Hmmm. It's a damn good one, but "best" is too hard to say. Love Hangover, Another One Bites the Dust, Come Together, Money, Good Times, I Wish, I Can't Go For That, The Chain, etc.
I’ve tried to reproduce this bass line with many vintage synths so so many times, but I could have never guessed a synclavier was a part of it. Thank you for educating us professor !
I started making Detroit inspired Techno in 1990 when I was a kid living in Scotland. At the time the tuning on old non-DCO analog synths could be kinda terrible. What I'd do is have my Atari play my sequenced midi parts on a DX-21, and since the DX is digital, the tuning is 100% accurate. I'd then set the channel on my analog synths midi to cv converters to the same channel as the DX. This was the quickest way to accurately tune analog synths like a temperamental Roland SH-101 etc by ear. If you had a weird patch on an analog synth with no patch memory, it's kind of a pain to tune the synth properly, using say a Boss chromatic tuner with a signal sent from your desk. By using the DX as a tuning calibration tool, you then realise that the combined sound of the FM and Analog Bass sounds awesome, so you just stick with it. I still think Digital is the best for low bass sounds, because you want that rock solid tuning while the more drifty analog floats on top. I also think the grittier nature of 4-op synths like the DX-100/21 or phase distortion Casio CZ synths gIves the bass a more punchy, aggressive Punk vibe, say compared with a late model DX-7 which sounds a lot more sophisticated.
@@DaveyMulholland Synthesizer players often do this kind of layering, and adding in a P-Bass style bass underneath a synth bassline is a conventional way to fill out the bottom end. Gary Numan was already doing this on Pleasure Principal by this time, but I'm sure it was done by others, probably Post-Punk bands in Manchester in the late 70s, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it as far back as the early 70s or late 60s.
Nowadays, anyone with a DAW doing a cover of Billie Jean would just put a Moog plug in and call it a day. And that's probably why the sound on those classic records can't be matched. So many components. And this is just the source, then came the recording chain, the mastering...so much talent involved.
a LOT of professional background and musical knowledge that is beyond just sitting in a studio recording sound. These music minds give us that "SOUL" to the music...deep from the heart.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis layered synths for the bassline of Janet Jackson’s What have you done for me lately. It became such a popular sound that Yamaha reproduced it and subsequently used it as a preset sample on various keyboards and called it “lately bass” and now it’s heard on so many dance songs afterwards
Funny tidbit. I actually used to use Lately Bass as my init patch whenever I was trying to make a sound on my old DX. It was such a pain to program! Starting with Lately and toying with envelopes was always an interesting starting point.
It might've been layered, but the main element was a patch called "Lately" on the Yamaha TX81Z that came out around '86 or '87. It is very similar too to an earlier patch called "Solid Bass", something you can find on Yamaha's budget DX100/21/27 ect that came out around '85. I've owned all of these synths btw.
@@lundswedenit’s called lately bass because jam and Lewis used 3 or four basses to get that sound so Yamaha copied it, called it lately bass so people would be familiar when looking for that specific sound and they made it a preset and everyone starting using it, there’s a video of jam and Lewis telling the story and showing how they made the sound with an oberheim and a few old analog synths
In 1984 Louis J came to M.I. and gave a clinic where he pretty much explained that there were 4 layers to the bass track... the groove when he played the line with a little Roland Drumatix filled the room with feel. He had great stories from those sessions. Thank you so much for these.
You make me feel like kid all over again. I'm a 70 year old synth junkie, and retired bass player that loves experimenting and creating grooves of all kinds. Just enjoying living and creating. You're the best brother and much love to you. 😊
I love how you create layers of sound. Nothing wrong with plugins and presets. But layering sounds is what makes these arrangements unique. It's orchestration!
It’s a lot of damn work and time invested for something that could have been done using a bass guitar. This is just sending a message to all that unless you’re doing all this overdubbing and layering, then you got nighting
I’ve gotta say, it blows my mind how many perfectly blended layers went into this. It makes perfect sense now you explain it - and is at its heart such a simple concept, but definitely not something a beginner producer might realise. You can essentially layer as much of the same note on top of itself as you like, as long as each layer has a different timbre.
I have been producing music for two years now... a baby! And I learn multiple production and synthesis techniques with every video. Thank you for choosing the YT Life
That Minimoog on the downbeat of 1 and the and of 2 really pushes that line in a great way. I never realized it was a whole other instrument layer rather than an accent by one of the main-part synth voices. Very cool insight, thanks for sharing🍀
Yeah, it's fascinating how many layers there are. I became aware of the Synclavier thanks to this album, and I could hear the FM tones in there, but had no idea it was layered with a real electric bass, a moog and a separate modular synth. Really fascinating stuff, when it comes to synth layers I mostly just recognize the standard DX7+D50 combo that was all over late 80s music.
that bass push is probably the most import aspect for creating the sound. I think on the track they filtered some of the higher frequency bass and is there a shaker too?
