Yamaha THR settings
Beat It settings for Yamaha THR
Michael Jackson · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Michael Jackson "Beat It" riff tone on a Yamaha THR, select the Classic preset, then set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 5, Reverb 0.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Ibanez JEMJR · updated 2026-08-18
- Preset / mode
- Classic
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Yamaha THR knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 0.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting to achieve the sharp, percussive attack characteristic of the riff.
- Use aggressive picking to enhance the clarity and note separation during chugging.
- Maintain a consistent rhythm to keep the aggressive but controlled feel of the riff.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Ibanez JEMJR · updated 2026-08-18
- Preset / mode
- British Hi-Gain
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 8-10
Yamaha THR knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in delay set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Maintain a tight picking technique for the aggressive attack characteristic of the solo.
- Focus on clear articulation during fast legato and tapping passages.
The original rig
What Michael Jackson used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Yamaha THR actually has.
- Guitar
- Charvel 'Frankie' Strat-style (Eddie Van Halen's custom guitar, likely with Floyd Rose tremolo)
- Amp
- Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W (Jose Arredondo modded, with Variac)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Beat It adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Michael Jackson's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What preset should I use on the Yamaha THR for Beat It?
Start from the Classic preset, then set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 5, Reverb 0.5.
Which pickup should I use for Beat It?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Michael Jackson use on Beat It?
Guitar: Charvel 'Frankie' Strat-style (Eddie Van Halen's custom guitar, likely with Floyd Rose tremolo). Amp: Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W (Jose Arredondo modded, with Variac).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Ibanez JEMJR. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Popular songs on the Yamaha THR
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Sultans of Swing · Dire Straits
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Killing in the Name · Rage Against the Machine
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.