Michael Jackson's Ability In Studio Was Unmatched: w/ Dave Way

This is an excerpt from an in-depth interview with mixer, recording engineer, producer, and songwriter Dave Way. Here, Dave recalls one memorable session working with Michael Jackson; who's mind and ear for music was clearly genius.
You can find the full interview here:
insideblackbir...
Learn from more music industry legends at insideblackbir...
Subscribe on KZbin for more videos like this: @insideblackbird
Find Inside Blackbird Online
Instagram: / inside_blackbird
TikTok: / insideblackbird
Facebook: / insideblackbird
Twitter: / insideblackbird
#InsideBlackbird
#music #musicproduction #recordingstudio #studiolife #michaeljackson #michaeljacksonthekingofpop #recordingsession

[@AM_9924]

We need more documentaries on Michael’s recording sessions in the studio. Genius stuff. He was so talented.

[@Jordansparte]

Exactly! We need more of this! Unlike that dreadful Thriller 40 documentary which chose to talk about BTS and TikTok

[@AM_9924]

@@Jordansparte I just watched Thriller 40. Thought it was good, loved the unseen footage but it defo had moments that were not needed.

[@lorenharris2965]

Make it happen.

[@camaradiop3731]

See The MJCast podcast; they have a plethora of stories on Jackson's greatness and vocal prowess by people who actually were around Jackson and saw his talent face to face.

[@alfreddawson3765]

Teddy Riley and Darkchild gave some good interviews on Dangerous and Invincible.

[@Slyster59-i2d]

Michael didn’t have to study music , Music studied him. I saw him 3 times live and pure energy the whole concert from start to finish. The GREATEST TO EVER DO IT

[@Kemet3.0]

He was around the greatest musician in our time in Motown, Berry Gordy explained he studied everyone. MJ stated he loves classical music.

[@rrdream2400]

this is not accurate and not giving credit to how hard he worked and studied to develop his natural talent. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and of course James Brown were just a few the Michael studied closely from a very young age.

[@giuseppemaggio5894]

I remember that the first time I heard Michael's isolated vocals on a track...I was absolutely mindblown. The level of precision and perfection in every single aspect of every single phrase...and the fact that it still somehow had a lot of personality to it without sounding robotic or emotionless....in an era where autotune wasn't even a concept...that's literally unparalleled vocal efficiency

[@andregant9980]

Fantastically written comment!

[@giuseppemaggio5894]

This makes me very happy because I am not a native English speaker but I have a big passion for music @@andregant9980

[@songohan3931]

To me he’s the best singer. A lot of people say Freddie is but so many people sing better than him

[@fredbk6858]

The name of that is genius

[@play4u67]

Michael had 25+ years of experience in the studio by this time, the man knew what he was doing and just how it was to be arranged and finished and he knew just exactly what he wanted in each song as far as his sounds, pitches, percussions, everything,....and let's not forget,...the man was a perfectionist...everything had to sound and be just right because if it wasn't, to Michael, it was garbage and would have to be redone to his liking, who can blame him,...he knew what he was doing and the producers knew that as well!! He was a musical and lyrical genius!!!!!!! #RIPMJ ♥

[@ayaanbretmitchell9830]

Notice how everyone that meets MJ are in awe like 'damn this is MJ' they all say it. His impact was huge. Even celebs were saying same thing...

[@pamelah6431]

To me, MJ will always be Michael Jordan. 😏

[@ayaanbretmitchell9830]

@bubblemiix Hmm but the lady that gave birth to you didn't mind did she?

[@mjmedia09returns]

@@pamelah6431 Michael Jackson was bigger than Michael Jordan. How do you think Michael Jackson got Michael Jordan to appear in his video and Michael Jordan said "Michael Jackson," even he was in awe.

[@pamelah6431]

@@mjmedia09returns so what?

[@mjmedia09returns]

@@pamelah6431 Just keeping it real. MJ was like a PLANETARY start.

[@Jesoteric]

There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever, Michael Jackson was one of the most gifted recording artist and entertainers to ever live, if not the most gifted

[@leahartlee29]

He was the Greatest Of All Time, and the most gifted of all time!

[@voyagein2thecoreofthenight700]

no he was not... he was an incredible singer. He couln't handle a recording studio...he needed ingeneers, so stop saying all those bullshits about this guy... it's just stupid.

