How to Play Hot Cross Buns on the Tin Whistle

Hot Cross Buns is a nursery you can learn on the tin whistle, set in D major (4/4, around 60 beats per minute). It uses 3 distinct notes, ranging from D5 up to F#5 — all within the D whistle’s range.

Three-note tune (F#-E-D in D major). The shortest possible 'real tune' — confidence-builder for Lesson 2. Phrase shape is 'high-mid-low' three times, with a 'one penny two penny' middle measure (paired quarters in place of the canonical eighth notes — slower but easier to tongue) before the final 'hot cross buns'.

The interactive sheet music below shows a fingering chart under every note. Press Practice to play along while the app listens to your microphone and tracks your place in the score note by note, or print a clean copy of the score and fingering reference.