One year ago I found the stems for Billie Jean (can't remember where), and did a remixing kind of thing, trying to recreate the song, basically. Bruce did an AMAZING job on this album, and in particular on Billie Jean. It still sounds amazing on speakers, punchy, energetic, absolutely incredible. I have a ton of consideration for everyone involved in that album. Well done, Anthony, bravo! 🤗
It s so refreshing to have a Utube channel like this with REAL PRO who know what there talking about . So many wrong informations on internet because anybody can have his channel no matter his knowledge. What you are doing is an HUGE contribution to Music History. Your channel is the most important thing on the web for synthesizer. Keep going it s just amazing to learn what you have done and to learn from your immense knowledge. Cheers Philippe, from France
Another complex sound in my opinion is the main riff from Billie Jean. The sound that goes "Hoo Hoo, Hoo Hoo." It was created using like, 3 different synth sounds and Michael's own vocal harmonies.
double tracked CS-80 Strings, and MJ's oohs which are used for the first 2 bars or so before being replaced by a synth called "synergy". Really it's only ever 3 instruments at a time.
You my friend are amazing! You’ve just confirmed what I’ve been saying for years. Music is about the feel! You tweak the sounds until they feel right and they end up amazing! Bless you!
I had grown up listening to the thriller album with my parents, and I have always been so intrigued with the production of Billie Jean, and it’s just amazing what all went into it. Truly amazing! Great job!
This is great. Thank you. I read somewhere that Louis Johnson played a Yamaha bass on Billie Jean after Michael got him to play the line on all of his basses and chose the Yamaha. If so, I think it was a Yamaha BB1200. I've got one and it's beautiful. Paul McCartney played one on Goodnight Tonight and other songs near the end of Wings and early in his solo career.
Confirmed. From the Blender article that wikipedia quotes “a Yamaha bass with an ideally thick and buzzing sound.” The Yamaha BB basses have a unique sound (certainly different from the visually similar Fender Precision bass, which is usually more popular than the BB).
What is really awesome is that you actually use the instruments and recreate the sounds from back then, instead of just running through channels from the masters. Even though that analogue may be the flavour of that day lol. Im-effing-pressive. And awesome, in the true meaning of the word. The terminology you use to describe the sounds also just clicks with me. Love this.
Great video, Anthony. I love how you show the makeup of each part, and also show how it could sound different like changing the ADSR on the ARP 2600. Really cool!
Absolute awesome. It (specially the Mini) explains why the bass itself has that characteristic groove. We cannot thank you enough for these series, Anthony. You are sharing with us the most precious explanations and demos in the whole synth world.
I was always under the impression that it was two layers: electric bass and MiniMoog, so it's quite eye-opening to see/hear that it's actually several. It's quite eye-opening to see that the Synclavier was used for a percussive "noise" later. I guess that the studio had so many tracks on the console/desk that they thought they may as well use them, whereas previously bass was limited to one track, because of the earlier technology (and expense of tape).
Thank you for posting this. This is such a fascinating insight into this classic bass line / bass sound. Louis Johnson was such a phenomenal bassist and musician. It goes without saying that Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and the other musicians involved in the making of that album were similarly gifted.
I was just thinking what a privilege it would be to program a synth sound and then have Greg Phillinganes use it. I'm sure most synth programmers would generally prefer to perform themselves (and get the credit for it), but if anyone else was gonna use my keyboard sounds, I'd want Greg to do it. He has magic fingers!
There's a reality where you became recognized as one of the pioneers of synthesis. I know the channel and podcast has helped with that, but its long overdue Anthony!
Anthony, these videos are bringing life to all of us. I remember peeling away this bassline listening in headphones. As a musician and an engineer, I can hear Louis' fingering, and the synth tones making up the bass in this track. Keep these videos coming.
If you told me in a bar that you had worked on Thriller I wouldn’t believe it. You look too young. Awesome channel! Liked and subbed. Everyone that worked on Thriller was and is a legend.
Omg this is the ONE I've been waiting for. My favourite Song ever. Must have played it a million times. That drum sound and that bass always blew my mind. It womps like nothing else. The other sound I've always loved on Billie Jean is the synth line that comes in on the second verse. Would love to know how that was done.
If you're still looking, that sound is an E-mu Emulator I. Not even a synthesizer, it is a digital sampler. Idk if I can post links here, but if you google "E-mu Emulator Billie Jean," a Musicradar article comes up that describes how they did it. That's actually MJ's voice sampled and stretched, and played as if it's synth strings. I have the multitrack of Billie Jean and the tracks for that synth are clearly labeled "E-mu_English," so it's clear which part of the song is being described. Between this and the thing that sounds like a synth stab that is actually MJ's voice, I think the biggest surprise on Billie Jean is how much they used his voice to sound like synthesizer patches.
