How to Play The Tenpenny Bit on the Tin Whistle

A dorian · 6/8 · 180 BPM · Jig · Beginner

The Tenpenny Bit is a jig you can learn on the tin whistle, set in A dorian (6/8, around 180 beats per minute). It uses 9 distinct notes, ranging from G5 up to B6 — all within the D whistle’s range.

Jig in A dorian — 272 notes, difficulty 2/5.

The tin whistle notes for The Tenpenny Bit start E A A E A A B A B G B 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 The Tenpenny Bit with these notes in order. Same letter in a higher octave uses the same fingering — overblow for the second register.

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

Sheet music

ABC notation

X:109
T:The Tenpenny Bit
R:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Adorian
|:eAA eAA|BAB GBd|eAA eAA|def gfg|! eAA eAA|BAB GAB|def ged|BAG A3:|! eaa aga|bag ged|eaa aga|bag a3|! eaa aga|bag ged|def ged|BAG A3:|
% Source: https://thesession.org/tunes/109 setting 109 (traditional, public domain)

Fingering chart

The Tenpenny Bit uses these notes on the D tin whistle: G5, A5, B5, D6, E6, F#6, G6, A6, B6.

G5
A5
B5
D6
E6
F#6
G6
A6
B6

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