Piano version of one of the most unique and harmonically fascinating keyboard parts in rock history…
… composed and constructed by Pete Townshend using some very inventive harmonic interplay along with some electronic wizardry in the studio.
Watch Frank Play “Won’t Get Fooled Again” on Piano…
Frank’s Transcription of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
Note: The score for the entire piece is available for a donation to the website.
Study-Practice-Performance Notes
- Technically, a fabulous etude in medium tempo repeated chords.
- Rhythmically, a relentless barrage of eighth notes.
- Compositionally, a great example of patterns not easily explained by conventional theory.
- Melodically, the right hand is an exploration of an A major penta-chord.
- Harmonically, an enduring pedal point on A clearly establishes this in the key of A something. The notes C# and G suggest a mixolydian flavor (thus the key signature of two sharps). The last few bars are unambiguously Mixolydian (the workhorse I-bVII-IV chord progression).
Is anyone interested in a how-to video demonstrating the technique and choreography for playing this with freedom and ease? Comment below!
learn more… Pop/Rock Piano Lessons
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This would take quite a bit to play; so congrats on reconstructing it.
It was actually played by passing an organ through a low frequency oscillator (LFO) set as a square wave opening and closing the filter as a gate to achieve the 8th notes. Pete Townsend then only needed to play the chord structured and the LFO took care of the rest.
Thanks for the words of appreciation, Paul… and for sharing your insider knowledge regarding this important piece of rock music history.
Hi Frank, I would like a copy of the full version of Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who. Is there a link please…I will happily make a donation. Thank you
Thanks for asking, Jim. It is done. Sent to you by email. Enjoy!
I would also very much like to get the full score for this. Point me in the right direction and I will happily contribute.
Thanks for your request and pledge to donate, Michael. It is done. (Check you email) Cheers!
Thanks for this interesting discussion on the chords. Pete actually used a VCS3 synth (I remember using them back in the 70s myself) to process an organ sound. Paul was nearly correct – the sound was processed by passing it through a VCA which was modulated by a low frequency square wave to create that hard tremolo effect where the sound is switched on and off – thus saving all those 8th notes being played. It was then passed through a VCF configured as band-pass filter and its resonant frequency was swept up and down using another LFO probably set to a triangle wave. Just about any modern synth can do this easily. A Matrix Brute for example can easily process an organ sound like this or a polysynth like the Novation Peak or Summit will can also produce the organ sound and process it all in one instrument.
Thanks a million for sharing your knowledge of the electronic wizardry, Dave. If I was younger, I’d invest some time and energy in studying sound synthesis. Alas, I already have my hands full trying to get good on just the piano. All the best to you in music and life. Cheers!
Hi! I just set up a monthly donation. I’m wondering how to download a copy of your transcription of Won’t Get Fooled Again. Thanks for enlightening me! And thank you for assembling such a fantastic site!
Thanks so much for the words of appreciation and your donation, John. I just sent the score (and midi file) for the entire piece to your email. Enjoy!
I made a donation. Thanks for the transcription above and the great explanation of its harmonic workings.
Thanks so much the kind words and donation, Patrick. It really means a lot coming from an artist of your caliber. Please check you email for the full score and midi file. And all the best to you in music and life!
I made a donation. Please send the rest of the music. David
It’s in your email, David. Enjoy.
Hi there, this is great. I have been looking for this for ages as I have a performance of it coming up later in the year. How do I make a donation for the full score? Many thanks, Mark
Greetings, Mark. I see that you’ve already figured out how to donate. Thanks a bunch for doing so, Your support really means alot… as 9,999 out of 10,000 visitors to my site never even say thank you much less hit a single like button. Anyway, I just sent emailed you the full score with a bonus surprise and best wishes for a meaningful performance. Cheers!
I just sent a donation — please send the rest of the music. Thanks so much!
It is done. And you’re welcome!
Hi Frank, this is note-perfect to the album! Thanks so much for doing that! I would very much like to get the full score if possible – just made a donation. Thank you!!!
Kind words and donation received, my friend. Check your email (bonus included).
Please let me know what other kinds of content most interests you. Cheers!
Hi. I’ve come here via My Keys To Music. I’d love to make a donation and download this sheet music for ‘Wont get fooled again’ but cant see how to do that. Can you please help me? Best wishes Vanessa
Thanks for asking and for letting me know how you got here, Vanessa. PayPal and Venmo both welcome. Links can be found here… https://piano-ology.com/about/donations/
Hey Frank,
Thanks for doing this. I just made a donation and would like the score to perform on Sunday this is a life saver.
For anyone interested, I recreated the sound on a Yamaha Motif XF Clean organ with an LFO triangle wave modulating the filter at depth of 25 or so. Cutoff and resonance were brought down from midpoints. I was planning on playing the eighth notes, but am gonna try the suggestion above to do it with a square wave oscillator as I had no luck with the arpeggiator.
Happy to share, anonymous, but I need an email (no email seen in Venmo, either).
should be available on venmo now. cool website!
Just checked. Not there. Am I being punked?