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Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana - Guitar Lesson

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Key G minor
Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Number Ones album cover
Number Ones
2003 4:42
Listen on Spotify
Michael Jackson Pop 2003 G minor
Capo Advisor 0 G minor · Original key

About Dirty Diana

Few tracks in Pop lean as hard on a guitar-driven feel as "Dirty Diana." The song rides a relentless rock edge built around a gritty, syncopated riff in G minor that sits right in the pocket at 120 BPM. That tempo is comfortable enough to read clearly, but the riff demands tight left-hand muting and a confident pick attack to lock in the right attitude. The main challenge is keeping that palm-muted drive consistent through the verses without losing the rhythmic snap on the upstrokes. Michael Jackson worked with guitarist Steve Stevens on the track, and the lead playing involves fast bends and vibrato that will test your fingers if you push to match the recorded tone. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the lead breaks slowed down, because the phrasing is more nuanced than it sounds at full speed. E Standard tuning means no retuning needed, so you can go straight to working on the feel.

  • The main riff in G minor relies on palm-muted power chords with syncopated upstrokes, so tight right-hand control is the core skill to develop.
  • Guitarist Steve Stevens performed the lead guitar parts, which include expressive string bends and vibrato that reward slow, careful practice.
  • E Standard tuning is used throughout, so no retuning is required before sitting down to learn the riff or the lead lines.

How to Play Dirty Diana

Tuning: E Standard · Key: G minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 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.

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