In 1964, his senior year at Glendora High School, Schnee started a band, The LA Teens, writing songs and playing organ.
Schnee then started law school at Loyola University, but took a leave of absence in the second semester to continue playing and recording music.
[4] Schnee has recorded and mixed with a wide variety of artists that include Steely Dan, Chicago, Ringo (with all the Beatles), Natalie Cole, Rod Stewart, Dire Straits, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, The Pointer Sisters, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, The Jacksons, Mark Knopfler, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Marvin Gaye, George Benson, Bette Midler, and Amy Grant.
As a producer, Schnee has worked with Boz Scaggs, Joe Sample, Thelma Houston, Kiki Dee, and launched the careers of Huey Lewis and the News and Pablo Cruise.
Schnee and his fellow engineers built all of the equipment for the studio, including the discrete recording console and custom tube microphone preamps.