No need to apologize -- please feel free to ask as much as you'd like!

No worries -- you don't need to have your fourth finger on the D and G at the same time. Try starting with this configuration:

High E string (string closest to the ground when you are holding your guitar properly): index finger on the 2nd fret.

B string: middle finger on the third fret.

G string: pinky finger on the fourth fret.

D string: ring finger on the fourth fret.

So you don't need to use your pinky finger to play both strings on the fourth fret -- that's making it harder than it needs to be.

Hope this makes sense. Also, the video below demonstrates a guitarist (John from FireGroundAudio) playing part of "Pinball Wizard" -- he's playing it a bit differently than what is tabbed out above, but I thought it might help you get the basic idea.



Hope that helps!

Hi,

first of all this is a really useful site.
But I have a problem with the pinball wizard song, too. I love that song and I´m willing to learn it, even if it takes several weeks. But of course it´s rather difficult for me as a beginner.
The video is not available so I can get no help from there. Please fix it!
Meanwhile somebody may help me by telling me two things.
My difficulties begin with the 3rd row about half way through, when it changes from simple downstrumming to a pattern. Can anybody tell me, how the strumming pattern works because I can´t hear how Pete does it?
Second difficulty is how to put my fingers on the fretboard, when doing the fast part starting with row 4 without breaking my fingers. I can´t play that sounding right.
Can anybody help me, please?

Atlasar

Ok, ok, I asked too early.
Many tries later ( fingers aching very much ) I figured it out by myself and with support from the video by rasta1982TV ( nice stuff btw. ).
So you don´t need to play the 7th fret on the low e-string. That makes it quite easy. Maybe you should delete that from the string in the tab because it may be confusing for beginners ( at least it was for me ).
The pattern isn´t as difficult as I thought. Counting eleven notes gave me the final hint Now it doesn´t sound great, but you can recognize what I´m playing.

Thanks a lot for the cool lessons and surely I`m gonna have some more questions later.

Atlasar