The ULTIMATE Billie Jean Chords & Guitar Lesson

If you’re looking for a song that can get your audience out on the dance floor… this could be the perfect solution.

In fact, every time I have played it live with a band it’s done just that.

The infectious bass line and groovy feel create an almost automatic desire to do the shimmy.

You only need to know a handful of chords to play it.

Below I’m going to break down the funky guitar style and share insider tips to get jamming along with this famous recording – fast.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Billie Jean" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Billie Jean?

"Billie Jean" was written and performed by pop legend Michael Jackson. It was the second single from his 1982 album Thriller, and is often regarded as one of the greatest pop songs ever. 

Jackson wrote "Billie Jean," after being inspired by fan letters he received that included claims of paternity. He later explained the song was not about a specific woman. But instead, a reflection of groupies he and his brothers encountered during their time in The Jackson 5. The lyrics sing a story of a man who is confronted by a woman named Billie Jean. She claims he is the father of her child. Jackson denies the claim, asserting, “The kid is not my son.”

“Billie Jean” was produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones, and released on January 2, 1983. It was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles in 1982. Jackson worked meticulously on the song alongside producer Quincy Jones, who initially disliked it. 

Jones thought the bassline was too repetitive and that the intro was too long, but Jackson insisted on keeping these elements, which became defining features of the track.

The iconic bassline was played by Louis Johnson, one of the greatest bass players who I have personally worked with. I played in a band with him and his daughter Keiko Johnson years ago. His daughter has a wonderful voice and is incredibly talented too. 

"Billie Jean" was a chart-topping success. It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and was the first song ever to top Billboard’s R&B and pop charts at the same time. It won two Grammy Awards in 1984 (Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance). It also won an American Music Award. Certified Diamond by the RIAA in the U.S., with over 10 million copies sold. Rolling Stone ranked it #58 on the 2021 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

“Billie Jean” became a defining track in Jackson's career and a cornerstone of 1980s pop culture. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Billie Jean?

The tuning for "Billie Jean”, as recorded by the Michael Jackson is standard tuning. The session guitarist David Williams kept things simple.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch) 
• A (5th string) 
• D (4th string) 
• G (3rd string) 
• B (2nd string) 
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

Let’s next take a look at the…

Billie Jean Chords

To play “Billie Jean” on guitar you only need to know 6 main chords they are F#m, G#m, A, Bm, D, and C#7. The first 4 chords I play as funky triads on the top 3 strings. Then when the chorus hits I move to bigger and fuller sounding chords. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Billie Jean” chords can be played on the fretboard:  

F#m is played on the top 3 strings in 2nd position like this:

G#m shifts F#m up 2 frets like this:

A moves up to the 5th position and becomes now a major shape like this:

Bm is the final chord on the top 3 strings. This one lines up 3 fingers in a row in 2nd position like this:

D is played as a bar chord on strings 5-2 like so:

Finally, C#7 becomes a dominant seventh chord in 4th position like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it the simplest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Billie Jean” chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Billie Jean in?

"Billie Jean" as recorded by Michael Jackson is in the key of F# minor. The F# natural minor scale is built using the notes: F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E - F#

If you looked at the scale in the form of intervals it would be:

Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each chord functions in the key:

F#m (i) - F# minor:

F#m is the tonic (i) chord in F# minor, built on the 1st degree of the scale.

The notes in the F#m chord are F#, A, and C# (F# minor triad).

This is the root chord and serves as the foundation of the key.

G#m (ii) - G# minor:

G#m is the supertonic (ii) chord in F# minor, built on the 2nd degree of the scale.

The notes in the G#m chord are G#, B, and D#.

G#m is a minor chord that is not in F# natural minor scale. However, this is a typical progression in a minor key. It’s often used as a passing chord in progressions.

A (III) - A major:

A major is the mediant (III) chord in F# minor, built on the 3rd degree of the scale.

The notes in the A major chord are A, C#, and E.

This is a the relative major chord and creates a strong (major) contrast in the progression.

Bm (iv) - B minor:

Bm is the subdominant (iv) chord in F# minor, built on the 4th degree of the scale.

The notes in the Bm chord are B, D, and F#.

The iv chord is typically minor in a minor key, and it leads naturally to the dominant (V) chord, or back to i creating movement to the progression.

D (VI) - D major:

D major is the submediant (VI) chord in F# minor, built on the 6th degree of the scale.

The notes in the D major chord are D, F#, and A.

The VI chord in a minor key is often major, creating a somewhat brighter contrast. This chord often provides a sense of relief in minor key progressions.

C#7 (V7) - C# dominant 7:

C#7 is the dominant (V7) chord in F# minor. It’s built on the 5th degree of the scale.

The notes in the C#7 chord are C#, E#, G#, and B.

The dominant seventh chord is commonly used in minor keys to create a strong resolution back to the tonic (i) chord, F#m. This gives the progression a bluesy, dominant tension that resolves neatly back to F#m. You hear this at the end of the chorus progression in “Billie Jean”. 

So that’s the theory, but all that info doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

Billie Jean Groove & Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for “Billie Jean” is a funky 16th note feel. In 4/4 time, 16th notes divide each beat into four equal parts.

Counting 16th notes out loud should be solid and even:

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

"1, 2, 3, 4" are the main beats in the measure. "e" and "a" represent the subdivisions between each beat. 

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-e-and-a, Two-e-and-a, Three-e-and-a, Four-e-and-a."

This gives the song that percolating groove. However, when strumming “Billie Jean” I rarely will play all 16th notes. That can sound overkill. Instead, I may use a combination of 16th notes, 8th notes, and percussive strums like this: 

Now that you’ve got down the rhythm, let’s next dive into the… 

Billie Jean Guitar Solo Lesson

The guitar solo to “Billie Jean” is iconic. It was played by session guitarist David Williams and uses a guitar technique called “bubble picking."

“Bubble picking” is a specific type of picking that uses an alternating picking motion while also incorporating a slight muting effect. This creates that "bubbly" or "choppy" sound. It's often associated with funk and rhythm guitar playing, but it can also be used in other genres to create a percussive, staccato effect.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Billie Jean” is one of the most iconic pop songs of all time. It not only shows the genius of Michael Jackson but also the incredible musicianship that surrounded him during this time. 

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan