Collaboration Between Jackson and Paul McCartney in Early Music Career

Michael Jackson, despite having no formal music training and being unable to read or write music notation, developed a unique method for composing music. He is credited with playing guitar, keyboard, and drums, although he was not proficient in these instruments. Instead, Jackson recorded his musical ideas by beatboxing and imitating instruments vocally. He described his process as singing the bass part into a tape recorder, then adding the chords of the melody over the bass lick, which would inspire the melody. This method was evident in his demos for iconic songs like 'Beat It' and 'Billie Jean,' where he vocalized the melody, bass instrumentals, and both lead and backing vocals by overlaying each component. Engineer Robert Hoffman recalled instances where Jackson would come in with a song he had written overnight and sing every note of every chord to a guitar player. Hoffman also remembered Jackson singing string arrangements part by part into a cassette recorder. This innovative approach to music composition highlights Jackson's extraordinary talent and creativity, contributing to his legacy as one of the greatest musicians of all time.