Michael Jackson

[Lodeus]

Thought this was pretty cool.

As Jackson couldn’t fluently play any instruments, he would sing and beatbox out how he wanted his songs to sound by himself on tape, layering the vocals, harmonies and rhythm before having instrumentalists come in to complete the songs.

One of his engineers Robmix on how Jackson worked: “One morning MJ came in with a new song he had written overnight. We called in a guitar player, and Michael sang every note of every chord to him. “here’s the first chord first note, second note, third note. Here’s the second chord first note, second note, third note”, etc., etc. We then witnessed him giving the most heartfelt and profound vocal performance, live in the control room through an SM57. He would sing us an entire string arrangement, every part. Steve Porcaro once told me he witnessed MJ doing that with the string section in the room. Had it all in his head, harmony and everything. Not just little eight bar loop ideas. he would actually sing the entire arrangement into a micro-cassette recorder complete with stops and fills.”

 

[kristie]

that's cool.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Not a MJ fan, but yes that was cool.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

A very talented guy.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The guy was a maestro when it came to music. Regardless of the other things outside of music... He was completely synchronized with music.

I admire that type of talent.

But you know I think folks that are that in-tune with a particular avocation/hobby... whatever you want to call it, I think they end up lacking in other areas. You could almost call it a zero-sum game.

 

[mldardy]

MJ is my favorite musician along with Stevie Wonder.

 

[Fletch]

Loved MJ's music. Highly talented man.

 

[cml750]

Loved MJ's music. Highly talented man.

I agree he was extremely talented but his lack of a real childhood seriously messed him up.

 

[raybright]

Wouldn't call myself a fan, but his musical talent and approach to songwriting made him a genius - a modern day Mozart?

 

[raybright]

Just to add another fun fact about MJ - he is quite the earner, posthumously. Quite impressive as well:

http://www.statista.com/chart/1959/the-highest-posthumous-earners/