Michael recorded his vocals using a Shure SM7 microphone. The dry stems reveal his rhythmic breathing and vocal "hiccups" which were essential to his percussive style.
For audio students, the Michael Jackson Beat It multitrack is the Rosetta Stone of pop production. Here are three lessons you can only learn by soloing the stems:
Jackson’s vocal tracks reveal a performance that is both forceful and rhythmically complex.
The iconic, haunting opening chimes were created using the Synclavier II digital synthesizer. This distinct sound set a darker tone for the track before the main groove kicked in.