rhythm guitar from “billie jean” by michael jackson | ToneDB
billie jean
michael jackson
rhythm guitar
Tone Profile
The rhythm guitar in "Billie Jean" features a clean, funky tone with a slightly percussive attack. It's a quintessential clean 80's funk sound.
Shop This Rig
ToneDB may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
The Story
The rhythm guitar on Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios with producer Quincy Jones and engineer Bruce Swedien. A Fender Stratocaster was run through a Fender Twin Reverb amp and recorded with a close-mic'd Shure SM57. The clean, percussive tone was enhanced with compression and EQ during mixing to emphasize the funky, rhythmic attack that drives the track.
Production Credits
Producer: Quincy Jones
Engineer: Bruce Swedien
Recorded at: Westlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb
Amp: Fender Twin ReverbShop on Reverb
Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Use a clean amp setting with a Fender Stratocaster for the core tone.
- Experiment with the guitar's tone knobs to find the sweet spot for funk.
- Use a compressor to even out the dynamics and add sustain.
- Apply a slight EQ boost in the high-mid frequencies to enhance the percussive attack.
Original Gear
ToneDB may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster
Provides authentic single-coil pickups and Strat tone at a budget price, perfect for clean funk tones
Alternative to: Fender Twin Reverb
Accurately models the clean headroom and sparkle of vintage Fender amps used on the original recording
Alternative to: Fender Twin Reverb
Modern reissue of the exact amp model used on the recording, delivering pristine clean tones with ample headroom
Alternative to: Studio compression and EQ
Provides studio-quality compression to achieve the punchy, percussive attack essential for this funk tone
Alternative to: Shure SM57 microphone
The same microphone model used on the original recording, still manufactured and widely available
Frequently Asked Questions
Community Insights
No community insights yet. Be the first to contribute!