Thriller - Michael Jackson Isolated Vocal Analysis - Lead & Harmonies, Production (Reaction & Tips)
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- Опубліковано 8 гру 2021
- Free Voice Lessons: chrisliepe.com/free-your-voice/
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Dirty Diana Isolated Vocal Analysis: • Michael Jackson - Dirt...
What an insanely epic song. The vocal and arranging and harmonies are unparalleled in their both their conception and execution.
Join me as I focus on how Michael Jackson's approach as a singer and rhythmic expert can inform any style of singing, and then later on in the video...
We dive head first into the individual background harmony parts and stems so we can really taste the magic. But there's something you'll notice on some of these tracks that you would definitely NOT expect!
You remember how animated your kindergarten teacher was while reading a book? How’d she knew to be intense at certain parts and be quiet in others? That’s Michael Jackson, he’s a singing story teller
that's a really good point and an excellent example
yes indeed he always says that he wants to tell stories and that his music should be audiovisual like a musical
Michael Jackson was the man back in the day for sure! My older brother and I as kids used to dress up like Michael Jackson during the Smooth Criminal Era! Who doesn't love the moonwalk?! Fun times! Btw is your YT Profile Name supposed to be a mockery of Our Lord Jesus Christ (hope not as that is a grave sin and should be avoided/corrected). Have a good day man! Peace!
Hahaha, I live for this comparison in so many ways; well done, my friend, well done, lol. 👏🏽👌🏽
i think this is why i like ppl like ariel pink. the way they play around with it and how they will just do something left field that makes your body melt.
Michael jackson was a genius and a perfectionist.
Finally!!! A Vocal Coach, who actually appreciates Michael Jackson for his VOCALS. People seem to forget he is a child prodigy who was singing "Soul" songs, since he was 5!!!
People focus on his dancing too much, don't get me wrong here, he was a master at dance, one of the greatest that ever lived, but so was he a vocalist!
Long Live The King!!!
Agree
MJ was the greatest vocalist and dancer of all time, not "one of the greatest".
Right
@@HypnoticHollywood That's kinda complicated to affirm that he was the GREATEST vocalist of all time, once we had lots of others. I'm a HUGE fan of him, I know his history and surely he was a god in everything he did. BUT we had Freddie Mercury, Stevie Wonder, Ronnie James Dio, true legends, and some others around at the time. We can't forget it. Listen to the isolated vocals of Freddie, for example, you will tremble..
@@hmwr0h None of those names with all due respect compared to Michael Jackson in terms of how many different voices and pitches he could
Michael has said many times in his interviews that he sings rhythmically. All of those vocal artifacts are like rhythmic flourishes, like a percussionist. He views all instruments from a percussive perspective.
So do I..
Chris Cornell was originally a drummer and did the same kind of thing. Especially when you listen to his live acoustic album where’s there’s very little compression. Gives this push/pull feel.
megavega, 👍👍👍
Yep. And for me, that’s one of the coolest and most exciting things about his voice - the incredible rhythmical funk and drive in his voice.
Every note and every breath in his singing is dance. You can’t separate his dancing from his singing, imho :)
A hyper pure, flat, lighty voice. Michael's main technique is to dirty, to give texture and aggressiveness to this purity. The clarity of his voice allowed him to use the enormous dynamism that you, Chris, highlighted. Such a bless
Thank you Theo!
Dam the accuracy of your description was overwhelming accurate af
@@curtevans2551 glad 4 ur comment!
I would like to take voice lessons from you
@@chandrajordan9163 that would be a pleasure, tnx 4 that!
Michael sang the lead like a demon, but the harmonies were angelic. A man of many contradictions. His life and his whole being was an artistic expression in itself. It was in everything he did, from singing to dancing and of course, his image. Simply phenomenal. I will always love him.
At 19:20, Michael is jumping around a C# fully diminished chord (C# E G and Bb) before landing on a crispy B9sus4. (Voiced as an A B C# E and F# as that last chord on “ToNIGHT~”) it’s crazy how specific he is in this voicing because of how unstable a fully diminished chord is and his vocal acrobatics to execute this harmony are insane!