The Synclavier sound is what I've always been looking for this years .. Many Sound Designers couldn't get it 100% over the years of Producing Pop Synth and the likes. This is sound literally is the backbone of this classic MJ jam... Thank you!!!!
Such an iconic sound. And it's funny Michael said he was afraid he stole it from Hall & Oates. I don't hear it and neither did they, just goes to show MJ's genius. He could hear something but make it his. To me that's the definition of a real strong songwriter. There's so many guys on the charts right now, taking from others and it's way to obvious. R.I.P MJ and Louis "Thunderthumb" Johnson!
From my understanding Michael heard "I can't go for that' from Hall and Oats and really liked the baseline. He then asked Daryl if he could borrow the style for his song and it was all good.
H&O "I Can't Go..." B-line is pushed. "Billie Jean" B-line is walking. H&O's was actually borrowed/stolen from Lipps Inc "Funkytown" ['79/'80]. MJ's B-line was borrowed/stolen, albeit slowed down, from the intro synth riff to Donna Summer' a "State Of Independence". That was a cover of Jon & Vangelis '81 single. Donna's' 82 version was produced by Quincy Jones and features MJ (and an all-star choir) on backing vocals. Give it a listen!
Thank you so much, this is amazing to see how the bass line was created, i don't have the words ! Thank you so much ! Ernest Tibbs is an amazing bass player !!
The most famous bass line of any song. I find it inspiring that after 40 years I'm also going behind my gear to find the CV and Gate outputs to link an analog bass line to some digital equipment. In my case it's a Doepfer A-100 case with a Synthstrom Deluge. In the process I'm finding that I'm rediscovering a lot of old tricks you pioneered, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Wow! I always thought these bass accents were caused by playing the bass harder and getting the speaker to 'fart'/distort, but I couldn't reproduce it by playing the bass. Now it's all clear! Great stuff!
Fantastic video and fantastic work on your part, then and now. And what a treat to see it illustrated with the always-marvelous Ernest Tibbs! What a superb bassist he is.
Wowww, I never noticed that minimoog bass part!! Listening now it's so clear on the original track to me now, but I never once consciously thought about it before. Crazy because I'm usually analyzing this type of thing. Thanks again for another amazing video!!
I’ve been gradually working through your videos and wow what a resource. A real gem to find your channel on RUclips - and ironically it was a video I saw posted in a forum that brought me here (it was the current video about how digital is the new analog, and I was all ready to not even watch that from the title but your insight and respectfulness to the guy talking about that had me watch the entire thing). Thank you so much for sharing all of this knowledge with us!
This is unbelievable. Thank you so much!!)) Unbelievable to see it all recreated, especially by you, the sound designer behind so many elements on the album! P. S. A curious tidbit: if you speed up the Billie Jean bass line and raise the pitch by about 6 semitones, you get a one-for-one bass line by Vangelis, heard on 'State of Independence' track (featuring Jon Anderson). Not coincidental. The song was covered by Donna Summer in '82. Quincy produced and there was a whole bunch of backing vocalists among whom were Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and... Michael Jackson.))
I was going to say "Don't you mean 'slow down' Billie Jean", but I just checked. Although 'State of Independence' has a slower tempo than "Billie Jean", both the Vangelis and Donna Summer versions have a synth bass arpeggio running at double time that sounds suspiciously like the one that ended up on MJ's record. I don't think I ever would have guessed that Vangelis essentially wrote one of MJ's most iconic basslines. I think it's more well known that Madonna's producers (possibly Nile Rodgers?) interpolated it in a major key subsequently for 'Like a Virgin'.
Absolutely brilliant!!! Thank you sir for sharing with a die hard MJ fan like myself. The mini Moog triangle waveform really makes a huge difference and is absolutely iconic to the greatest song ever. Don’t dare underestimate what that distorted sound did for the funk on that bass lick. Incredible!
Thank you so much for making this video ! I have no idea that Billie Jeans bass was multilayered and comprised of many different instrument and synths. Thank you so much, Anthony for making such an iconic bass in Billie Jeans. It is such an iconic song by Michael Jackson.
Dear Sir, its absolutely great (being a part of the original production team) sharing these production tips that showcase in detail why all these tracks will be called classic music in the future. Its a pleasure to watch your videos.
Man this is way too priceless and educational! Thanks for the content that has made me so appreciative of the work behind such timeless pieces and many others! Love this channel!!
