Michael Jackson Billie Jean Stems ((install)) File

| Stem # | Content | Notable Sonic Characteristics | |--------|---------|-------------------------------| | 1 | Kick drum | Gated, sub-heavy (Linn LM-1 drum machine) | | 2 | Snare + Clap | Layered: snare + handclap, heavy reverb | | 3 | Hi-hats & cymbals | Closed hi-hat, 16th-note pattern, minimal | | 4 | Bass synth | Synclavier II bass + layered synth bass; iconic chromatic run | | 5 | String synth pad | Roland VP-330 or Synclavier strings (chorus) | | 6 | Guitar (clean) | David Williams’ muted, funky Stratocaster | | 7 | Percussion | Cabasa, shaker, tambourine | | 8 | Lead vocal (dry) | Double-tracked in verses, single in chorus | | 9 | Lead vocal (wet) | Reverb/delay returns (Lexicon 224) | | 10 | Background vocals | Jackson’s own stacked harmonies | | 11 | Effects returns | Reverb, slapback delay (Eventide H949) | | 12 | Click track / guide | Not in final mix but present on raw multitrack |

A minor-chord synth pad, played on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, enters on the off-beats. Isolated, these chords sound remarkably short and sharp, leaving vast pockets of "empty space" in the mix. michael jackson billie jean stems