Michael Jackson - Beat It -multitrack- !exclusive!

In the world of music production, few artifacts are as revered as the multitrack masters of classic songs. For decades, the only people who heard individual tracks like the isolated drum smash of “Billie Jean” or the backing vocals of “Bohemian Rhapsody” were the engineers and producers in the control room.

Disclaimer: The official multitracks for "Beat It" are the property of Sony Music / MJJ Productions. Leaked stems are available for educational analysis on platforms like YouTube under "fair use" for criticism and commentary. Michael Jackson - Beat It -Multitrack-

Soloing Eddie’s track removes Michael’s shouting ("Don't you know somebody's gonna beat you?") and the synth stabs. What remains is a chaotic, buzzing wasp nest of sound. You hear: In the world of music production, few artifacts

A New England Digital Synclavier II was used for the main rhythmic bass riff. Leaked stems are available for educational analysis on

One of the most famous isolated tracks is the "click" track. It isn't a metronome. It is a recording of a drummer (often identified as Jeff Porcaro or Leon Ndugu Chancler) clicking two drum sticks together at the start of the song. They kept this in the final mix! Listen to the intro: the "tick-tick-tick-tick" before the explosion is not a Roland TR-808; it is two pieces of wood. That human frailty at the beginning gives the robotic song a pulse.

: The iconic, ominous seven-note opening chimes were not meticulously programmed by Jackson's team. The multitrack proves this sound was actually pulled directly from a standard Synclavier II demonstration vinyl released in 1981 by Denny Jaeger. Jackson heard it, loved the frequency sweep, and had it flown directly into the master tape.