[@rodbarker6598]

@@leahartlee29 Sorry Elvis Presley beat him to it in pretty every way even in death.

[@robertj.batista]

@@voyagein2thecoreofthenight700 Most artists need engineers, MJ wasn't the only one. He was a singer, dancer, performer, composer and producer. He did the choruses and harmonies for his songs. Tell me the number of artists who can do all this and more. Only some like Prince or David Bowie were more talented than him. MJ is among the most talented artists even if you don't want to accept it. Not all artists dance, write, produce or co-produce.

[@rosemuoki5044]

Absolutely true..and,that's why many went up to the level of enviousness and jeoulsy of him. And at last killed him

[@EricBlackmonGuitar]

Michael was one of a kind. Sorry to lose such a great artist.

[@shaneharrington3655]

That is legitimately insane. that level of performative precision, amazing.

[@yuriydisman6829]

Yes he was unmatched in skill, effort, talent, and just pure genius.

[@coursecorrection4105]

You can definitely hear all of the percussive sounds in MJ’s music, which makes his vocal performances stand apart

[@mssha1980]

It makes it very unique

[@davidedeh8448]

Those breaths in his songs are one of the major reason his songs are so unique.

[@boonee8279]

Michael Jackson was a perfectionist and a musical genius

[@Cormac-jd2kx]

A singer dancer, period. Musical genius are normally musicians 😂 that can compose music using instruments

[@ggpierson5527]

​​@@Cormac-jd2kx You don't need instruments to compose music. I agree with the original statement & could care less about the dismissive nonsense about having to play an instrument. The only thing you need is to understand music and what goes well together.

[@Cormac-jd2kx]

@@ggpierson5527😂😂😂

[@naielmusic]

​@@Cormac-jd2kxmusical genius is way different than a normal musician dumass

[@_melvonty]

He was a living instrument..he didn’t need the music theory or so called techniques..he was the sound we wanted to hear. Love Mj ❤️

[@dannyupthereds4729]

Theres so many haters, particularly fans of Prince who diss MJs music ability coz he didnt play every instrument like Prince 'apparently' did....i love Prince i think hes a genius. The fact that MJ didnt play instruments but knew how to compose each part with just his vocals is incredible and a rare gift....thats total creativity

[@GreeshmaPradeep-cy2mc]

Very true

[@eugeneburse3499]

Iam a PRINCE fan but I love MJJ

[@mattmcatee7446]

One of the hallmarks of real iconic artists is that they know EXACTLY what they want, and they do not compromise. “You usually clean up the breaths? Well that doesn’t matter. Because I want the breaths left in.” Artists who definitively decide what they want and don’t stop til they get it are the ones who stand the test of time.

[@Fiveash-Art]

He didn't stop til he got enough. 😁

[@lk4543]

Thou shalt not cease until one has retained what one does most require

[@jetnut89]

There’s a reason they are called artists. In my experience working with musicians in a studio setting, give them free reign. They know exactly what they want in their music.

[@marymoore5776]

A freaking genius Michael Jackson was.

[@MrFunkyjive]

Miss him every day.

[@mjmedia09returns]

I still don't think that level of fame exist today. If you think about how MJ had 90 million people watch his interview with Oprah that level of fame doesn't exist today. They have to put it on youtube for repetitive views vs everyone tuning in like it was a Super Bowl. That's a different level. Today, these starts can't even get people to watch them live on tv. All the award shows are low ratings, which speaks volume.

[@martnerby1]

The power of internet my friend and the power of tv in jackson’s time

[@thesaintst1851]

@@martnerby1don’t understand?? What’s your point.. those things still exist today..right?.. who has ACHIEVED that level of fame today?…

[@martnerby1]