At first i thought that ''harsh'' sounding moog bass fill was the actual bass distorting due to overlimiting on the re-released versions of the song (loudness war), but upon listening to the original release from 82, and now thanks to mr. Marinelli's confirmation, it is indeed an actual added sound playing on top of the basses. 😎
Thank for this! It’s highly relevant to what I’m doing in my studio right now. You’ve validated my thinking on a number of things, and given me a few golden nuggets. Keep up the amazing work! ❤❤❤
1:35 A while back, I saw some youtube video that claimed that the Minimoog was doubled. (On Billie Jean, if I remember correctly.) So they custom wired two Minimoogs together so they would trigger together. I feel like the two Minimoogs had similar settings, and they just wanted a fatter sound for the Minimoog’s contribution to the bass sound. And I feel like they also had some “inside source” … but I cannot remember who it was. Sorry for being so vague, but I genuinely hope this helps. Thank you so much for making this video! It is so great to be able to understand some of the most heard and loved sounds ever. And directly from one of the core creators, and someone who loves these classics. Thank you. 🙏
Wow!! I had no idea there was that many layers involved in what I thought was a simple bassline. However, I understand tbe fact the layers were needed to make this, yet simple, bassline sound full, thick, and unusual at the same time. Very interesting!!!! I learn something new every day. Thanks for sharing!!!
This and the brass sound video ist so awesome, and the most fantastic thing is that when I listened to Billie Jean right after seeing your video, I actually could hear this absolutely clear and never noticed it before, although I listened to Billie Jean hundred times before.
Dude, you programmed history’s most excellent bass line.
maddona's into the groove is also an insane bass line
Hmmm. It's a damn good one, but "best" is too hard to say. Love Hangover, Another One Bites the Dust, Come Together, Money, Good Times, I Wish, I Can't Go For That, The Chain, etc.
But the studio sound with a tandy 80th mic is ugly.
Hope he got compensated very very well for it..
Who??
It's content like this that makes RUclips worth watching, thank you.
Cats is also a good reason to be on youtube. Cats videos never fail. 😂
It's my favorite song ever...and I listen to all kinds of music. Nothing compares. Not even anything from MJ's own catalog.
Agreed!! This is actually what RUclips is all about or what should be!
unlike the other 99% junk videos 🤣
like that mr beast bs, what the hell is that?
@@dncviorelyup
I’ve tried to reproduce this bass line with many vintage synths so so many times, but I could have never guessed a synclavier was a part of it.
Thank you for educating us professor !
In techno music, mainly detroit they had this idea of layering digital sound and analog sound to form main bass sound. It's like they knew something
@@micindir4213that’s beast asf
I started making Detroit inspired Techno in 1990 when I was a kid living in Scotland. At the time the tuning on old non-DCO analog synths could be kinda terrible. What I'd do is have my Atari play my sequenced midi parts on a DX-21, and since the DX is digital, the tuning is 100% accurate. I'd then set the channel on my analog synths midi to cv converters to the same channel as the DX. This was the quickest way to accurately tune analog synths like a temperamental Roland SH-101 etc by ear. If you had a weird patch on an analog synth with no patch memory, it's kind of a pain to tune the synth properly, using say a Boss chromatic tuner with a signal sent from your desk. By using the DX as a tuning calibration tool, you then realise that the combined sound of the FM and Analog Bass sounds awesome, so you just stick with it. I still think Digital is the best for low bass sounds, because you want that rock solid tuning while the more drifty analog floats on top. I also think the grittier nature of 4-op synths like the DX-100/21 or phase distortion Casio CZ synths gIves the bass a more punchy, aggressive Punk vibe, say compared with a late model DX-7 which sounds a lot more sophisticated.
It's fascinating to see how the synths are layered to create nuance.
Have you ever heard of brass bands/orchestras? This is very basic stuff in that realm.
@@DaveyMulholland Synthesizer players often do this kind of layering, and adding in a P-Bass style bass underneath a synth bassline is a conventional way to fill out the bottom end. Gary Numan was already doing this on Pleasure Principal by this time, but I'm sure it was done by others, probably Post-Punk bands in Manchester in the late 70s, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it as far back as the early 70s or late 60s.
@@inthefade cool story bro
@@DaveyMulholland It was.
@@DaveyMulholland who gives a shit about your orchestras
that bassline is timeless. never gets old.
Nowadays, anyone with a DAW doing a cover of Billie Jean would just put a Moog plug in and call it a day. And that's probably why the sound on those classic records can't be matched. So many components. And this is just the source, then came the recording chain, the mastering...so much talent involved.
That's my thing with current pop. It sounds thin and cheap. It lacks depth. Producers today are either lazy or cheap and don't put in the time.
Don’t forget you also don’t have Bruce Swedien mixing all the sounds together.
And you would still be light years away with just a moog.
@@GVikemost of them don’t have a fuk’n clue on the process.
That’s blown my mind. Never knew there was so much going on in the bassline. Simply brilliant.
Billie Jean's bass line is one of the best bass hooks ever.
You sharing all this history for free is a blessing.