This man's voice is just heart melting.
I love how Michael left in his imperfections of his voice in his music. It makes it sound so real
I feel like MJ was a voice actor who happened to be singing. His style is so dramatic and dynamic that it draws you in.
Michael's singing is like a perfect instrument itself complementing every song and melody. He prioritized emotion over techniques, that why his songs make you want to bob your head and dance, you can't sit still 😊
I watched one of the interviews where he’s been explaining his technique…he simply said he’s becoming the sound. In my opinion it’s the best explanation, because as it’s been said in the video he didn’t think much about it. He couldn’t write music in music notes, he recorded himself singing. He simply felt motion, tension…he become those slamming door and many different things.
Phenomenal artist.
What I hear Micheal he seemed to never lose the childlike passion of singing he reminded of when your a kid and you sing a weird song but instead of nonsense he made it professional but it seemes he never lost fun in singing.
Michael Jackson's voice is a result of hard work, experimentation, expression and power.
Back in the day where you have to sing all the song at once without break.
no melodyne, autotune or audio effects. just singing perfect.
Well, he took lots of breaks and did lots of takes. If you see some of the documentary footage of him tracking in the studio, you can see them taking little sections and analyzing them and singing short pieces until he gets stuff right. AS IT SHOULD BE though!! His perfectionism in the context of his singing made the tracks what they are forever. His ability to sing something, listen to it, and do again so that it is as good as it can possibly be! AND YESSSS... He made these wonderful tracks before there were any of the 'easy cheats' for sure!!
Everybody took breaks even Stevie wonder but I do agree with you and back then you had to have talent sadly that changed in the late 90s starting with j-lo and now look where we’re at today lol
@@shutit4024 Not to mention that Lil Nasty X!! Real talent is a thing of the past... Well Bruno holding it down...Love him!
It's true they had no autotune/melodyne. And not by fare the same after prossesing tools as today. But the technicians were very skilled in doing "jump ins" and quite precisely operated the big tape machines from a remote controller right next to them. Micheal was a perfectionist that patiently would repeat the same frazes over and over again until it was right (When most of us really couldn't tell the difference)
@@chrisliepe Really? Wow. I thought the tape machines back in the day would be hard to edit on so phrases would have to be one take instead of multiple takes comped.
Those isolated harmonies are just so amazing! The "Chiller, thriller, here tonight" part always gives me goosebumps, so good. I love this, really makes you realize how much work went into this song.
Michael is unique, his voice damn!!!! He sings with his entire body, and with amazing feelings!!! 💪😉
MJ
As he should. As Chris has said many times, singing is a bodily experience. You use muscles that are there to help you poop, in order to push sounds out of your mouth. I'd say that's a bodily experience in itself.
@@powerstation0872 true but funny 😂
I've seen his the girl is mine recording session and his "just good friends" session with Stevie Wonder he definitely puts his whole body into it
One things for sure that Michael Jackson has such an incredible vocal range.
You can actually hear the hope in the word "hope" when Mike sang it. it's like he added the expression of the words as if he were performing them rather than singing them. This was an eye opener for me. Thanks Chris💯
MJ was a genius at his craft and that was important to him!!! Just brilliant!!!
So missed!!🎤🕊
Michael didn't sing... He opened the soul.
MJ was equally good in singing like he was in dance !
That's a good way of putting it! Amazing!
Which is why he’s one of the few who could be forgiven for lip-syncing. He more than proved his might as a vocalist, and singing while dancing is hard enough to keep up with on its own (see Rob Zombie), especially considering the way Michael danced
@@Adrian101882 true. And we have to think that mj started lipsync just after 30 years old.....so great respect for him.
@@Adrian101882 he did lip sync mostly on TV shows, but on tours he was singing live
This is the reason why he’s the king
It's amazing how great Mike's ear was without the plugin. It gives you respect for the classic artists.
MJ voice sounds Ike different instruments!!!
