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drums from “billie jean” by michael jackson | ToneDB

billie jean

michael jackson

drums

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

Tight, punchy, and somewhat dry electronic drums with a distinct 80s vibe, characterized by a prominent kick and snare with gated reverb. The sound is clean and impactful, designed to drive the rhythm of the song.

Gear

LinnDruminstrument
Reverb$129Sweetwater
Yamaha CS-80synth
ReverbSweetwater
Urei 1176compressor
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

The drums on "Billie Jean" were created using a LinnDrum machine, programmed and arranged by Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien at Westlake Recording Studios. The characteristic snare sound features the famous gated reverb effect that became synonymous with 80s production, while the kick drum was heavily compressed to achieve its tight, punchy attack. Additional synthesized elements, possibly from a Yamaha CS-80, were layered to enhance the overall drum sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Quincy Jones

Engineer: Bruce Swedien

Recorded at: Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles

Signal Chain

Instrument: LinnDrum

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a LinnDrum sample library or virtual instrument to get the basic drum sounds.
  • Use a compressor to tighten up the kick drum and make it punchier.
  • Apply a gated reverb to the snare drum, adjusting the gate time for the desired effect.
  • Experiment with synth layers to add depth and complexity to the drum sounds.
  • Pay attention to the overall mix, ensuring that the drums are prominent but not overwhelming.

Original Gear

  • LinnDrum(drums)
  • Yamaha CS-80(synth)
  • Urei 1176(compressor)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Arturia DrumBrute Impact$299-$349

Alternative to: LinnDrum

Analog drum machine with classic 80s-style sounds and built-in distortion that can recreate the punchy, electronic character of the LinnDrum

ReverbSweetwater
Native Instruments Battery 4$199-$249

Alternative to: LinnDrum

Includes authentic LinnDrum samples and extensive processing options to recreate the exact drum sounds from the original recording

ReverbSweetwater
Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection$299-$349

Alternative to: Urei 1176 compressor

Faithful emulation of the original 1176 used to compress and tighten the kick drum on the recording

ReverbSweetwater
Eventide UltraReverb$179-$199

Alternative to: Gated reverb effect

Features authentic 80s gated reverb algorithms that can recreate the iconic snare sound with precise gate timing control

ReverbSweetwater
Arturia CS-80 V$199-$249

Alternative to: Yamaha CS-80

Accurate software emulation of the CS-80 used for the synthesized percussion layers that augment the drum sounds

ReverbSweetwater
Roland TR-8S$699-$799

Alternative to: Complete drum setup

Modern drum machine with authentic Roland samples plus the ability to load custom LinnDrum samples, with built-in effects for gated reverb

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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