The session legend behind Thriller, Bad and Random Access Memories walks through his original parts in a new series, captured on the same wireless rig he trusts on stage.
Paul Jackson Jr. has played on some of the most recognisable records of the past 40 years, from Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Bad to Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. Now he’s breaking down his iconic parts, in a video series shot with Lectrosonics wireless.
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This Is How I Did It has Jackson working through his original guitar parts, the sheet music, the techniques and the studio stories behind the hits. The first covers Michael Jackson tracks like “P.Y.T.” and “Dirty Diana”, with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” to follow. For the Michael Jackson parts, he plays the same 40-year-old guitar he used on the original sessions.
Filmed in Jackson’s own studio, Emmy-nominated director Keith O’Derek and three-time Emmy-winning location sound mixer Sean Garcia shoot the series in Jackson’s own studio, using Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless gear, SMa and SMQV transmitters into a UCR411a receiver. The setup captures three sources at once: a line from Jackson’s pedalboard, and a lavalier and boom mic doubling up on his dialogue for backup.
“Since Paul is wearing a guitar while speaking, his movements could easily cause clothing rustle,” says Garcia. “Having both a lav and a boom running simultaneously guarantees we capture clean dialogue without interruption.”
Onstage, Jackson runs Lectrosonics LT and LR transmitters and receivers in his guitar rig. “Lectrosonics is the Rolls Royce of wireless systems,” he says. “Why would I risk my signal on a cheap or second-rate wireless system? It never goes down, always sounds great, and we never have a dropout. I swear by it.”
A fixture in film, broadcast and theatre sound since 1971, Lectrosonics earned an Academy Scientific and Technical Award for its Digital Hybrid Wireless technology. This Is How I Did It is up on Udemy now.
