Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Michael Jackson - Rock With You - Guitar Lesson

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 Bb major
Michael Jackson - Rock With You guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 72Kviews
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.
HIStory - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - BOOK I album cover
HIStory - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - BOOK I
1995 3:40
Listen on Spotify
Michael Jackson Pop 1995 Bb major
Capo Advisor 0 Bb major · Original key

About Rock With You

At 104 BPM in Bb major, "Rock With You" sits in a silky, mid-tempo groove that demands feel over flash. The guitar work here is rooted in smooth rhythm playing: clean, even strumming with a polished tone that locks tightly into the disco-influenced pulse. Getting that locked-in feel is harder than it looks, because the groove is so consistent that any timing wobble sticks out immediately. Bb major is not the friendliest key for guitarists used to open-position chord shapes, so expect to work through barre chord voicings and any higher-register melody lines with deliberate attention. Michael Jackson recordings from this era sit within the Pop genre but draw heavily on funk and soul rhythm guitar sensibilities. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop any chord transitions slowed down until the changes feel effortless, then gradually bring the tempo back up to 104 BPM to match the track.

  • The song sits in Bb major, which pushes guitarists toward barre chord voicings rather than comfortable open-position shapes.
  • At 104 BPM the groove is steady and unforgiving, so clean rhythmic accuracy matters far more than speed or technical flash.
  • A polished, clean electric tone works best here as the rhythm guitar needs to blend smoothly into the track's lush production.

How to Play Rock With You

Tuning: E Standard · Key: Bb major · Tempo: 104 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 104 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

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)