So good to see these musicians coming again to tell or explain about how they constructed one of the masterpieces of all time
I can't believe the sound has so many components... but it helps accentuate the drama of the song so well!
a LOT of professional background and musical knowledge that is beyond just sitting in a studio recording sound. These music minds give us that "SOUL" to the music...deep from the heart.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis layered synths for the bassline of Janet Jackson’s What have you done for me lately. It became such a popular sound that Yamaha reproduced it and subsequently used it as a preset sample on various keyboards and called it “lately bass” and now it’s heard on so many dance songs afterwards
Funny tidbit. I actually used to use Lately Bass as my init patch whenever I was trying to make a sound on my old DX. It was such a pain to program! Starting with Lately and toying with envelopes was always an interesting starting point.
It might've been layered, but the main element was a patch called "Lately" on the Yamaha TX81Z that came out around '86 or '87. It is very similar too to an earlier patch called "Solid Bass", something you can find on Yamaha's budget DX100/21/27 ect that came out around '85. I've owned all of these synths btw.
@@lundswedenit’s called lately bass because jam and Lewis used 3 or four basses to get that sound so Yamaha copied it, called it lately bass so people would be familiar when looking for that specific sound and they made it a preset and everyone starting using it, there’s a video of jam and Lewis telling the story and showing how they made the sound with an oberheim and a few old analog synths
@@TayWoode Yeah, sure, but one of those four sounds was probably Solid Bass, or an edited Solid Bass. I'll look into that video, sounds interesting.
In 1984 Louis J came to M.I. and gave a clinic where he pretty much explained that there were 4 layers to the bass track... the groove when he played the line with a little Roland Drumatix filled the room with feel. He had great stories from those sessions. Thank you so much for these.
You make me feel like kid all over again. I'm a 70 year old synth junkie, and retired bass player that loves experimenting and creating grooves of all kinds. Just enjoying living and creating.
You're the best brother and much love to you. 😊
they layered TF outta that bass! Noted 💡
I 've always wondered who made MJ's music tracks. You all did not get enough recognition for this work.
Most people believe MJ did this on his own lol.
@@olli2591 most know that MJ used many musicians and producers to make his music. But he oversaw all the process.
@@olli2591you know that MJ came up with all this with his beatboxing and those musicians turned it exactly how MJ wanted right?
@@xabun lol
@@_A_T_B_ what you mean lol? It’s well documented. Even most of his musicians confirmed this 1000s of times.
Holding down the accented bass note a little longer gives the line so much more groove (like in the original recording).
I love how you create layers of sound. Nothing wrong with plugins and presets. But layering sounds is what makes these arrangements unique. It's orchestration!
It’s a lot of damn work and time invested for something that could have been done using a bass guitar. This is just sending a message to all that unless you’re doing all this overdubbing and layering, then you got nighting
I’ve gotta say, it blows my mind how many perfectly blended layers went into this. It makes perfect sense now you explain it - and is at its heart such a simple concept, but definitely not something a beginner producer might realise. You can essentially layer as much of the same note on top of itself as you like, as long as each layer has a different timbre.
Imagine a world without MJ ever existing 😢 and be grateful that he did. 🙏🏼
the synth layering on the entire thriller album is just... insane.
now i know how to do those for sure. thank you
I have been producing music for two years now... a baby!
And I learn multiple production and synthesis techniques with every video.
Thank you for choosing the YT Life
That Minimoog on the downbeat of 1 and the and of 2 really pushes that line in a great way. I never realized it was a whole other instrument layer rather than an accent by one of the main-part synth voices. Very cool insight, thanks for sharing🍀
Yeah, it's fascinating how many layers there are. I became aware of the Synclavier thanks to this album, and I could hear the FM tones in there, but had no idea it was layered with a real electric bass, a moog and a separate modular synth. Really fascinating stuff, when it comes to synth layers I mostly just recognize the standard DX7+D50 combo that was all over late 80s music.
that bass push is probably the most import aspect for creating the sound. I think on the track they filtered some of the higher frequency bass and is there a shaker too?
I'd always noticed those details in the bass sound and wondered what they were. Now I know!
Amazing content guys.
Thank you Alex, I love your videos !!
One year ago I found the stems for Billie Jean (can't remember where), and did a remixing kind of thing, trying to recreate the song, basically. Bruce did an AMAZING job on this album, and in particular on Billie Jean. It still sounds amazing on speakers, punchy, energetic, absolutely incredible. I have a ton of consideration for everyone involved in that album. Well done, Anthony, bravo! 🤗
awesome vid
It s so refreshing to have a Utube channel like this with REAL PRO who know what there talking about . So many wrong informations on internet because anybody can have his channel no matter his knowledge. What you are doing is an HUGE contribution to Music History. Your channel is the most important thing on the web for synthesizer. Keep going it s just amazing to learn what you have done and to learn from your immense knowledge. Cheers Philippe, from France
Hey 😅
Another complex sound in my opinion is the main riff from Billie Jean. The sound that goes "Hoo Hoo, Hoo Hoo." It was created using like, 3 different synth sounds and Michael's own vocal harmonies.