@@thesaintst1851 Good you ask, will explain my point and will get into the word achieving at the end. I think because of the internet people can differentiate much more in the artists they like because of the power of the internet. We have the opportunity to find a artist who relates/resonates 'better' to a individual. People listen to other 'big' artist then there friends and often we get to learn new artist from each other who maybe became big in there own respective genre or 'social media bubble'. Maybe that's not new, you always got to learn from friends if you where open to it. But maybe you can agree that there is more opportunity for differentiation in artists to listen to in the times of the internet. In the time of peak mass media (Jackson's time, just before the big industry of streaming services and KZbin and so fort, but in the upcoming time of MTV) radio stations and television programs had more influence on the public in what they listened because there was less alternative like we have with the internet now. Jackson was a great performer and deserves the credit for the amount of people he reached, don't get me wrong. But i think if Jackson would have come up in this day and age i question if he would be that legendary as he is know. So to get in the word achieving: I think the power of mass media then and the power of the internet now has a lot to do with the achievements of artists and how many people you reach on a mass scale like Jackson did. What do you think about that? Would Jackson be as big if he started now? And would a (same type of) artist become as big as Jackson was?

[@jtremaine23]

You nailed it! Others have to get repetitive views on KZbin or wherever to match what he did.

[@nithaallea4045]

When he said "Not everybody's Michael Jackson" that really say alot!! ❤

[@MannyNCF]

Money and awards and fans and fame is great... but to have the respect and amazement of your peers and other professionals priceless!!

[@mccloysong]

He knew that the key to perfect doubling is to know exactly how to sing it the first time through. He sang with conviction.

[@derekk7560]

🔥🔥🔥

[@TheMaverickMind-Ultc]

There's nothing greater than listening to people talking about their passions.. Wish it was longer

[@stillnotstill]

This

[@toniarias1538]

Amazing. I can't get enough of people talking about his work ethic in the studio. What a brilliant human being he was.

[@blackdogRexy]

Apart from the five kids who accused him and the payouts he made. Brilliant?

[@toniarias1538]

@@blackdogRexy Check the facts. You have internet and plenty of information, including the FBI files released after his death. He was innocent. Now you can choose believe the opposite as many people chooses to believe the Earth is flat.

[@timdoyon1964]

Michael is the greatest entertainer in world history. Him and I were the same age, so I watched him grow up. He redefined the term superstardom.

[@evhvariac2]

World history wow!!

[@RobnDob]

Michael was as much an engineer and producer as much as he was an artist.

[@Mr_B31]

Wait. He’d just go from full take to full take, flawlessly, INCLUDING all the different harmony lines in the track and choruses??? Have you heard the harmonies on his tracks? To do this you have to be unimaginably talented…. I’m astonished

[@DudeSilad]

Only the elite could do it. Bowie was similar. Life on Mars is Bowie singing it twice. In contrast, a Billie Eilish song might by 90 pieces stuck together.

[@AnalogFlava]

Yes, but at the same time, don't forget he had been singing and recording since age 5 or 6. So it's like the best musicians/players, that can play whole songs flawlesslyy from start to end and know every note.

[@doogsiabrey]

MJ was so gifted it blows my mind over and over. Mostly everybody else is in kindergarten compared to him.

[@DudeSilad]

@@doogsiabrey as a singer & performer, he was immense. There were better songwriters, depends on your tastes. But completely mad.

[@vincentjohnflorio]

Look up "Chris Liepe" going over the masters (or some version of the multitracks with the channels separated) -- there's so much juice in every second of his songs layered in and his interactions with his other self are so good and in sync you could probably mathematically average them

[@mechajay3358]

I really enjoyed hearing these stories of Michael in the studio.

[@FATFORKS]

Reminds me of that Live Aid outtake where Huey Lewis and Cyndi Lauper were struggling repeatedly to nail their verses so Michael had to keep laying down his chorus so they could redo their verses. Every single time Michael's chorus was perfect.

[@danimalwonderpants2123]

The We Are The World bts footage was legendary 😆

[@SmoothCrmnl80]

When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all...

[@NewDaySon37]

I just watched that a couple days ago! Its day and night the difference between Michael and those 2. Plus he stands a notch above Stevie Wonder, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Ritchie and all those who more or less helped carry the song.

[@outermarker5801]

Didn't come easy though. When you're both highly gifted AND diligently practiced, you'll invariably be the best. MJ had been at it from the age of 5. By this time period he'd been professionally singing, performing and A-list famous for over 20 years. Longer than most celebs' entire careers. And by the time described in this video, good grief he could run vocals backwards and forwards in his sleep.

