57 Romantic and Soulful Songs for Adults - 8-Note Tongue Drum in C-major - Beginner-Friendly Songbook for Diatonic Tongue Drums with Love Songs by Number #870210

Designed for Adult Players
Standard 8-note tongue drums are often considered simple instruments, and most songbooks offer limited material for adult players. In response to popular demand, this collection features 57 carefully chosen traditional folk songs and romantic ballads, covering a variety of moods and themes. Each piece is arranged to fit within the 8-note C-major scale, making it accessible for smaller tongue drums while remaining enjoyable for adult musicians.
Additionally, all songs in this book can also be played on 11-note, 13-note, or 15-note tongue drums. The repertoire includes beloved tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Australia, offering a rich and diverse selection for players of all levels.

C-major Tongue Drums
Tongue drums are versatile and intuitive instruments, capable of producing beautiful melodies with various note arrangements. This book is specifically designed for the most popular and widely used models, which are typically tuned to C major.
If you have an 8-note tongue drum and aren’t sure of its 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)

Learn to Play with Ease
Playing by Numbers
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.

Start Your Journey Today
With this songbook, you can explore 57 classic tunes and unlock new possibilities on your tongue drum—whether you're a beginner or an experienced player.

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
Weile Walia Alt
Whiskey in a Jar