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5All songs / Fado do Menor (traditional)
Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
Fado do Menor (traditional)
Free number tabs for Fado do Menor (traditional) on the steel tongue drum. 23 notes, C Major Pentatonic scale, Easy level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
5
43
32
23
36
55
46
55
43
32
21
12
23
35
46
55
43
32
21
12
23
33
31–7 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:
54321
Fado do Menor is a traditional Portuguese fado in a minor key, capturing the essence of saudade — that uniquely Portuguese ache of longing and nostalgic beauty. On a steel tongue drum the modal, descending phrases carry a deep emotional weight, the sustained tones perfectly embodying the introspective spirit of Lisbon's folk tradition. The slow, unhurried tempo makes it accessible while remaining profoundly expressive. A beautiful introduction to Portuguese fado on the handpan.
How to play Fado do Menor (traditional) 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 Fado do Menor (traditional).
About this melody
Portuguese folk.