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Riff Tone

Chicago

Michael Jackson

Guitarother2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarUnknown (likely session musician, possibly Tim Pierce or Paul Jackson Jr.; model not confirmed for this track)
AmpUnknown (likely a clean Fender or Roland Jazz Chorus, but not confirmed for this track)

Amp Settings

gain0
bass5.5

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Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

No direct sources confirm the exact guitar, pickups, or amp for 'Chicago' riff section. Michael Jackson's studio sessions in the 1980s-2010s often used LA session pros like Tim Pierce or Paul Jackson Jr., who favored Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters, or Gibson ES-335s into clean amps (Fender Twin Reverb, Roland JC-120). No evidence for live performance rig; this is a studio recording from the 2010s (posthumous release, recorded 1999-2001).

Tone Character(10)
tight, funky rhythm guitarbright and percussive attackclean, glassy top endsnappy single-note linesminimal breakuparticulate chord stabsdynamic, responsive to pickingstudio-polished clarityno audible overdrive or fuzzdistinct separation of notes

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate-level funk rhythm skills, including tight muting, syncopation, and clean articulation, but does not involve advanced lead techniques or fast passages.

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