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5All songs / Down by the Riverside
Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
Down by the Riverside
Free number tabs for Down by the Riverside on the steel tongue drum. 26 notes, C Major scale, Easy level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
5
55
56
67
76
65
57
77
77
7•1
8•2
9•1
87
7•2
9•2
9•2
9•3
0•2
9•1
87
75
56
67
76
65
51–7 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 scale, then tap the petals or press these keyboard keys in order, following the tab above:
567890
Down by the Riverside is an exuberant African-American spiritual and anti-war anthem whose upbeat melody has been embraced by jazz and gospel musicians for well over a century. On a steel tongue drum the bouncy, ascending phrases ring out with a lively festivity, each note landing with satisfying clarity. Its stepwise motion and steady swing feel make it an energetic and enjoyable tune for players ready to move beyond beginner pieces.
How to play Down by the Riverside on a tongue drum
The numbers above are the standard tongue-drum number notation. Each digit is a note of the C Major 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 Down by the Riverside.
About this melody
African American spiritual, traditional.