How to Play McFadden's Handsome Daughter on the Tin Whistle

A major · 4/4 · 220 BPM · Reel · Advanced

McFadden's Handsome Daughter is a reel you can learn on the tin whistle, set in A major (4/4, around 220 beats per minute). It uses 9 distinct notes, ranging from E5 up to A6 — all within the D whistle’s range.

Reel in a major (163 notes after repeat-expansion).

The tin whistle notes for McFadden's Handsome Daughter start E F# A B C# A B C# E C# A F#… 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.

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Tin whistle notes

On a D tin whistle, play McFadden's Handsome Daughter with these notes in order. Same letter in a higher octave uses the same fingering — overblow for the second register.

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

Sheet music

ABC notation

X:1581
T:McFadden's Handsome Daughter
R:reel
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Amajor
|:~E3F ABcA|~B3c ecAF|~E3F A2af|1 ecBd cBAF:|2 ecBd cAA2||! aece faaf|edcA BAF2|~a3e faaf|edcB A2ce|! aece aecA|B2cA BAF2|agfe f2af|edcB ABcd||! ~e3f ecac|ecac fB~B2|ce~e2 ceaf|ecBd cAA2|! ce~e2 ceae|ceae fBB2|cefg agaf|eAce aecA||
% Source: https://thesession.org/tunes/1581 setting 1581

Fingering chart

McFadden's Handsome Daughter uses these notes on the D tin whistle: E5, F#5, A5, B5, C#6, D6, E6, F#6, A6.

F#5

C#6

F#6

Tin whistle notes

Sheet music

ABC notation

Fingering chart

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