The book is designed for D-Major Tongue Drums. Before purchasing the book, make sure your drum has the necessary sharp notes.

Most steel tongue drums are tuned in the key of D-major, which makes them perfect for both beginners and experienced players. If you have an 11-, 13-, or 15-note drum and are unsure of its tuning, it is likely D-major.

This book includes arrangements that match a range of D-major tongue drum sizes:

• 15-note drums can play all 68 songs
• 13-note drums can play 61 songs
• 11-note drums can play 27 songs

This book presents a collection of 68 traditional melodies and folk songs, many of which are traditionally played on string instruments like the harp, fiddle, or banjo. Rarely arranged for percussion, these pieces have been thoughtfully adapted for the tongue drum, offering a fresh and distinctive take on familiar tunes.

Playing by Numbers

For tongue drums with numbered notation, notes are labeled 1 through 7, corresponding to the major scale. Dots placed above or below indicate notes from higher or lower octaves. The number of keys on your drum determines which songs are playable. This book uses a diatonic numbering system to make playing intuitive and accessible for all levels.

Learn by Listening – QR Code Audio

Every song in this book includes a QR code linking to an audio recording. These recordings follow the book’s notation exactly, allowing you to hear how each tune should sound when played on the tongue drum. Listening while learning helps reinforce rhythm, tone, and musical phrasing.

Contents

All For Me Grog
Arkansas Traveler
Auld Lang Syne
Be Thou My Vision
Beer, Beer, Beer
Black Velvet Band
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Carrickfergus
Cherokee Shuffle
Cindy
Coleman’s March
Comin’ Thro’ the Rye
Courtin’ in the Kitchen
Cripple Creek
Fanny Power
Farewell to Whiskey
Finnegan’s Wake
Green Grow the Rashes
Hard Times, Come Again No More
How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?
I Love Thee No More
I’ll Tell Me Ma
Jock o’ Hazeldean
Jug of Punch
Liberty
Loch Lomond
Mari’s Wedding
Mississippi Sawyer
My Darling Asleep
My Own Heart’s Delight
Nancy Whiskey
Niel Gow’s Lament for the Death of His Second Wife
Off to Sea Once More
Old Dun Cow Caught Fire
Old Joe Clark
Red Wing
Reilly’s Daughter
Sally Ann
Sandy River Belle
Seven Drunken Nights
Shady Grove
Simple Gifts
South Wind
Spotted Pony
Swallowtail Jig
Tar Road to Sligo
The Ash Grove
The Bluebells of Scotland
The Holy Ground
The Lilting Banshee
The Milking Song (Arrane Ben-Vlieaun)
The Minstrel Boy
The Moonshiner
The Night That Paddy Murphy Died
The Parting Glass
The Piper’s Wife
The Rakes of Mallow
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
The Rattlin’ Bog
The Rising of the Moon
The Rocky Road to Dublin
The Skye Boat Song
The Star of the County Down
Turkey in the Straw
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Wild Colonial Boy
Wild Mountain Thyme
Ye Banks and Braes o’ Bonnie Doon