well beyond human hearing but not be beyond human feeling. Because you know there's sounds that are five cycles that are so low you can't hear him. But they'll they'll shake you apart if they're loud enough I mean that they enter your body and those -- sounds and your body. And and we as I was saying earlier we balance those high yours sounds that we don't hear. It's supposedly. Are the ways we actually find out where we arm in a room. You know that the the way we doubt with a serve a purpose a -- balancing purpose right so so since we're in nature where we're hearing -- 96000 cycles and then when we put on a piece of music on the CD it only goes up to 22000 cycles. You're cutting off 70000 cycles of important crucial information. And it's all part of what makes music feel good. And and you know. Briefly because I don't want this turn into --"

" Well I and I think actually -- TiVo going to have to leave it there because we're out of time and -- you you have stuff goin' on okay. All over the place Robert plant and Alison Krauss you're leading that band tomorrow and Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. At 8 PM you don't produce there collaborative record raising sand. T bone -- own record is tooth of crime he also of course produced the hit soundtrack to O brother where art now in many many others. Great to have you back on the ship things you can imagine thank you. And that'll do it for this. Edition of sound check tomorrow the most anticipated hip pop release of the year comes out. But Carter three by southern rapper Lil Wayne will debate if he is indeed the best rapper alive as he proclaims or just out of control. Also Jakob Dylan is best known as the frontman of the wall flowers and as the son of a certain American music legend. You'll join us to share the Rick Rubin produced solo album seeing things. -- technical director is Irene for Dell or engineer today was bill Bowen. The program is produced by Brian lies and jewel -- our executive producer -- so erect a talent we have help today from two young Kim and justice to its feet. I'm John -- be with us again at this time tomorrow thanks for listening to WNYC on demand please check out our other programs at WNYC dot org or on iTunes. This free service is made possible by our listeners become a member of WNYC today"