Guide
How to read the number tabs
Every tab on this site uses the same simple system. Once you get it (about two minutes), you can read any song here.
1. The numbers are scale notes, not piano keys
A steel tongue drum is tuned to one scale. We number its notes from the lowest tongue upward: 1, 2, 3… On a C Major drum that is C = 1, D = 2, E = 3, and so on. The tab tells you which tongue to hit — the same tab works on differently-tuned drums.
2. Dots mean octaves
A dot above a number means play it one octave higher; a dot below means one octave lower. No dot = the main octave.
3. The teal letters are the app keys
Under each number you'll sometimes see a small teal letter. That is the key to press in the free Tongue Drum Online player: keys 1–9, 0, then Q W E T run from the lowest tongue to the highest. On a phone you just tap the matching petal.
4. Phrases are grouped in boxes
Each bordered box is one short musical phrase. Learn one box at a time, then string them together.
Ready?
Pick any song and the player is one click away on the right scale.