Pinball Wizard by The Who
Pinball Wizard by The Who runs at 118 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of D major. It is built on 6 chords — B, E, D, A, D7, F#. Released in 1969.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
At least one shape here is a full barre — one finger pressing all six strings, no open strings to lean on. Fret it unplugged first; if a string buzzes, it's the barre, not the chord. Listen for the 7th in these chords — it's the note doing most of the harmonic pull, and it's the first thing that disappears if you fret only the plain triad underneath it.
Practice at the right tempo
This song sits at 118 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is Pinball Wizard in?
Pinball Wizard is in D major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is Pinball Wizard?
Pinball Wizard runs at 118 BPM (beats per minute).
What chords does Pinball Wizard use?
Pinball Wizard is built on 6 chords: B, E, D, A, D7, F#.
Does Pinball Wizard need barre chords?
Yes — at least one shape is a full barre (one finger across all six strings). Everything else on the page is a standard open shape.
What tuning is Pinball Wizard in?
This recording sits about 12 cents sharp of concert pitch (A=443.1Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.