I don't think he can play professionally, but he can use it to pick out notes and just mess around with it, and for coming up with song ideas. Remember, in Magic and the Madness (and I'm pretty sure Latoya and/or Jermaine) someone wrote that he can't play the piano well.

I know janet briefly took piano lessons as a kid cause Randy did too

I'll take his beat boxing anyday. I love the track "Who Is It" on the Dangerous album when he beat box in the end.

angel345 said:

Yeah that was cool. I don't think there's a doubt the dude knows his way around the piano, drums and guitar but he probably does it for chords for songs he writes, it's not a way for him to show off.

But yeah beat boxing >>>>> actual instruments @ MJ for me too, lol.

Timmy84 said:

Exactly,
you can't be in this industry for most of your life and not learn an instrument, it's impossible... Thats how I learned how to play keys, during internships watching various producers play,
Don't get me wrong to someone who knows nothing about music, they sound like they're playing piano, but to seasoned musicians, you can tell they don't know what their doing...
I get that all the time from real pianist and guitarist

I will eat my words if someone posts one video of MJ playing any instrument besides his voice.

This is ridiculous, every few months we go through this.

The same MJ fans quote interviews, and copyright of albums.

Myself and several others are willing to admit defeat if someone posts one damn video of him playing an instrument.

Somebody please do.
[Edited 12/19/08 12:50pm]

aalloca said:

If it makes you feel better I can post myself in an MJ costume playing piano...

that would be funny, but not quite what is needed.

Good stuff though

EmbattledWarrior said:

Almost every artist that worked with him says he has a good ear for music.

aalloca said:

Give me evidence that MJ can't play anything? You don't have so you are just like those MJ fans you're talking about...LOL

Seriously, Prince Fans most of the times play that silly play-instrument card to downplay and discredit Mj's talent and its really getting old and annoying, and the question is: is playing instrument is an extraordinary thing to do? the freaking answer is :NO .....its not that special thing to do, I can name tons and tons of artists who can play instruments and in million times better than prince (example: steive wonder) , and its not a hard thing to learn, its good to play an instrument on stage but its not that important too and not impossible to learn, as for Mj being in the music business for 4 decades i find it impossible to believe that he can't play anything, Mj can play the piano pretty well, Im not saying he is professional but he can play .

At least you don’t find Mj grabbing the guitar on stage pretending that he can play it like some of the artists do today……Mj has always been honest about his abilities .

playing music instrument is a caracteristic of musicians

thebanishedone said:

Yeah ..right especailly on stage

Well, we definitely know Michael can play bass; he's black. Or was black. Maybe he can't play bass anymore. Or maybe when he does play slap bass, he only plays octaves now...

Michael just may play piano. I know Janet does. There's footage of her playing with Jimmy Jam in the studio while recording Rhythm Nation and she's credited on at least one song from that album or Control, so maybe they all learned the piano

LiquidGold said:

Rebbie, I think, got piano lessons, so did Jackie. Don't know about Tito and Jermaine. But I think of the brothers, Jackie, Marlon, Michael and Randy know their way around a piano.

Timmy84 said:

Yep, and just because Michael doesn't "show it" doesn't mean he can't do it. He avoids doing anything he isn't fantastically good at on film...

Timmy84 said:

On that DeBarge special,it was stated that` Jermaine had a Steinway in his office. He's also credited on a lot of witch albums as a pianist.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Oh for real? Cool. I remember hearing that.

Nevermind.

He played a few sour notes on the piano during the Victory tour

seeingvoices12 said:

In this case... the fuckers know how to play instruments because usually it represents good PR

trueiopian said:

Wait, did he?

The thing is... MJ ain't gonna get up on stage and play an instrument unless he is world class at it. That's just his way.

I don't care if he can or can't. He can sure write some great music anyway. He's proven that more than enough.

WildStyle said:

I do think him playing some instruments in public would help reboot his career, and give him some respect amongst musicians,
Sadly in the musical field singers aren't regarded as real musicians (when its like the hardest instrument to play)
But I don't think he wants his career rebooted...
as a matter of fact I don't think he even likes music anymore...
I think he needs to retire and go become a vet...
Either that, or drop an album or tour...
Non of this I don't like to tour shit...
Thats for Kate Bush to whine about
But at least Kate Bush's last album wasn't complete shit...

I've been saying for ages that he doesn't like music anymore either. His actions of this decade proved that eg. not promoting Invincible on Bashir and not touring despite label trouble though janet managed to, not even getting songs or performances out there for at least die hard fans

but the truth is I really miss him and feel like if he sticks to the music people will forget all the crap for a few minutes and if the material is superb it will work in his favour. I'm sure he can manage ipod hits and getting good airplay if the single is strong. No matter how old he is, they will debut his song on the radio, whatever happens after that, only time will tell

my friend and i were just talking about how he needs to comeback and tour badly and another friend who's only a casual fan said her boyfriend was asking her when he's touring. He made a huge mistake in refusing to tour with his brothers, or never touring again if what akon said is true. I think there are so many impersonators out there that people are hungry for the steak now instead of the nuggets.
[Edited 12/20/08 1:54am]

Marrk said:

-----
Co-Sign.

We have not seen MJ play an instrument in the 40 plus years in has been in the industry. Not once on stage.

As far as P is concerned maybe he does not play 27 but, we no he plays more than just the piano and people can see him playing.

laurarichardson said:

So, I seen Lil Jon play the piano before ...

And I've seen Mike play cowbell on stage before.

someone post a video of him playing an instrument like the piano...


rubbish talk.. I call his bluff

I never understand the big conception...
ok
Music 101...
In order to compose MUUUSIC....
you need to know how to play an INSTRRRUMENT
not necessarily be MOOOZART
But be able to know that if you play 3 different notes it
makes a type of CHOOOORD
Songs are made up of CHOOORDS...
ya dig...

So if you believe that MJ is sometype of composer
than you have to believe he can play an instrument or two...
Unless of course you don't think he writes or composes his own music...
and thats a different story altogether...
cause believing that you might need your head examined...

And not to show that i'm completely in his defense...
I'd like to say that The Lost Children SUCKED... (which he composed and wrote)
to maintain my aim at degrading michael jacksons musical credibility
[Edited 12/21/08 1:14am]

EmbattledWarrior said:

You're wasting your time, mate, since the majority of people who believe he really can't play a single note also don't believe he can compose. So it all evens out.

Annika said:

there are so many ways to degrade Michael Jackson,and they wanna take that away from him too...
Its bad enough that he's fallen sucky muscian scared of his own shadow!
mo he doesn't play either...
Fuck he's lip synced so much, I bet doesn't sing either...
Wait you know I never fully believed that skin bleaching or vitiligo thing
Fuck I don't think thats even the REAL Michael Jackson...
no...
Aliens murdered Michael Jackson, and replaced him with a white clone, who's partial to child molesting and making sucky music...
mmmm yeah...
where's my crack pipe...

lol..I love these "Micheal playing an instrument" threads. They pop up every 4 months and they just go on and on...

At this point who really cares? It almost as if there's a comparison if MJ can play instruments as good as P. MJ was a bad (and I mean cool) singer/songwriter/dancer of his time. Why not just leave it at that?

Who cares if he can play a 6 string bass or a Hammond organ?