Tin Whistle Trainerv0.11.10

How to Play Danny Boy on the Tin Whistle

G major · 4/4 · 72 BPM · Slow Air · Intermediate

Danny Boy is a slow air you can learn on the tin whistle, set in G major (4/4, around 72 beats per minute). It uses 12 distinct notes, ranging from E5 up to B6 — all within the D whistle’s range.

Slow air in G major. Slow tempo and long held notes are beginner-friendly; the climax sustains high B6/G6 in the second octave with overblowing, and the C natural needs cross-fingering — so this lands intermediate overall.

The tin whistle notes for Danny Boy start F# G A B A B E D B A G E… Full sequence below.

The interactive sheet music shows a fingering chart under every note. Press Play this tune to play along while the app listens to your microphone and grades every note, or print a clean copy of the score.

▶ Play this tunePrint the score

Tin whistle notes

On a D tin whistle, play Danny Boy with these notes in order. Same letter in a higher octave uses the same fingering — overblow for the second register.

F# G A B A B E D B A G E G B C D E D B G B A F# G A B A B E D B A G E F# G A B C B A G A G D E F# G F# F# E D E D B G D E F# G F# F# E D B A D E D B A A G E G D B G F# G A B E D B A G E F# G

Sheet music

ABC notation

X:1
T:Danny Boy
R:slow air
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=72
K:Gmajor
FGA | B3 A Be dB | AG E3 GBc | d3 e dB GB | A4 z FGA | B3 A Be dB | AG E3 FGA | B3 c BA GA | G4 z def | g3 f fe de | dB G3 def | g3 f fe dB | A4 z ded | b3 a ag eg | dB G3 FGA | Be dB AG EF | G4 z |]
% Source: trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/Ireland/song/0018 (public domain — traditional)

Fingering chart

Danny Boy uses these notes on the D tin whistle: E5, F#5, G5, A5, B5, C6, D6, E6, F#6, G6, A6, B6.

E5
F#5
G5
A5
B5
C6
D6
E6
F#6
G6
A6
B6

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