How to Play The First Of May on the Tin Whistle
D major · 2/4 · 220 BPM · Polka · Beginner
The First Of May is a polka you can learn on the tin whistle, set in D major (2/4, around 220 beats per minute). It uses 9 distinct notes, ranging from F#5 up to G6 — all within the D whistle’s range.
Polka in d major (156 notes after repeat-expansion).
The tin whistle notes for The First Of May start B A F# F# A B G G B C# A B… 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 The First Of May with these notes in order. Same letter in a higher octave uses the same fingering — overblow for the second register.
B A F# F# A B G G B C# A B C# D A D F# E D B A F# F# G F# E D# E B B A# B G G F# E D C# B A G F# G A F# F# E D# E B B A# B G B A# B C# E D D E D D
Sheet music
ABC notation
X:11695 T:The First Of May R:polka M:2/4 L:1/8 K:Dmajor |:B/|AF F>A|BG G>B|cA Bc|dA/d/ f/e/d/B/|! AF F>A|BG G>B|.c.A B/c/d/e/|1 fd d3/2:|2 fd d2||! |:Af f/4g/4f/e/^d/|eB B>^A|Bg g>f|e/d/c/B/ A/G/F/G/|! Af fe/^d/|eB B>^A|Bg B/^A/B/c/|1 ed d2:|2 ed d3/2|| % Source: https://thesession.org/tunes/11695 setting 11695
Fingering chart
The First Of May uses these notes on the D tin whistle: F#5, G5, A5, B5, C#6, D6, E6, F#6, G6.
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