The importance of synthesizers within the Bad album can readily be seen in analyzing the album’s title-track, and the song’s short film that followed its release. On the song, Culler utilizes the Synclavier to produce a jazz-inspired backbeat that flows throughout the song. The beat’s twang adds a powerful, chilling element that electrifies Jackson’s lyrics and his declaration that he truly is “bad” (The Atlantic). Jackson’s anger-filled declaration comes to a climax around the 2:30 mark of the just over four-minute song, followed by an impressive solo by synth extraordinaire Greg Phillanganes and African-American jazz legend Jimmy Smith. Breaking away from the Synclavier backbeat, Jimmy Smith comes in for a solo with his Hammond B3 Midi organ, adding a soulful jolt paying homage to Jackson’s influencers (MJJ Productions). On top of this solo, Phillanganes, former member of the band Toto, comes in with an electric solo on the synthesizer, commenting on Jackson’s desire to drive musical technology forward (MJJ Productions). The art in this solo is truly in producer Quincy Jones’ ability to make these two seemingly clashing instruments mesh together perfectly. On a similar note, an interview with Phillanganes he states, “I was honored to know I would be the other half of a two-part solo that started with the legendary Jimmy Smith. Only Quincy would think to bridge two differences generations, genres, styles and instruments in the span of eight bars!” (Billboard, 2017).  The creative duo of Jones and Jackson did not view the synthesizer in isolation, but rather as a method of taking old, familiar sounds, sounds that once influenced Jackson, and infusing them with modern flavor. Additionally, Jackson’s “new” style allowed him to create a plethora of fan-favorites, as Bad became the first album ever to have five singles reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a record unbroken for more than two decades (Billboard).

The Synclavier synthesizer also plays an important role within the “Bad” short film, for Quincy Jones utilizes it during both the acting and performing sequences. As Michael Jackson, playing a black student in a majority-white boarding school, is heading home for the holidays, the synthesizer is used to produce ominous undertones. The off-putting accents on his dirty train ride home and as he walks through his rundown neighborhood directly contrast the serenity of the boarding school of the opening scene. Furthermore, Jones utilizes Phillanganes’ solo once again incorporating it within Jackson’s climactic dance scene in response to an argument with former friend and gangbanger Mini Max, played by an unknown Wesley Snipes. The usage of the Synclavier to not only produce chords but sound effects within the film itself shows its importance to Michael Jackson and how his creative mind was expanded upon its integration into his musical repertoire.