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What instruments and samples did MJ use in his songs?

SRT99

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I've always tried to wonder and figure out what types of synthesizers, drum machines, non-digital instruments, and samples were used on all of MJ's albums. We seem to have little information on this already, and would like to see what knowledge you guys have on what he used.

Of course, we know that he used stuff like a Minimoog and Linn drums on the Thriller album, the Yamaha DX7 on the Bad album, and many different types of drums samples and whatnot on the Dangerous, History, BOTDF, and Invincible albums. But I would like to know exactly what he used so to get a better knowledge and maybe make some tracks with these sounds.

Much help would be appreciated. (y)
 
Teddy Riley provided some more information regarding instruments they used for the ‘Dangerous’ album, for example:

For the ‘Black Or White’ song, they used the Emulator III drum machine (also known as EIII), which was E-mu's biggest and most professional sampler/synthesizer at the time.

For the ‘Dangerous’ song, they used the Akai MPC-60 drum machine.

About the ‘BAD’ album, among others they also used the Roland D-50 digital synthesizer, which was an instrument that became very popular when it came out in April (1987).

About the ‘BAD’ album, they also used the Roland JX-10 Super JX (on the ‘I Just Can't Stop Loving You’ song, for example), which is an analog synthesizer.
 
No instrument *, Michael didn't play instruments so he didn't use them.
(* I'm too sure about piano though as I it varies according to sources.)

To reply more seriously I found this video rather interesting about the importance of microphones and studio techniques that make the synthesizers sound "better":

Also the intro for Off The Wall uses a theremin I think.

(I'm not a musician or so so my input here may be limited.)
 
Roland D50 synthesizer was used to create the intro for Dirty Diana.
Yamaha DX7 synth bass was used in Another Part Of Me


I'm surprised that Michael never used a Roland Juno 60/106 synthesizer. That synth has some fantastic string sounds. Or did he use it and I just don't know about it?
 
I always wondered what the synth sound was at the start of Earth Song, that whirring sound before the harps come in.
 
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" uses the Univox SR-55 drum machine.

The classic intro gong in "Beat It" is a stock preset from a Synclavier -- the PSMT, if I'm not mistaken.

Among the many synths used for the chords in "Billie Jean" are the Yamaha CS-80, E-mu Emulator, and the Synergy synthesizer.

Most of the synth bass lines on Thriller (chiefly "Billie Jean" and "P.Y.T.") are the Minimoog.

The drums on "Man in the Mirror" are from a Linn 9000 drum machine. (Bruce Swedien also recorded some pieces of wood hitting each other and layered them with the snare.)

On "Black or White," Bill Bottrell used E-mu Emulator III drum samples, a Kramer American electric guitar, and a 1940s Gibson LG2 acoustic guitar; Tim Pierce used unidentified Les Paul and Marshall guitars; and Michael Boddicker and Kevin Gilbert used unidentified Roland sequencers (for the rapid-pace synth part leading into the bridge).
 
Brad Buxer used the Emulator EIII quite a lot as well as the Roland MKS-20 module as well as a bunch of Roland modules.
Remember the Time uses the D70 and D50. Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis and Rodney Jerkins uses the S760/S770 samplers for the songs on Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible (Dangerous, Jam, ITC, 2 Bad, Escape, etc.)
BAD uses a lot of custom sounds made on the Synclavier [John Barnes and Eric Persing] made on a prototype of the D-50, that's the reason why you can find some sounds on the D-50 (Afterthought, Future Pad, DigitalNativeDance, etc.)
Teddy also used all bunch of Korg keyboards and CD samplers (SampleCell, Roland S-series, Korg Wavestation, M1).
Rodney used a lot of Roland modules and Kurzweil on his tracks (mostly JV and XV series - XV-5080, XV-3050, XV-5050, JV-2080).
 
Remember the Time uses the D70 and D50.
Click to expand...
D-50 used for ‘flutish brass’ sounds according to Teddy Riley himself in one interview. A bit like how Billie Jean has a hybrid brass/string sound programmed into tue Yamaha CS-80.
 
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AlwaysThere said:
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" uses the Univox SR-55 drum machine.

The classic intro gong in "Beat It" is a stock preset from a Synclavier -- the PSMT, if I'm not mistaken.

Among the many synths used for the chords in "Billie Jean" are the Yamaha CS-80, E-mu Emulator, and the Synergy synthesizer.

Most of the synth bass lines on Thriller (chiefly "Billie Jean" and "P.Y.T.") are the Minimoog.

The drums on "Man in the Mirror" are from a Linn 9000 drum machine. (Bruce Swedien also recorded some pieces of wood hitting each other and layered them with the snare.)

On "Black or White," Bill Bottrell used E-mu Emulator III drum samples, a Kramer American electric guitar, and a 1940s Gibson LG2 acoustic guitar; Tim Pierce used unidentified Les Paul and Marshall guitars; and Michael Boddicker and Kevin Gilbert used unidentified Roland sequencers (for the rapid-pace synth part leading into the bridge).
Click to expand...
Great assemblage of information right there, although I doubt Gilbert used a Marshall guitar.
 
Agonum said:
Yes, dubbed by TR-808. This is also what Bruce Swedien has said. Where did you get the Univox from @AlwaysThere?

Linndrum LM-2 is also on the Thriller album.
Click to expand...
If you check Bruce Swedien’s MusicRadar interview, that’s where he mentions the Univox. Not sure if I can link to it, but should be available on the internet.

Little unsure about the LinnDrum being used… Michael Boddicker did the drum programming with two Linn LM-1’s: an old one (rev 1) and a new one (rev 3). The rev 1 is the one you hear on some of the demos and “Baby Be Mine”. TR808 was occasionally synced to the Linn on a few tracks via a prototype Doctor Click.
 
