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[Lemurnator]

I'm learning the song Pinball Wizard. I can play the song pretty much note for note on my 6 string acoustic except for one big problem. When I get to the F#sus4 chord, I can't play and get the same sound as Pete gets on the original recording. I'm playing the right notes and I'm strumming as fast as I can in the best way I can figure out but it still doesn't sound fast enough or full enough. Is this due to my inadequacy as a guitarist. Am I not strumming fast enough or in the right way?

Is Pete Townshend really strumming that freakishly fast or is he playing on a 12 string for that part, or the entire acoustic part of the song? Would that make a difference on how fast it sounds like he's strumming those chords from the end of the intro and in through the first verse?

 

[MaverickX9]

Is this the F#sus4 chord:

--7--
--7--
--9--
--9--
--x--
--7--

?

 

[Lemurnator]

--x--
--2--
--3--
--4--
--0--
--T(muted string)--

 

[Lemurnator]

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/pinballwizard.txt

The third line of tabs onward to the first chorus

 

[MaverickX9]

Well, from what I can tell, you don't really want to just strum as fast as you can. You want to mix slow then do a few fast little spurts. It is just a very finely controlled strumming pattern. I can't really describe it, so I guess I am really no help at all...

It has been a while since I've had any formal lessons with guitar, so my strumming pattern terminology may be off.

I'd just listen to the song a million times (I'm sure you already have, but another million or so won't hurt any) and try to fine tune the strumming pattern. It is definitely not just a straight 16th strumming pattern...there are a few variations.

The Bsus4 and after is relatively simple to play...straight 16ths varying speeds within the actual progression itself.

Also, I don't believe that playing a 12 string would have any effect on the strumming sound.

I doubt any of this helps you in anyway, but I tried...

 

[karasu]

chords suuuuuuck

 

[Tim]

Don't know if this is old news to you, but you may want to check out http://www.powertabs.net , download the powertab editor and download the song from there. It may help you with your problem.

 

[Lemurnator]

Can you link me to where I DL the powertab editor? I can't find it on the site.

 

[NLB2]

Em/G F#sus4 F#
e e e e e e e e e s s e s e s e e e e s s e s e s e e e
|-------------------|---0-----------------|---0-0-----0---------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4\3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0---|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5\4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-0---|
|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|T2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--T7-|

So the B changes voices but is still called a suspension? Try playing the f#sus4 with the B string open, you might like the sound better.