Designed for Adult Players The repertoire for simple eight-note percussion instruments is often very limited. It usually consists of traditional children's songs, while everything else either requires chromatic notes, which not all percussion instruments have, or involves a much wider note range. In this book, we have adapted more complex song, mainly folk and romantic ballads, for a simple diatonic instrument with just eight notes in one octave. The melodies had to be simplified, but the rhythm was preserved, making these popular folk tunes playable on an eight-note tongue drum. Although the title suggests this book is for an 8-note drum, all the songs can also be played on 11-, 13-, or 15-key tongue drums. The songbook includes beloved tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Australia, offering a rich and diverse selection for players of all levels. Enjoy this collection of 57 carefully chosen traditional folk songs and ballads, spanning a range of moods and themes. C-major Tongue Drums This book is specifically designed for the most popular tongue drums, typically tuned to C major. If you aren’t sure of yours drum tuning, it is most likely in C major. To confirm, check the chart in the book’s introduction to match your drum’s notes. The standard notes for an 8-note C-major tongue drum are: C (1), D (2), E (3), F (4), G (5), A (6), B (7), C (1) Play with Ease This book uses a diatonic scale numbering system, where each note is represented by a number from 1 to 7. Dots above the numbers indicate whether a note belongs to a higher octave. The number of notes on your drum determines the range of songs you can play. Techniques for Beautiful Sound Most steel tongue drums come with mallets, which are a great way to start: • Use mallets first—they produce clear, resonant tones with minimal effort. • Experiment with hand playing once you're comfortable. Remove rings or jewelry for the best sound. • Strike lightly and quickly to let notes resonate fully. • Hit near the tongue edges (not the center) to enhance overtones. • Use your palm to create dynamic strikes or mute notes. • Explore freely! There’s no wrong way to play. Enhance Your Learning with QR Codes Each song page includes two QR codes for additional resources: Audio Recording – Hear the song played on a tongue drum. YouTube Video – Watch a professional performance of the piece. These recordings aren’t exact replicas of the book’s arrangements but serve as helpful tools to better understand melodies and rhythms. Song List Alabama Gal Bayou Sara Beautiful Brown Eyes Big Rock Candy Mountains Blood on the Saddle Bound for South Australia Butcher Boy Butcher Boy - Alternative Version Come Back Liza Daddy Fox Down by the Salley Gardens Drink to me with thine eyes Drunken Sailor East Virginia Blues Fire in the Mountains For He Is A Jolly Good Fellow Get Along, Little Dogies Henry My Son Hi'ilawe Hopping Dance Isn't It Grand, Boys Isn't It Grand, Boys - Alternative Version Italian Waltz James Connoly Land of the Silver Birch Lavender's Blue Little Bessie Man Of Constant Sorrow Marianne Molly Malone My Home's In Montana My Paddle My Wild Irish Rose New River Train Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be Oh How The Lovely The Evening Is Old Jim Slack's Grey Horse Peace Like a River Peace Round Salty Dog Blues She Wore A Yellow Ribbon Shenandoah Skibbereen Sweet Betsy From Pike The Boys of Fairhill The Kerry Recruit The Meeting of the Waters The Northern Lights of Aberdeen Three Score and Ten Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra Town of Ballybay Trees Grow Tall Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree Wanderin Weile Walia Whiskey in a Jar