So amazing!!!💕💕💕🎤
To have a great voice is something...
To be very talented is something...
But to have the vision and to be able to put a song together from scratch with that level of detail...that's Michael Jackson's genius
That is so true moe!
Greatest of all time! No comparison for this man, crazy talented 🔥
Couldn't agree more!
@@chrisliepe and Same to you, you’re such a talented man, thanks for sharing your knowledge !
Don't forget about Prince
@@jasoncollins865 prince was not on MJs level sir sorry
@@jmuneybeatz5721 Prince was blatantly Michael’s superior on every level except dancing, and it’s not close
I am so glad your videos rediscovered MJ for me. It is awesome how rhythmic are all the tiny things he does with his voice, as if he had a beatboxer along him.
He was a beatboxer himself btw. He beatboxed his own beats before he went to the studios and producers with it to recreate the beats. You should check out Michael Jackson’s beatbox collection on UA-cam or just listen to who is it and listen to the ending where he finished off the song beatboxing with a few instrumentals. The greatest to ever do it!
ua-cam.com/video/5C5he8XQCBw/v-deo.html these are just a few!
His vocal hiccups were so damn good
Fr
If you enjoy Michael’s vocals react to either Earth Song or Will you be there. I also recommend speechless.
Keep the Faith and Liberian Girl too.
Why you wanna trip on me as well.. very underrated and powerful vocals
YES PLEASE!!! WILL YOU BE THERE AND EARTH SONG!!!!
Everybody is the music industry has lip synced, specially on TV specials, but also sung as well, it just depends on what it is and Michael sung all the time as a kid on those shows, so you want to hear some real singing go look at him when he was a kid.
@@Mr88karats ok but when you’re on his level of entertaining and dancing, YOU ARE NOT ABLE to sing live.
Thanks Chris, it's always wonderful to hear Michael Jackson's voice.
He really sings with so much expression and very freely, seems like he improvises a lot, need to study this isolated track
Those harmonies are undoubtedly the Jackson 5 influence, and the auto tune knocks out the natural flanging in the chorus; fascinating hearing this classic unpacked like that.
I'm listening to it and I'm flipping out... It's impossible to imitate this man singing...
Thanks so much for this analysis!
I don't know where or how to start doing to use Mr. Jackson's skills to sing....
Bloody hell!!!!
He has a fast vibrato like Stevie Wonder. Really cool.
He also is percussive with his voice and breath sounds, softening ts to ds reducing plosives that would be a product of percussive singing, very relaxed and intentional.
I grew up on this album.
Stevie was another vocalist who can shift from baritone to bass with ease he goes into a deep raspy bass voice in a few times in a few songs
As someone who was very lucky to see MJ live years ago here in london this is a fantastic analysis and breakdown of his vocals
Jackson is wildly underrated as a vocalist. Always in the top ten of all time vocalists but never number 1. For me he is number 1. The greatest variation of tones and an undeniably individual sound like no other. Immediately identifiable!
I remember his music teacher back in kindergarten or elementary (?) said that she was once messed a note and continued but the class didn’t notice except Michael. He saw Mike was surprised and looking at her, laughing. + he cant read note but he knows what it sounded like and thats f awesome.
Michael has been singing his whole life, it is his art, and a perfectionist. And he is a genius. And as years went by he just got better and better and better at his art of singing. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ It's sad that he is gone, and people are still amazed by his singing and what he has done, which has influenced us. Me myself can I get enough of him still. And I am 60. He put his whole heart and soul into his music.
MJ deserves only the best compressor in the world!
...Sing like an angel...
Michael just sings by instinct...nothing else to see here...he does that without thinking too much...he was born to do this without too much effort....just listen dont overanalise...
Nah, he clearly was influenced by soul/gospel vocalists before him especially James brown. He didn’t just come out the womb singing with these little quirks. He worked at it and clearly experimented with vocal techniques.
Big facts !!! Pure instinct…pick it apart if you wanna
hahaha - MJ would like you to believe that. He worked hard. Seth Riggs was his vocal coach. He always spent 30-60 minutes warming up before each recording session.
