Riff Tone
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Michael Jackson
Guitarother1980s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 1980s, session guitar, possibly played by David Williams)
AmpMarshall JCM800 (studio recording, likely combo or head/cab setup)
PickupsSingle-coil (Fender standard Strat pickups, likely stock or period-correct replacements)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass4.5
mid6
treble7
reverb2
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1982 (Thriller album sessions). Gear inferred from era/session player interviews and typical MJ session setups. No direct evidence for exact serials or pickup mods. No evidence of live rig for this part.
Tone Character(10)
tight and snappy attackclean and percussivebright and articulateslightly warm (rolled-off tone knob)balanced brightnessmoderate compressionfunky, staccato rhythmminimal sustaincrisp transient responsesubtle studio reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate-level funk rhythm skills, including tight muting, fast and precise picking, and clean execution at a brisk tempo.
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Create Free AccountGuitarother1980s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 1980s, session guitar, possibly played by David Williams)
AmpMarshall JCM800 (studio recording, likely combo or head/cab setup)
PickupsSingle-coil (Fender standard Strat pickups, likely stock or period-correct replacements)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass4.5
mid6
treble7
reverb2
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1982 (Thriller album sessions). Gear inferred from era/session player interviews and typical MJ session setups. No direct evidence for exact serials or pickup mods. No evidence of live rig for this part.
Tone Character(10)
tight and snappy attackclean and percussivebright and articulateslightly warm (rolled-off tone knob)balanced brightnessmoderate compressionfunky, staccato rhythmminimal sustaincrisp transient responsesubtle studio reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate-level funk rhythm skills, including tight muting, fast and precise picking, and clean execution at a brisk tempo.
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