In the latest video from composer and sound designer Anthony Marinelli, he is joined by musician and sound designer Kevin Maloney, who reveals the origin of the iconic synth sound of Michael Jackson‘s Beat it.
In the video, Maloney demonstrates how the intro sound from Beat It was ‘inspired’ by The Incredible Sounds of Synclavier II, a blue vinyl audio demo disk for the Synclavier.
Maloney and Marinelli go on to discuss how the sound was based on a Synclavier preset, and how the demo disk melody, created by Denny Yeager, was recreated in the studio for Beat It.
For those that were deep into synths, and the synth music of the day, the sound was also immediately recognizable from the beginning of Tangerine Dream‘s 1981 album, Exit.
Did Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ copy a synth demo record?
It’s pretty clear that the iconic sound of one of the best-selling singles of all time was copied straight from the Synclavier demo record.
Synthesist Alex Ball dug into this a few years ago, and raised the issue of copyright and credits. Ball notes, though, that Yeager went on to work together on Bad, where Yeager was credited with ‘certain Synclavier effects’.
Here’s Ball’s take on the iconic start of Beat It:
The sound is iconic – but, arguably, it was Jackson’s use of the sound on Beat It that made it so iconic. Like some other presets from that era, the sound is so inextricably connected to a famous track that it’s challenging to use.
Composer Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) was up to that challenge, though, using the iconic sound as part of the 80’s-inspired sound palette for his score to the 2016 film Deadpool.
Here’s a behind the scenes look at the making of the Deadpool score – and you can’t miss that sound:
Watched the Marinelli clip out of general interest but have to admit that the MJ part was out of my wheelhouse. BUT, hooha, thanks for confirming I was not imagining things re: TD’s “Exit”!
what a waste of time.
I have that blue LP! its a big helping of the best FM madness you could get back then. Modern versions of the Synclavier could sell a lot more units if people heard that.
pff oof meh
Come on Behringer where are you – this is an obvious product for you to copy
Did Woody Guthrie’s “this land is your land” copy the tune from the Carter Family??
And what about Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood, after all it is presets, where is the problem, he dared to do it and it worked…
“Did Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ Copy A Synth Demo Record?”
yes.
Clickbait title : ammend title Synthhead.
Only the intro dhooonng 7notes is copied.
Presets don’t matter; you hear them in famous songs everywhere. And calling those few notes a composition is a stretch.
Remember Kraftwerks Trans Europe Express trial?
It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin’ how funky and strong is your fight
Time for my money in the bank
You cant beat me you cant beat me (Ooh!)
I always thought a good ad campaign for Cheez-It crackers would be a parody of Beat It.
Cheeeez it….cheeeez it…
don’cha’wanna’eat a cheeez it?
So good and cheesey…
such a good crunch…
go to the store now…
buy a whole bunch…
…just cheez it