[@ZachariahConnor]

No discount to Michael, but he had known the song for at least for a week prior and Huey and Cyndi had just learned it hours earlier

[@gc8972b]

still discovering layers of music on Dangerous

[@danbull]

great insight into the process of a genius

[@BillimanMCjon]

Hi Dan!

[@kevinlakeman5043]

Not a genius, but certainly a pedo.

[@claudiaputtin287]

What a LEGEND M.J.J.❤️‍🔥

[@andrediaz392]

Talent and ability ARE faster than music technology. He was the King of pop

[@brendarayford6304]

Michael Jackson was just so talented. A genius. That's why he is the King of Pop.❤

[@Elizabeth-nn3fd]

A gift from God for our listening pleasure. Sad as a society we didn’t treat him very well.

[@izzyrov5814]

Music is in his blood. No one can ever top MJ even if some artists beat his concert earnings or stuff like that, they can never be at MJ level.

[@izzyrov5814]

@@coolnamebro True. Almost all artists today have no talent, their music is crap.

[@janek.5886]

@@coolnamebroI agree. I was just commenting to my partner how I felt sorry for GenZ/GenAlpha that she and Beyonce's tours are what's considered spectacular nowadays. I was too young to go to MJ shows, and too old to see TS and Beyonce, but they do not have 1/10th the ability to perform like MJ.

[@yusufAA7]

He was a perfectionist Thanks for sharing the story

[@robertj.batista]

The truth is that Michael was a great singer. One of the best. Actually, people who don't know these details underestimate it a lot. No matter how good you are, there will always be detractors who want to put you down or underestimate your talent. He was a great artist, you have to be objective and give him his flowers.

[@lelelew2735]

Yea its only overshadowed because of how amazing his dancing is. But he was an amazing singer with incredible range you cant fully grasp how difficult his notes are until you hear other artist try to mimick him. His one hiccup is done with crazy range and precision its hard to do as powerful as he does it. Just a damn hiccup

[@chazbayley]

He’s got the best sounding male tone of all time. I’ve never understood why they question his singing except that his energetic dance style often marred his vocal performances when he did sing live combined with the lip syncing which was done to preserve vocals on massive tours however people don’t understand that part.

[@robertj.batista]

@@chazbayley MJ took advantage of his best moments and his youth. Bad, Destiny, Victory and Triumph are tours in which he perfectly combines singing and dancing. And all these tours are live. But people who look for excuses to put him down, only focus on the negative and only watch concerts or lip-sync performances. He proved that he was also a great singer on stage, but his last History tour ruined that reputation with his excessive lip syncing.

[@chazbayley]

@@robertj.batista also people don’t realise these days how clever lip syncing has become with expert pre recorded live sounding vocals etc. on top of that, autotune / pitch correction is now available for live vocalists. The bad tour and much of the dangerous tour was still live too … people don’t realise unless they are a fellow artist how difficult it is to sing and move like that for nearly 2 hours several times a week for over a year sometimes more

[@songohan3931]

@@chazbayley… and since the age of 5. My man was tired😂

[@nancyyearwood4548]

Thank you for this! Michael Jackson was exceptionally talented.

[@simcax6087]

Everyone can be that talented if they have to do the same thing since year 5 or 3.

[@camaradiop3731]

​@@simcax6087 Not just "anyone" can achieve this, no matter how long and early in life they start; life doesn't work that way.

[@talesofcsoplahia]

I know for sure that I will never see another singer, dancer, performer, and all-around entertainer in my lifetime like Michael Jackson. He was way ahead of his time.

[@sunbeam231171]

I was thinking the same thing about Prince, re-listening to Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe, as well as Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe.

[@mjmedia09returns]

@bubblemiix Bruno is not on that level as he is more like a karoeke talent. Not saying he isn't talent, but his level of production is not there. If you want to see genius, look at MJ beat box tabloid junkie. It's out of this world production.

[@stringer-ik1pc]

Thank god. Little white boys will be safe

[@Jeff-un7vw]

"Don't erase the breath " wow, another sign of a charismatic artist

[@gone-by-the-light]

i knew exactly how great michael was already, but i still love to hear these stories to get a closer experience

[@lumgs2009]

We definitely need more testimonials on Michael's singing and dancing genius. Its wonderful to hear those stories on his technical accuracy and perfection ❤

[@dawngrimes7361]

Michael Jackson is the absolute best singer ever to me. I know all of his songs and I listen to my playlist 24/7 I literally won't answer my phone if it rings while one of his song's are playing ❤

[@stelvis7413]

"Literally"🙄

[@MarsPriest]

Someone who's dy1nğ may be calling you to say goodbye. Priorities!