@@Elena-er7zp Now, what does that have to do with anything, precisely, let alone what the OP stated, lol?
I'm genuinely curious, no matter how much smartassery *[I’ll admit it, lol]* is present throughout my initial question, which the only reason that I said what I did with any smartass tone is that what you expressed precisely, especially in regards to the original comment, not only has positively and blatantly no relevance to what OP commented but, furthermore, all your statement did was establish that you have an understanding of how Michael placed significance on vocal health and strength and maintaining that for as long as he could, especially considering *how long* he had been singing throughout his life, not to mention the illnesses that he faced for a considerable portion of his life, so I don't quite understand what is so “funny,” hence the “hahaha” leading your comment that has zero relevance, lol.
By all means, however, please do explain.
We didn’t deserve Michael. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Chris! I'm a big MJ fan and I enjoyed that you couldn't stop smiling at one point.
Michael Jackson would be honoured to have you dissecting his art in this way. Your analysis and enthusiasm is spot on! Thank you SO much. 👍🙏⭐️💯
He had one of the best voices in the game
It is so refreshing to listen to a vocal coach who actually is a great singer himself. Who are not just talking, but also can demonstrate perfectly. Thank you for that. It's a well known fact among real musicians that slight variations in pitch is what makes overdubbing harmonies sound really magical and big. The mathematical pitch tuners only make it smaller and dull sounding
I love his voice dont matter with or without music its so beautiful that sound so good
would love to know what u using to do that
Agreed. His voice is my favorite.
That whoo hoo that he does is a technique he's been using since he was about 10 years. The tune Chained to your love from the Jackson Five days is where he started using it. He began the tune with Whoo hoo listen darlin.
He’s got an incredible approach to hold and cut off notes with a very natural feel. This is what hold back vocalists like Myles Kennedy who have incredible talent, but lack that phrasing with a strong push/pull feel.
I dont know how I came across this video but I'm happy I did, the way he broke MJ vocals down was amazing.
Analyze his voice in You Can’t Win from the Wiz. One of his best vocals that ppl sleep on
Oh yes he sings in every range with such ease
The vocal variation that isn’t auto tuned, if not completely off-pitch, has a chorus kind of effect. For those that don’t know part of the chorus effect is just slightly wavering the pitch some cents. Not like half/whole notes necessarily, just enough to make it not perfect. So that could explain why it sounds good 😁
Michael The GOAT!!! Period. 🔥
Rod Temperton was a genius writer, composer, and vocal arranger. If you like Thriller, go listen to any Heatwave album, you get to hear the genius of Rod Temperton's arrangements
First off we cant sing like MJ so we can all forget the attempt. I am certain MJ is the greatest male vocalist of all time. He used his voice as a instrument and it kept changing every decade, meaning he was using and practicing for the voice to sound different every album. Also the reason why Michael was singing so rhythmically, was because his foot never stopped tapping...he was dancing while singing in the studio.
That oooh sound that Michael made from time to time here emulated a ghost sound, but he made in such a cool way that we don't even notice it. We just dive into the experience. Because this song performed by Michael Jackson is a true musical experience.
I just can’t believe how he manages to do the dancing he does with breathing like this
I will never understand why people feel the need to "correct" subtle nuances out of music. It makes it less than what it was when you iron out the human element, not more.
right! Those little things are what make things truly interesting and emotionally connected!
İt think mj knew what he was doing there
@@chrisliepe I find it hard to believe that MJ's tuning variations in his backing vocals were not on purpose. It is these variations that make it sound big and textured. These were no accidents. Had it been an accidents then his main vocals would not be as brilliant.
Correcting little cracks and shakes in MJ's voice screws with the entire gritty sound ESPECIALLY in Thriller. You're supposed to get the angsty nearly cowering sound in his voice because it's a song about spooky supernatural stuff going on...
