Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal - Guitar Cover

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key A minor
Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal guitar cover video
Kfir Ochaion
Kfir Ochaion Top Contributor
YouTube: 2.4Msubs 2.9Mviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Bad 25th Anniversary album cover
Bad 25th Anniversary
2012 4:18
Listen on Spotify
Michael Jackson Pop 2012 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

About Smooth Criminal

Few pop tracks demand as much rhythmic precision from a guitarist as this one. At 117 BPM in A minor, the groove sits in a tight, almost mechanical pocket, and staying locked into that feel is genuinely the central challenge. The signature guitar work leans on crisp, percussive muted strumming and sharp chord stabs that cut through the dense production. Getting those muted hits to land with the right snap, rather than sounding muddy, takes deliberate practice. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the trickiest rhythmic passages slowed down until your right hand is perfectly consistent before bringing the tempo back up. Michael Jackson built the track around a relentless rhythmic momentum, which means any hesitation in your picking or fretting hand will immediately stand out. The E Standard tuning keeps things straightforward technically, but the Pop production demands a clean, controlled tone throughout, so sloppy technique has nowhere to hide.

  • The song sits at 117 BPM in A minor, so a tight, consistent right-hand rhythm is the primary technical demand for guitarists.
  • Percussive muted strumming and staccato chord stabs define the guitar feel, requiring strong pick control and a clean muting technique.
  • E Standard tuning means no retuning is needed, but the dense production exposes any timing inconsistencies, so slow practice is essential.

How to Play Smooth Criminal

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A minor · Tempo: 117 BPM

The main challenge on guitar is nailing the signature syncopated riff in A minor: the rhythmic feel is staccato and precise, and sloppy note lengths will immediately undermine the groove. Most players find it easiest to learn the main riff first, then work through the verse and chorus sections, since the riff's rhythm is the backbone of the entire arrangement. At 117 bpm, the temptation is to rush the off-beat accents; practicing with the metronome and focusing on where notes cut off, not just where they land, is the key to making the riff lock in correctly.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 117 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Slash wielded a '59 Les Paul replica on 'Give In To Me,' delivering that warm-yet-cutting midrange essential to MJ's hardrock guitar moments. The guitar's thick body resonance pairs perfectly with Marshall stack overdrive for Michael Jackson's most aggressive rock tracks.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul's humbucker firepower cuts through MJ's dense pop production with natural tube saturation and sustain. This guitar provides the weighted tone needed for Slash's solos and rhythm work across the Thriller-era rock-influenced catalog.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Slash cranked a Marshall JCM800 2203 head to achieve natural tube overdrive on 'Give In To Me,' delivering the aggressive rock punch that defines Michael Jackson's harder-edged guitar moments. The amp's responsive gain structure lets the Les Paul's humbuckers shine through dense production.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Eddie Van Halen's modified Marshall Super Lead (variac'd for sag and compression) powered the legendary 'Beat It' solo, creating that compressed, singing lead tone perfect for tapping techniques. The Plexi's harmonic richness made the single humbucker's output cut through MJ's production.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Fender Twin Reverb's clean headroom and natural reverb capture the glassy, percussive rhythm tones on tracks like 'Billie Jean' and 'Rock With You.' This amp provides the transparent platform that lets funky single-coil snap and light chorus effects define Michael Jackson's pop-soul foundation.

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro
Pickup

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro

Slash's Les Paul uses Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups, delivering warm-yet-cutting midrange that sits perfectly in MJ's pop arrangements while maintaining rock credibility. The pickup's balanced output ensures clarity and sustain whether driving Marshall heads or cutting through dense studio mixes.

Recommended for You

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)