[@ermitaderaya7337]

I'm always happy everytime hear someone discuss how great Michael Jackson is. Thanks 😊✌️

[@leahartlee29]

Me too! : )

[@NealBrewer]

You need audiophile equipment + uncompressed or at least lossless format to really appreciate what he was capable of with his voice, but he really was that damned good.

[@afflulifestyle1784]

Thanks for sharing this amazing insight into Michael by Dave Way. I don't think anyone ever has reached Michael's height of fame & certainly not today. Not a single artist today has anything resembling iconic songs & videos like Michael, & the consistency he had was incredible he was on another level.

[@escapist502]

There are a couple of books by Quincy Jones, and Bruce Swedien… about recording with Michael Jackson In one of them, I forget, which one, Bruce details how he constructed a wooden platform for Michael to stand on, while he sang Part of this he explained was so he could more easily attach and use more microphones to capture all of the footwork and other body sounds that were happening while MJ was singing And just like Dave said, in this video, they kept all of those sounds, and the story is that when you would listen to just the vocals, in addition to any other microphones that recorded body sounds from different different angles, that alone made the song feel quite complete by itself! All the music in his entire entire body, all the time Remarkable!

[@geemen213]

Unbeatable Michael Jackson! Is a True Legend 🎉

[@buggyboogle9]

Because he was such a good dancer, people forgot what a good singer he was.

[@timothylawson3262]

Nobody forgot that.

[@eazypeazy33]

I remember when I was 15 using Cool edit and realized I could mix my chorus waves down into one then cope and paste them accordinglingly. I had no one teaching me, just learned as I went and got better as time went on

[@angelllanadiaz5286]

King of Music

[@cattmann]

Michael was sooo much more than just an entertainer and a dancer. He was one of the best pure vocalists ever and people seem to forget that. This was a great reminder. 90% of today's popular artists could not do what this engineer described without the assistance of technology.

[@pelagia6981]

Thank God there are still people who make him justice! RIP, King of hearts 🙏🏻👑❤

[@dhuguna]

I love listening to all those breathes and tapping in MJ music it makes him real, the beatles also did the same

[@SSL0707Star]

Definitely more stuff about Michael’s studio working, please. Interesting and entertaining to see.

[@teriw56]

He was a beautiful soul

[@Samantha-vlly]

Cannot fathom and imagine it being THAT great.

[@LetLoveGrow44]

Those breathes and sounds he made was where the magic happened in his songs. Sometimes I play the songs over and over in those moments. Especially in Human Nature. Thanks for this beautiful piece of history work.

[@sonnyprewitt]

I have been following his vocal coach,Seth Riggs. He said Michael's coaching sessions sometimes were for 4 hours.

[@CrimsonHeart3]

Nope, Seth Riggs came in later - he didn't train him from the very start - similar to Michael Bolton who Seth Riggs started teaching later on In other words, don't credit MJs vocal ability to a coach - his voice wasn't built by one, maybe refined But I would even say Seth Riggs style of coaching might have limited Michaels singing Vocal coaches are known for listing their clients as if they built their voices - when in reality these famous artists were already talented, it's easier to just refine a talented voice and then claim credit Much harder to help someone build a voice from scratch, no natural talent

[@sonnyprewitt]

Re: Seth Riggs, I don't know when he started coaching Michael Jackson who probably had many vocal coaches from his early days at Motown. I was mostly surprised at the length of the sessions.. When it comes to natural talent, MJ was had plenty. Seth Riggs has an unusual style. I found him after searching for Stevie Wonders vocal coaches. . @@CrimsonHeart3

[@PJGRAND]

Despite all the controversy in Michael's life he really was a musical genius and a fantastic singer and very great dancer he took music seriously and he had the talent to carry it through Michael Jackson was not the King of Pop for no reason

[@tionateingles6915]

Not surprised at all, I mean... Michael has been doing the perfect craft since his childhood and he was always a perfeccionist.... So why the surprise? Right? .... Surely we true fans really wanna see more of his work inside the studio because all we know is from the concerts, videoclips and albuns. Theres nothing more exciting imagining or hearing his studio stories!!! I love Michael Jackson.