There's the 5-layer bassline, there's the HO-HO,
And then, there is that lazy shaker-thing dragning along... What's up with that?
It's the best.
double tracked CS-80 Strings, and MJ's oohs which are used for the first 2 bars or so before being replaced by a synth called "synergy". Really it's only ever 3 instruments at a time.
You my friend are amazing! You’ve just confirmed what I’ve been saying for years. Music is about the feel! You tweak the sounds until they feel right and they end up amazing! Bless you!
Remarkable! Listening back to the original track, you can hear all these nuances which (to me, at least) have gone unnoticed for decades. Thank you 👍
I had grown up listening to the thriller album with my parents, and I have always been so intrigued with the production of Billie Jean, and it’s just amazing what all went into it. Truly amazing! Great job!
Thank you for making this music originally and also for this video. Lots of people deeply love your work, thank you for it.
This is great. Thank you. I read somewhere that Louis Johnson played a Yamaha bass on Billie Jean after Michael got him to play the line on all of his basses and chose the Yamaha. If so, I think it was a Yamaha BB1200. I've got one and it's beautiful. Paul McCartney played one on Goodnight Tonight and other songs near the end of Wings and early in his solo career.
Confirmed. From the Blender article that wikipedia quotes “a Yamaha bass with an ideally thick and buzzing sound.” The Yamaha BB basses have a unique sound (certainly different from the visually similar Fender Precision bass, which is usually more popular than the BB).
What is really awesome is that you actually use the instruments and recreate the sounds from back then, instead of just running through channels from the masters. Even though that analogue may be the flavour of that day lol. Im-effing-pressive. And awesome, in the true meaning of the word. The terminology you use to describe the sounds also just clicks with me. Love this.
It's very generous of you to share your knowledge with everyone, it's a rare gem when a top professional shares the secrets
Great video, Anthony. I love how you show the makeup of each part, and also show how it could sound different like changing the ADSR on the ARP 2600. Really cool!
Dammit, it always sounded so special. Now i see why. This baseline is a masterpiece.
Absolute awesome. It (specially the Mini) explains why the bass itself has that characteristic groove. We cannot thank you enough for these series, Anthony. You are sharing with us the most precious explanations and demos in the whole synth world.
Thank you for sharing Anthony! Electric/Key bass players around the world have tried to emulate this sound for 40 years! Now we know!
I was always under the impression that it was two layers: electric bass and MiniMoog, so it's quite eye-opening to see/hear that it's actually several. It's quite eye-opening to see that the Synclavier was used for a percussive "noise" later. I guess that the studio had so many tracks on the console/desk that they thought they may as well use them, whereas previously bass was limited to one track, because of the earlier technology (and expense of tape).
Thank you for posting this.
This is such a fascinating insight into this classic bass line / bass sound.
Louis Johnson was such a phenomenal bassist and musician. It goes without saying that Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and the other musicians involved in the making of that album were similarly gifted.
I was just thinking what a privilege it would be to program a synth sound and then have Greg Phillinganes use it. I'm sure most synth programmers would generally prefer to perform themselves (and get the credit for it), but if anyone else was gonna use my keyboard sounds, I'd want Greg to do it. He has magic fingers!
This is remarkable. The work and creativity that went into that and most of us would never even understand what we were hearing. Thank you.
Still my favourite bassline. Still ahead of its time. Instant involuntary movement.
There's a reality where you became recognized as one of the pioneers of synthesis. I know the channel and podcast has helped with that, but its long overdue Anthony!
The synthesis of music is fantastic but the magic becomes when Michael was dancing with the rythm of that music
Anthony, these videos are bringing life to all of us. I remember peeling away this bassline listening in headphones. As a musician and an engineer, I can hear Louis' fingering, and the synth tones making up the bass in this track. Keep these videos coming.
Theee BEST 8 minute RUclips post evvver!!! Excellent Anthony, thank you for the music! Thanks for sharing 👌🏻
If you told me in a bar that you had worked on Thriller I wouldn’t believe it. You look too young. Awesome channel! Liked and subbed. Everyone that worked on Thriller was and is a legend.
Michael J would have been 65 now if he didn't prematurely passed away?
I think your timeline is wrong man
@@jas_bataille why?
I thought the same....he still looks young....like in his early 40's!
Real talent in the place! Thanks Anthony and Ernest for the breakdown. Love from the UK.
Omg this is the ONE I've been waiting for. My favourite Song ever. Must have played it a million times. That drum sound and that bass always blew my mind. It womps like nothing else. The other sound I've always loved on Billie Jean is the synth line that comes in on the second verse. Would love to know how that was done.