He's had that anger raspy singing even as a kid it's his trademark it's awesome
He made everything more exciting than the usual, a very smart and talented guy
I’ve never ever heard anyone sing like Michael did. Yet he inspired millions. Is there anyone? The first time I heard him it was just wow; the most beautiful thing I ever heard. I was a small child, and it really blew my mind.
I know he said: when it feels right, it’s right… meaning he wasn’t extremely concerned about singing “correctly”. That’s so cool.
Great Job Chris......As a Vocal Coach and recording artist, I always try to get my students and the artists that we record, to listen to what artists like Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars etc., do with articulation and pronunciation on their voices. People do want to hear everything you sing, believe it or not....Lol Again, great job!
Let’s not forget Quincy Jones’ role as producer was crucial to get all this richness specially the backing vocals
That is the role of the sound engineer and his name was Bruce Swedien.
I meant the richness of the harmonies (the musical notes) and that’s Q’s role
I don’t know what to say. After watching this video, I learn more about the song thriller than I would expect. Those cords are amazing!
I've heard Steve Lukather said that when he was working in studio on songs that Michael wrote (on tape recorder), Michael used to sing him every notes to play for each chords by ear. Lukather said he was amazed by MJ's musical ears. He probably had perfect pitch.
I have heard several times that indeed have perfect pitch.
Yea! He couldn't totally understand sheet music! But if you played a key or note... He'd hit the same note in the same key and say... that's C sharp or whatever! And then play it on keyboard or piano!
the background vocals without pitch correction were even more impressive. the lead had so much character that really helped to tell the story. the song was so well written melodically and lyrically. an atmosphere was created before the short film - which took it to another level. i watched this video in one go, which is rare for me considering the length. thanks for making it :)
I really appreciate how Michael’s style is singing never changed! I love this breakdown ♥️ I often close my eyes and just focus on his ad-libs and background vocals as well. I’m such an impersonator of vocals so this is right up my alley😅
One of my favourite things about this channel is how Chris can make me get excited again about something I have heard so many times before. Four thumbs up Chris (well, two of them are toes but you get my drift...)
I've always loved MJ's songs but now I've seen this I truly appreciate MJ as a brilliant singer. Before now I never realized this. Thank you.
Yeah Mike.
OMG you need to do this with Liberian Girl please.
"Tell us what you thought of this video..."
There's nothing to tell you, except listen to it and be amazed!
Thank you for the amazing analysis... MJ songs should be all studied... each one is a masterpiece that its hard to comprehend without being an expert, you doing a great job... more MJ song please!
I suggest picking some from Dangerous History and Invincible... analyze the maturing of his voice and the perfection he reached
18:57 I've been waiting all my life to hear this vocalpart in pieces. It's amazing. Thanks for sharing.
can't help but think that singing was a full body experience for micheal. It doesnt sound like deliberate quirks in his voice, but a side product of being fully emersed in delivering the story
Amazing
I also got recommend today
More and more I’m realizing that my favorite singers don’t just sing their songs, they live them. The emotions communicated is incredibly compelling.
Yes!!!!
@@chrisliepe love your vids Chris, the best out there in cyberspace! Greetings from Ireland.
The "double inhale" is a punch in as this was way before Pro Tools fixes. Double breaths were common in tape based recordings though not often heard unless the track is isolated.
That's fascinating never heard that, kudos to u
Those harmonies❤
In a nutshell: that is why he was MICHAEL JACKSON King Of Pop !
Thank you very much! A master piece video not only sharing how MJ has been putting efforts in this song, but also on the harmonies. That's why MJ is a legend. Production is a 2-edge sword, it is a product of the audience demand.
You are doing humanity a great service by raveling these tracks, it allows us to better understand how to think and approach our own creations!
MJ LEGEND, voice of an angel 💕💕💕💕💕
"Be a composer with your own voice." Such great advice! I've seen videos of MJ and Beyoncé talk to their musicians about their instrumental parts by imitating the instrument with their voice. Not in a goofy way but a pitch-perfect replication of the sound or melody that they envision.
