Key of Pinball Wizard

[mstillman]

Would you say The Who's Pinball Wizard is in Bm or D?

I'm curious what the rule/convention is for designating a song's key when it modulates. Start key? End key? Mon key?

For PW, I'd put "Bm/D", personally.

Thx

 

[EarnestTBass]

The key signature for D is two sharps, F# and C#. Bm is the relative minor (vi minor) of D.
The key of D has the same key signature as the key of Bm.

There would be no change in the key signature if the key changed from D to Bm.

Maybe it is a little confusing because Pinball Wizard can be written to start in the key signature of D (2 sharps) and then modulates to the key signature of B (5 sharps). The very first chord is Bm/F#. Nine bars later the modulation begins with Bsus4 that resolves to B, implying the key of B major. The key becomes ambiguous due to the accidentals that will follow- natural A's G's and D's.

You can write it out any way that helps you.

But if you are asking about rules and convention- avoid confusing key signature- how many sharps or flats, with key- tonal center.

 

[mstillman]

Thanks for replying.

 

[Febs]

So for what it's worth, the score for the Broadway version of The Who's Tommy puts the first 9 measures in B minor, and then modulates to B major:

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Would you say The Who's Pinball Wizard is in Bm or D? I'm curious what the rule/convention is for designating a song's key when it modulates. Start key? End key? Mon key? For PW, I'd put "Bm/D", personally. Thx

For what it is worth. Using fake chord I notate in the margin the key we start in and if the key moves to something else I write the new key in the margin just before it modulates. I normally high-lite it so I'll see it while playing. If you were using standard notation the new key would be addressed with the key signature changing.

However, with your example of D/Bm having the same key signature that presents a problem. I don't play that much from SN but the standard notation sheet music example used above -- the key signature does change letting you know that a key shift has happened. Now back to my example using fake chord...

Case in point we have one song that starts in E and the last chorus is in F#. I wonder should my F# be in a higher range or back at the # 2 fret for a lower range. I think going higher is correct for this song, so I do.

But to answer your question - if using fake chord I just write the starting key as E and then the last chorus as being in F#. And I move my pattern to F# to play the last chorus.

I guess I should mention my fake chord sheet music is in Nashville numbers so moving from one key to the next is not a big deal. If I high-lite it so I see it and change my pattern.

 

[ElectroVibe]

Bm/D doesn't really apply to this song. Here is the way I remember playing it:

Bm (brief prelude)
B - 1st section
D - 2nd section. (There are no minor chords here. Just D, C, G.)

 

[Drgonzonm]

Bm/D doesn't really apply to this song. Here is the way I remember playing it:

Bm (brief prelude)
B - 1st sectionp
D - 2nd section. (There are no minor chords here. Just D, C, G.)

Imo, The key is Bm, the fact that the key changes is irrelevent. Lots of music changes key as well as time.

 

[ElectroVibe]

Imo, The key is Bm, the fact that the key changes is irrelevent. Lots of music changes key as well as time.

Gee, you sound very intelligent. Thanks for clearing this up.

 

[Drgonzonm]

Gee, you sound very intelligent. Thanks for clearing this up.

Never claimed to be intelligent, as a freshman I found I had below average act scores