How to Play John Ryan's on the Tin Whistle
D major · 2/4 · 220 BPM · Polka · Beginner
John Ryan's is a polka you can learn on the tin whistle, set in D major (2/4, around 220 beats per minute). It uses 11 distinct notes, ranging from D5 up to A6 — all within the D whistle’s range.
Polka in D major — 67 notes, difficulty 1/5.
The tin whistle notes for John Ryan's start D D B C# D B A F# E D D D… 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.
Tin whistle notes
On a D tin whistle, play John Ryan's with these notes in order. Same letter in a higher octave uses the same fingering — overblow for the second register.
D D B C# D B A F# E D D D B C# D B A F# E F# D D E F# G F# E D F# D D E F# G F# A F# D D E F# G F# E D F# D E C# D D
Sheet music
ABC notation
X:441 T:John Ryan's R:polka M:2/4 L:1/8 K:Dmajor dd B/c/d/B/|AF ED|dd B/c/d/B/|AF E2|! dd B/c/d/B/|AF Ad|fd ec|d2 d2||! fd de/f/|gf ed|fd de/f/|gf a2|! fd de/f/|gf ed|fd ec|d2 d2|| % Source: https://thesession.org/tunes/441 setting 441 (traditional, public domain)
Fingering chart
John Ryan's uses these notes on the D tin whistle: D5, E5, F#5, A5, B5, C#6, D6, E6, F#6, G6, A6.
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