Guitar Chords Used in the Song
"Beat It" uses standard tuning and the following chords on the guitar:
Form of the Song
"Beat It" is the staple power-pop single from the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson, off of his 1982 record, Thriller. The song was the third single from Jackson's sixth solo album, the greatest selling record in music history.
Thriller is estimated to have sold more than 100 million copies to date, featuring other giant hits like "Billy Jean" and "Thriller." The pop legend died in 2009, just prior to going on a world tour at the age of 50.
The song uses an intro guitar riff, which is textured throughout the song. The verse consists purely of three simple power chords: C5, D5, E5 chords. The three chords use the most simplistic finger positions, so the rhythm/verse of the song is perfect for a beginner.
More advanced guitarists, or even intermediate, could try the guitar riff that is also offered in the tutorial. The short riff is one of the most recognizable riffs in music.
Play along with the video to learn "Beat It" using the following song structure:
- Intro
- Verse 1
- Chorus
- Verse 2
- Chorus (2x)
- Interlude
- Solo
- Chorus (repeat to fade)
References
Meet Our Expert
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Thomas Gilbert
Meet Thomas, one of Mahalo's guitar experts. Thomas is an alumnus of both USC and Cal State Northridge, majoring in music education and music composition. Thomas has collaborated with composers Hans Zimmer and Mateo Messina, and worked on such film scores as "The Dark Knight," "Gladiator" and "Juno." He taught an online advanced blues guitar course for over two years with a huge online response and is a member of rock band Radius.