[@warnutztheloser]

Incredible great story. Knocked out the chorus in 20min

[@xmagic00]

Michael Jackson wonderful and Magical 🦋💖 The best in the world ✨👑✨ Thank you very much ✌️

[@Milkers777]

MJ level of fame isn’t even common now as of matter of fact it’s freaking illegal to be as to even sniff a level of fame MJ had. Long Live The King Of Music Forever!👑🌟💯

[@Snyper1405]

Absolute facts!!! 🤩👌🏽💫🩶🔟🎶🎩

[@anyhow.anyway]

cringe.

[@Swat-ed5bt]

​@@anyhow.anywayAnd what have you achieved. Keyboard loser, nobody 😂

[@BullyMaguire4ever]

Instead mediocre Taylor Swift rules the world, and done even mention Drake, the most overrated artist of our time.

[@thesaintst1851]

Was going to say the same thing lol… WHO now has that level of fame?

[@christiancruz4533]

Genius MJ GENIUS. NO OTHER LIKE MJ

[@Damo_JH]

This is so great. I love hearing about his process.

[@GreeshmaPradeep-cy2mc]

The GOAT❤❤

[@Sdriane]

I agree more recording sessions! For SURE!!!❤

[@Injectz]

Michael definitely didn't get enough credit for his work in the studio as a producer.... He was always thinking outside the box. Genius ❤

[@annelie7030]

I love when I hear about MJs recording. A great music man, unmached😇🥰❤

[@stevehinkley1530]

John - thanks for sharing your 3D/surround recording of Thriller when I visited with you a few years back. Will never forget that experience.

[@vamosama]

I met MJ in the summer of 1994 at the Hit Factory studios in New York. He had a small room where he kept all presents and letters from fans and he even brought some into the studio next to where he sang for inspiration ❤️

[@pete5534]

Undeniable champion of pop.

[@otis-d2v]

So good to hear Micheal wanted to do it right not just cut n paste.

[@weluvfood2865]

0:59 Michael’s fame is NOT common today. Social media has yall fooled, there is no celebrity right now has reached the heights Michael did.

[@roddyboethius1722]

Taylor is pretty big tho. Not a fan, but she is that big

[@sonsofaxe5367]

​@@roddyboethius1722 lol nah taylor swift isnt that big as michael jackson. Social media got you fooled

[@mwaisegula9505]

My 102 year old grandmother(RIP) knew who he was. She lived in a remote African village with no electricity and running water and was illiterate but she knew who he was because she loved watching his videos every time she would visit us in the city😊

[@atb89]

@@roddyboethius1722 Taylor Swift? :D Haha. She's not even the biggest star of her own time. When MJ was alive everybody knew who he was. Nobody in a small african village knows who tf Taylor is. My 89 yo grandma doesn't know who Taylor is. EVERYONE knew the name Michael Jackson. Everyone.

[@uchilperera]

@@roddyboethius1722 Taylor, Elvis and even the Beatles are nowhere close to MJ. They are primarily popular in Western countries, but MJ is known globally. I'm originally from a small island in Asia called Sri Lanka. When growing up, none of my friends knew Elvis or the Beatles, but everyone knew MJ. Once, I went to a remote village and asked a farmer who could not speak a word of English whether he knew who MJ was....he knew that he was an American singer. If I ask the same farmer whether he knows Taylor ... I'm pretty sure he won't have a clue .. lol

[@JohnFix]

Back when many artists ran through the entire track live rather than just one chorus and then layering samples again and again.

[@RicardoDinizPortugal]

Humans like MJ should somehow live forever. In 100 years nobody will feel it like we feel him, having lived in the same era as Michael.

[@shawnmcvey7789]

Don't forget, he started recording vocals as a child with his dad watching. ...and we all know what Joe put those kids through.

[@lolatu8255]

That's called um... incentive.

[@clarkclarke]

I am happy for the people who have had such amazing experiences with Michael ... Thank you for sharing 🙏🏾

[@xabun]

Michael recorded many of his songs in one take ... you want proof? go check out recording session of his song "Childhood" it's here on youtube ...