Sounds like a string patch
The second verse synth sounds like a fairlight to me
If you're still looking, that sound is an E-mu Emulator I. Not even a synthesizer, it is a digital sampler. Idk if I can post links here, but if you google "E-mu Emulator Billie Jean," a Musicradar article comes up that describes how they did it. That's actually MJ's voice sampled and stretched, and played as if it's synth strings. I have the multitrack of Billie Jean and the tracks for that synth are clearly labeled "E-mu_English," so it's clear which part of the song is being described. Between this and the thing that sounds like a synth stab that is actually MJ's voice, I think the biggest surprise on Billie Jean is how much they used his voice to sound like synthesizer patches.
Wow! so it was like this!?! No wonder why it's so powerful. And that kick & snare too, the sound that's coming out of that was never duplicated.
The Synclavier sound is what I've always been looking for this years .. Many Sound Designers couldn't get it 100% over the years of Producing Pop Synth and the likes. This is sound literally is the backbone of this classic MJ jam... Thank you!!!!
I never would've thought about layering the bass like that plus all
Those layered synths. Amazing
you are a legend! we audio and music nerds appreciate this channel
Such an iconic and widely recognized opening bass line.
Such an iconic sound. And it's funny Michael said he was afraid he stole it from Hall & Oates. I don't hear it and neither did they, just goes to show MJ's genius. He could hear something but make it his. To me that's the definition of a real strong songwriter. There's so many guys on the charts right now, taking from others and it's way to obvious. R.I.P MJ and Louis "Thunderthumb" Johnson!
From my understanding Michael heard "I can't go for that' from Hall and Oats and really liked the baseline. He then asked Daryl if he could borrow the style for his song and it was all good.
@@whollenbeck8 wow just realized the similarity in the basslines
Mike can’t go for that 😎
H&O "I Can't Go..." B-line is pushed. "Billie Jean" B-line is walking. H&O's was actually borrowed/stolen from Lipps Inc "Funkytown" ['79/'80]. MJ's B-line was borrowed/stolen, albeit slowed down, from the intro synth riff to Donna Summer' a "State Of Independence". That was a cover of Jon & Vangelis '81 single. Donna's' 82 version was produced by Quincy Jones and features MJ (and an all-star choir) on backing vocals. Give it a listen!
@@soulchildDJ I did hear it and noticed before. However i never ever thought about Funkytown, i love that song tho!
That was awesome, and really well made and edited to explain what was happening. Very educational, thank you for doing this! ❤
This Bass sound is just simply Iconic and Especial
You Guys Made HIStory.
What a great idea. I'm so glad you went the extra mile because it elevates the synth to something extremely satisfying.
Thank you so much, this is amazing to see how the bass line was created, i don't have the words ! Thank you so much !
Ernest Tibbs is an amazing bass player !!
The most famous bass line of any song.
I find it inspiring that after 40 years I'm also going behind my gear to find the CV and Gate outputs to link an analog bass line to some digital equipment. In my case it's a Doepfer A-100 case with a Synthstrom Deluge. In the process I'm finding that I'm rediscovering a lot of old tricks you pioneered, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Dont know if is just me fangirling Anthony but I believe his videos are aimed for posterity. Thank you so much for unveiling your secrets for us.
Awesome! Once again you're showing how genious Michaël and his team were. Thank you Anthony! Greetings from France.
I would nave never though there were so many layers to create that sound!
I am so glad this channel was recommended to me few days ago. This is a precious material
Fantastic video! Thanks for the effort put into this and for taking the time to post it. Subscribed!
Wow! I always thought these bass accents were caused by playing the bass harder and getting the speaker to 'fart'/distort, but I couldn't reproduce it by playing the bass. Now it's all clear! Great stuff!
Ironic how little cool the world had been without nerds like you. Thank you so much for everything!
Fantastic video and fantastic work on your part, then and now. And what a treat to see it illustrated with the always-marvelous Ernest Tibbs! What a superb bassist he is.
Wowww, I never noticed that minimoog bass part!! Listening now it's so clear on the original track to me now, but I never once consciously thought about it before. Crazy because I'm usually analyzing this type of thing. Thanks again for another amazing video!!
I always thought it was a layered, effected contrabass sound 😲
I’ve been gradually working through your videos and wow what a resource. A real gem to find your channel on RUclips - and ironically it was a video I saw posted in a forum that brought me here (it was the current video about how digital is the new analog, and I was all ready to not even watch that from the title but your insight and respectfulness to the guy talking about that had me watch the entire thing).
Thank you so much for sharing all of this knowledge with us!
Is that THE actual keyboard, or just the same model of the old one? Legendary. Everything in this video. Good lord.
Man to be in the room when that was being written and performed must have been so cool.
Now all I will hear is that FM tone from the bass when I listen to "Billie Jean". This is amazing!
This is unbelievable. Thank you so much!!)) Unbelievable to see it all recreated, especially by you, the sound designer behind so many elements on the album!