That's really complex harmonic voicing for his voice in the backing. With him not playing any chordal instruments fluently, it's really interesting he could have a grasp of harmony to that degree. Shame they tuned him. As for the lead, you have the exact philosophy I have had on singing, that the best singers sing like they are painter. With light, color, form, and motion. Sometimes it is rough, sometimes it is smooth. Sometimes it is tighter, sometimes looser. But it is ultimately like they are expressing their voice on the canvas of the song.
Really?! Artist like Janet, Brandy, Beyoncé and Mariah Carey have the same grasp of harmony and they don’t play instruments either
@@mssha1980 I haven't heard acapella home demos written and sung by those artists, so maybe they are. But Michael Jackson is a really specific case because he would write entire songs with no instruments to guide the key, no outside songwriters, just his voice. That's a very rare ability. Any singer can be coached to sing a harmony by mirroring an instrument or mirroring another singer. Going from scratch acapella requires advanced ears.
I imagine Quincy Jones probably told Michael what notes to sing since that type of jazz pop fusion is very much his thing
@@Viper-dz2kw no Quincy didn’t write any of MJ songs. This song was written by Rod Temperton
@@mssha1980 Temperton wrote it, Quincy produced it, I wasn’t alive in 1983 but seeing as there was basically no way to arrange and hear it back like you can today without recording to tape, I imagine Temperton’s contributions were primarily writing the song at a piano which Quincy arranged into the song
16:10 It's pitch-corrected for sure! We can clearly hear "you start to freeEeeEeeeeeEeze".. I don't know, but I think this is evidence of pitch correction..
I spent SO many years with vocal lessons/ training that focused on technique and breathing and theory and such. And while that’s good, I did realize in hindsight that it got completely in the way of creativity of the art. Imperfection and individual approach is THE thing that makes it so special! I kind of missed out on the beauty of that freedom, because I didn’t think I was allowed to do that. You’re right on with your analysis’s. So far I’ve heard you analyze Kurt Cobain, Kayne Stanley, Thom Yorke, and David Draiman, and now Michael Jackson..
This song in its entirety is a masterpiece. Those harmonies!!! Wow!
I’m following you. I didn’t know this was a video to help singers while studying MJ! Amazing. Subscribed!
Thanks for subbing!
MJ certainly knew how to utilise the multi-track recorder to its ultimate potential when recording backing vocals.
Credit, in my opinion, has to also go to the inventor/s of the tape machine, the sound engineer/s, songwriter/s, producer etc…
Without whom none of these incredible sounds would’ve been possible.
Everyone involved has to take equal credit. Phenomenal work by all..
As a fellow long-time singer I really appreciate your expertise and passion for music. Great video!
Another amazing video!! Each one comes from a different angle and like colors in a painting. Pure gold!
From the Jackson Five to "Thriller" , MJ's vocals were unreal
He's going from his "guts" my dad is a singer I can tell you what Michael is doing going from tenor to baritone to bass is extremely difficult and he makes it look easy he's god like with singing vocals
Awesome Chris. He's got Messa di voce going on all over the place! Never realized how much! Such skill.
Just found your channel and I’m not even a singer but you’re clearly the best teacher you could ask for
You wouldn't believe, but I was thinking about if you ever did an analysis on Michael's vocal tracks! Lucky day
Thank you for showing us this. I love all that Detail stuff.
Love these analysis videos.
Similar to the non-digitally mastered track, I like live recordings because of the adjustments they make to be able to do some of the stuff. The rawness can bring out the emotion that was put into writing it. It just adds so much for me.
This is an awesome video Chris. I had no idea that all of those harmony sections were so detailed and insanely hard to sing.
Would love to see more MJ videos from you!! :) :) Nice job!!
Considering that we as singers, lay our vocal lines over guitars and basses, which are never really “tuned”, all those fluctuations in pitch, make everything real. The voice is a wind+cord instrument, imperfect by nature.
MJ singing is out of this world. That’s how awesome human ear and real intonation should sound like, in my humble opinion :-)
Definitely pitch corrected! You can hear it so clear!! Thanks Chris 🤟🙏
Wow wow wow.what a musical legend