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Eventidescape1 said:
If you check Bruce Swedien’s MusicRadar interview, that’s where he mentions the Univox. Not sure if I can link to it, but should be available on the internet.

Little unsure about the LinnDrum being used… Michael Boddicker did the drum programming with two Linn LM-1’s: an old one (rev 1) and a new one (rev 3). The rev 1 is the one you hear on some of the demos and “Baby Be Mine”. TR808 was occasionally synced to the Linn on a few tracks via a prototype Doctor Click.
Click to expand...
The link.
 
Well, what an interesting thread to revive !

I will only add two things :

– The Bad album (as well as the following tour) uses extensively the Synclavier, and I’ll point unaware members to the 4 enlightening blog posts by Chris Curell, who operated it and relates everything here : https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/159172-synclavier-music-and-michael-jackson/
(4 links to the headphones.guru website)

– everyone interested should check the “Stories in the room” podcast and Youtube videos [about Thriller sessions and album], as Anthony Marinelli (who worked on the Thriller as a synth programmer) album discusses the instruments used in great detail, with guests such as Greg Philingannes, and even demonstrates the actual instruments used on the recording.

For example, if I remember correctly, the Thriller bass pattern is NOT performed on the Minimoog, but rather on an ARP 2600 (because it uses Pulse-Width Modulation).

Also, about the opening « gongs » on Beat it : Synclavier yes, but I’m not even sure they reprogrammed and played them, as the sounds and the melody itself has been « lifted » from a demonstration vinyl album for the instrument, causing the musician who performed and recorded this demonstration to win his trial if I recall correctly.
 
To add to this, Bad also uses Oberheim equipment such as a DMX drum machine (notably "Liberian Girl"), Matrix-6, Xpander and an OB-1 synth on "Dirty Diana".

"Stranger In Moscow" (one of my all-time favourite MJ songs) has a composite electric piano sound: Korg MicroPiano module panned left, an E-mu (Proformer?) module panned hard right and stereo Roland MKS-20. The smooth string sounds are a combindation of Emulator III and a Roland D-550.
 
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laconcombremasque said:
Well, what an interesting thread to revive !

I will only add two things :

– The Bad album (as well as the following tour) uses extensively the Synclavier, and I’ll point unaware members to the 4 enlightening blog posts by Chris Curell, who operated it and relates everything here : https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/159172-synclavier-music-and-michael-jackson/
(4 links to the headphones.guru website)

– everyone interested should check the “Stories in the room” podcast and Youtube videos [about Thriller sessions and album], as Anthony Marinelli (who worked on the Thriller as a synth programmer) album discusses the instruments used in great detail, with guests such as Greg Philingannes, and even demonstrates the actual instruments used on the recording.

For example, if I remember correctly, the Thriller bass pattern is NOT performed on the Minimoog, but rather on an ARP 2600 (because it uses Pulse-Width Modulation).

Also, about the opening « gongs » on Beat it : Synclavier yes, but I’m not even sure they reprogrammed and played them, as the sounds and the melody itself has been « lifted » from a demonstration vinyl album for the instrument, causing the musician who performed and recorded this demonstration to win his trial if I recall correctly.
Click to expand...
The Thriller bass yes can be programmed on both the minimoog and ARP 2600. It is NOT the ARP 2600, it's actually the JP8. Proof is on the original Thriller '82 physical tracksheet and people with the original transfer of the Thriller master reel from '82 can confirm.
 
Eventidescape1 said:
D-50 used for ‘flutish brass’ sounds according to Teddy Riley himself in one interview. A bit like how Billie Jean has a hybrid brass/string sound programmed into tue Yamaha CS-80.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure if this is what you were implying but ‘Flutish Brass’ isn’t Teddy referring to the character of the sound, it’s the name of an actual factory preset on the D-50/D-550. Teddy used that sound a fair bit on his productions.
 
laconcombremasque said:
– everyone interested should check the “Stories in the room” podcast and Youtube videos [about Thriller sessions and album], as Anthony Marinelli (who worked on the Thriller as a synth programmer) album discusses the instruments used in great detail, with guests such as Greg Philingannes, and even demonstrates the actual instruments used on the recording.
Click to expand...
As interesting as it is, I do have doubts about the accuracy over whether those were the actual instruments on the record...
For instance the LinnDrum he demonstrated, modified with LM-1 snare, hi-hat sounds and 808 claps. I've read that Michael Boddicker did the drum programming for the album with two LM-1's (one Rev. 1 model on "Baby Be Mine" and one newer one) and a TR-808 which were synced together with a Dr Click prototype as mentioned upthread.

Listening to the "Thriller" multitrack (Starlight session), the kick sounds closer to the LM-1 to me than LinnDrum (LM-2), which is punchier. In the bar count track, LM-1 claps are audible in the drum machine bleed rather than TR-808 ones. Likewise, "Starlight" also has LM-1 claps.

Of course, he may have used that said LinnDrum on one version of the track that got discarded. Who knows?
 
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AdeZ said:
The Thriller bass yes can be programmed on both the minimoog and ARP 2600. It is NOT the ARP 2600, it's actually the JP8. Proof is on the original Thriller '82 physical tracksheet and people with the original transfer of the Thriller master reel from '82 can confirm.
Click to expand...
Any chance this said tracksheet could be shared? For some reason I can't find it anywhere on the web, only the introduction effects slave reel for that song which Bruce Swedien once shared to Gearspace (Gearslutz at the time). Apologies if I'm replying to this several months late!
 
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