P. S. A curious tidbit: if you speed up the Billie Jean bass line and raise the pitch by about 6 semitones, you get a one-for-one bass line by Vangelis, heard on 'State of Independence' track (featuring Jon Anderson). Not coincidental. The song was covered by Donna Summer in '82. Quincy produced and there was a whole bunch of backing vocalists among whom were Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and... Michael Jackson.))
That is true, Michael probably got the idea for the bassline from there... Consciously or subconsciously.
That is amazing. It did not know.
@@DZSharkwas it Michael himself?
@@Romacito76 Yes, Michael is the sole songwritter of Billie Jean.
I was going to say "Don't you mean 'slow down' Billie Jean", but I just checked. Although 'State of Independence' has a slower tempo than "Billie Jean", both the Vangelis and Donna Summer versions have a synth bass arpeggio running at double time that sounds suspiciously like the one that ended up on MJ's record. I don't think I ever would have guessed that Vangelis essentially wrote one of MJ's most iconic basslines. I think it's more well known that Madonna's producers (possibly Nile Rodgers?) interpolated it in a major key subsequently for 'Like a Virgin'.
This is insane keep making these videos for us Michael fans
This helps explain why I get so much from a piece of music I thought was simple. I love the love of the craft that you show.
This video is a dream come true, such an beautiful and influencial bass line cemented in music history.
Absolutely brilliant!!! Thank you sir for sharing with a die hard MJ fan like myself. The mini Moog triangle waveform really makes a huge difference and is absolutely iconic to the greatest song ever. Don’t dare underestimate what that distorted sound did for the funk on that bass lick. Incredible!
Thank you so much for making this video !
I have no idea that Billie Jeans bass was multilayered and comprised of many different instrument and synths.
Thank you so much, Anthony for making such an iconic bass in Billie Jeans. It is such an iconic song by Michael Jackson.
@7:30 Don’t forget Bruce Swedien, he surely played a large part in the sound of Thriller! But thanks for your videos Anthony, you’re awesome man!
this is the most enjoyable video i have seen in a while
The Dead Wax interview brought me here. So glad it did! This is very interesting and informative stuff man. I'm highly entertained!
ugh i'm obsessed with your videos. thank you so much, anthony!
Dear Sir, its absolutely great (being a part of the original production team) sharing these production tips that showcase in detail why all these tracks will be called classic music in the future. Its a pleasure to watch your videos.
Man this is way too priceless and educational! Thanks for the content that has made me so appreciative of the work behind such timeless pieces and many others! Love this channel!!
Didn't even need to ask to subscribe. As soon as I've seen how the video began, I was hooked and in for more.
Thanks for this quality content!
man, you're giving away all the secrets. this channel gonna reach the stratosphere. love you my guy :)
At first i thought that ''harsh'' sounding moog bass fill was the actual bass distorting due to overlimiting on the re-released versions of the song (loudness war), but upon listening to the original release from 82, and now thanks to mr. Marinelli's confirmation, it is indeed an actual added sound playing on top of the basses. 😎
So many YT videos claiming Johnson did octave double stops on that bassline... LOL
You are a living legend sir! Thank you for the wonderful education that could actually help so many aspiring musicians/ music producers worldwide
Incredibly interesting and enjoyable to listen all the way through! Had no idea how complex that simple sounding riff truly was!
Thank for this! It’s highly relevant to what I’m doing in my studio right now. You’ve validated my thinking on a number of things, and given me a few golden nuggets. Keep up the amazing work! ❤❤❤
1:35 A while back, I saw some youtube video that claimed that the Minimoog was doubled. (On Billie Jean, if I remember correctly.) So they custom wired two Minimoogs together so they would trigger together. I feel like the two Minimoogs had similar settings, and they just wanted a fatter sound for the Minimoog’s contribution to the bass sound. And I feel like they also had some “inside source” … but I cannot remember who it was. Sorry for being so vague, but I genuinely hope this helps.
Thank you so much for making this video! It is so great to be able to understand some of the most heard and loved sounds ever. And directly from one of the core creators, and someone who loves these classics. Thank you. 🙏
Wow!! I had no idea there was that many layers involved in what I thought was a simple bassline. However, I understand tbe fact the layers were needed to make this, yet simple, bassline sound full, thick, and unusual at the same time.
Very interesting!!!!
I learn something new every day. Thanks for sharing!!!
MAGICAL moment , very powerful song with a very powerful Bassline , thank you guys
Top quality again Anthony as always thanks, love the synclavier, epic 😀
Simply amazing. What a gift to have this preserved for posterity.
3:36 Bro on the bass: smile and wave boys, smile and wave
This and the brass sound video ist so awesome, and the most fantastic thing is that when I listened to Billie Jean right after seeing your video, I actually could hear this absolutely clear and never noticed it before, although I listened to Billie Jean hundred times before.
Thank you for being alive...❤and for sharing your experience
Thank you so much for sharing the intricacies of your talent and skills. It is inspiring to see.