Digital Tradition Mirror

This notation is pretty simple; dark circles mean covered holes; empty circles mean uncovered holes; a '+' below means to blow harder to get the upper octave; a '#' below means this note is too low for the whistle chosen and you'll have to fake it :) The author of this program always plays accidentals by closing holes, so you'll never see half-covered holes.

When I was starting, I found notation like this to be very helpful, and I know plenty of people who have trouble reading music who find this notation easier. Good luck!

Bessy Bell and Mary Gray

(C whistle)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
(Choose a whistle key: A B C D E F G Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb A# B# C# D# E# F# G#)
Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Bessy Bell and Mary Gray

O Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
They war twa bonnie lasses;
They bigget a bower on yon burn brae,
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes.
They theekit it o'er w rashes green,
They theekit it o'er w heather;
But the pest cam frae the burrows-town,
And slew them baith thegither.

They thought to lye in Methven kirk yard,
Amang their noble kin;
But they maun lye in Stronach haugh,
To biek forenent the sin.
And Bessy Bell and Mary Gray,
Tney war twa bonnie lasses;
Tney bigget a bower on yon burn brae,
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes.

Recorded by Martin Carthy on Shearwater; Steeleye Span on Tempted and Tried
Child #201
play.exe BESSBELL.2
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!