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Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
Banuwa
Free number tabs for Banuwa on the steel tongue drum. 30 notes, C Major Pentatonic scale, Easy level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
6
55
43
35
42
23
32
25
46
55
43
35
41
12
21
13
35
46
55
43
32
23
32
25
45
46
55
43
31
11–7 scale note• above = higher octave• below = lower octaveabc = key in the app
▶ Play it in Tongue Drum Online
Open the free player on the C Major Pentatonic scale, then tap the petals or press these keyboard keys in order, following the tab above:
45321
Banuwa is a traditional West African folk melody from the Vai people of Liberia, often used in choral arrangements worldwide for its lilting charm. Played on a steel tongue drum, the gentle swing feel and stepwise motion create a hypnotic, slightly syncopated groove that feels both ancient and fresh. Easy to pick up, it rewards players who lean into the natural sustain of the instrument.
How to play Banuwa on a tongue drum
The numbers above are the standard tongue-drum number notation. Each digit is a note of the C Major Pentatonic scale, counting up from the lowest tongue. A dot above a number raises it one octave; a dot below lowers it. The small teal letters show the matching key in the Tongue Drum Online player.
Start slowly, one phrase at a time. Let each note ring out fully before striking the next — the long decay is the whole character of the instrument. This is a easy arrangement and a simplified, single-instrument version of Banuwa.
About this melody
West African folk (Liberian/Vai).