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!
(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
Red Haired Man's Wife Oh ye muses divine, Combine and lend me your aid To pen these few lines, For I find that my heart is betrayed By a virgin most pure, Who is dearer to me than my life But from me she is flown, And is known as the red-haired man's wife Oh, a letter I'll send With a friend down to the seashore To let her understand I'm the man that does her adore And if she would but leave that slave I will forfeit my life She'd live like a lady And ne'er be the red-haired man's wife I offered a favor And sealed it with my own hand She thus answered and said "Would you lead me to break the command? Oh, take it easy Since Nature can cause so much strive I was given away And will stay as the red-haired man's wife" May my life never end Nor my yearning for passion abate Till me and my darling lie as one 'neath the pleasant tree's shade With no one to be near us Save the black bird in the green leaves alone And the red-haired man in his grave With his head 'neath a stone recorded by Ray Fisher SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!