[@Snyper1405]

Yes, and there's many who can corroborate this as well

[@anyhow.anyway]

he actually does at least 2/3 somewhat full takes (including the final one) in the video that you've mentioned above,tho.. and all of them contain plenty of vocal mistakes.. really now..

[@AmericanNope]

He also did human nature in one take

[@robertj.batista]

They are facts. It's impressive what he does. He doesn't make any mistakes and sings the vocals very well. Only an MJ detractor would say otherwise.

[@markinvt]

I had the pleasure of meeting Bruce Swidein, recording engineer for Thriller and other albums. He told me Jackson memorized all his lyrics (didn't read off a sheet, and, if I remember correctly, sang in the dark), as Jackson thought it sounded more authentic and sincere. He also stood on an elevated platform so he could tap and stomp his feet which would get picked up in the recording.

[@Fankiveli]

Wow this was Nice. We need more!

[@sbonamo]

Because the guy had been recording vocals for the previous 20 years, so yep, he was a pro.

[@TracyAdams-ry2fc]

He was a gifted, 🎶🎵talented singer! Miss him so much!💔

[@ericrudd]

I had the greatest pleasure engineering two songs with Michael alongside Bruce Swedien for the "Dangerous" album. "Will You Be There" and "Keep the Faith." In this interview, Dave mentions MJ wanted to keep claps and things on tape. If you listed to "Keep the Faith" in the outro at 5:22 when the band comes back in. On beat 2 of that bar you hear MJ clap on that backbeat. This vocal was recorded on a U87, NEVE mic pre, into an UREI 1176 straight to multitrack. At 4:37 of the same track, the lyric "....get in your way," you can hear Michael's vocal distort on the word "YOUR." That's because during the performance he pinned the meter on the compressor by singing so forcefully. I remember pointing it out to Bruce and MJ, and both liked the energy so much they decided to keep it in and not fix it. As Dave said...in the studio Michael was kind, funny, and one of the best singers I ever worked with. He had his demons, for sure.

[@priceland]

I love hearing stories of MJ in the studio... I wish I could have recorded with him.

[@anthonythomasexperience]

WOW thanks for sharing that ❤❤❤

[@lurelover7065]

People have to remember Michael Jackson was from the '60s. He started with Motown all those cats could do it Stevie, Marvin, even Diana.

[@edemfolly7650]

They could do what? Or what are u trying to say?

[@DarkArynLand]

Great story.

[@JohnVC]

I love that he wanted to leave those breath and clapping and tapping noises in... That's the groove. That's the stuff that makes you vibe to the song, but you're not quite sure why... When you clean that all up lose a lot of the groove. Like when John Mellencamp talked about playing Jack and Diane without the clapping.... There was no song without the clapping, because there was no groove.

[@dimitrispapadopoulos9245]

The fact with MJ is that u can litswn to his songs with passion and u feel.like dancing or can chsnge the world or something..u csn do it everyday for 20 years easily. The man was something else!

[@Nai-09]

What a beautiful story. Thanks for telling it.

[@agustingrimoldi1078]

INSANE LEVEL OF TALENT!!!!!!!

[@declanmills]

An insight into how records are made nowadays As well as a nod to a tremendous performer. TY.

[@martyflanthemjfan]

That was EXCELLENT, I enjoyed that so much, thank you! The best 4minutes of my day 🥰

[@pdxfun4888]

MJ was from an era where you came prepared. They danced and sang live. No auto tune. The amateurs today cant even sing thru a song thru. Total pro

[@mrmaxxx94]

Michael Jackson was a deep musical rooted soul and got his notes and music down pat. He was all business and he nailed it all.he layered and smoothed it out.

[@TeddyBishopTV]

Great story Dave and good seeing you again ole friend. 🙏🏿👊🏾👍🏿☺️

[@TheDinnermoney]

So fascinating.

[@HDCAMAN]

Love MJ

[@ericchips9314]

Deeply immersed in thought, pondering the intricacies of life, and reflecting on the tapestry of experience, Dave Way said, "Yeah, Michael was just actually great." 😅

[@rmatson]

Super interesting. Thanks for posting. Yeah, MJ was the King.