Michael Jackson - Rock With You - Guitar Lesson

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Michael Jackson - Rock With You - Guitar Lesson

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Classic Rock

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HIStory - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - BOOK I album cover
HIStory - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - BOOK I
1995 3:40
Michael Jackson Pop 1995 Bb major
Capo Advisor 0 Bb major · Original key

Rock With You


"Rock With You" is a Michael Jackson track written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones, released in November 1979 on Epic Records as the second single from the album Off the Wall. It became the third number-one hit of the 1980s and helped establish Jackson's dominance on the pop singles chart. For electric guitar players, the song offers a chance to explore the smooth, groove-driven rhythm work and clean-toned funk lines that define the late-1970s pop-soul sound.

  • The song was written by Rod Temperton, not Michael Jackson, studying its composition reveals professional Tin Pan Alley-style craft.
  • "Rock With You" was first offered to Karen Carpenter before Jackson recorded it for Off the Wall.
  • Produced by Quincy Jones, the track showcases polished studio arrangements that reward guitarists studying funk and R&B rhythm techniques.
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.