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3All songs / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Free number tabs for God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen on the steel tongue drum. 36 notes, C Major scale, Easy level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
3
33
32
21
12
23
34
45
55
55
56
65
54
43
32
23
34
45
53
33
32
21
12
23
34
45
55
55
56
65
54
43
32
25
53
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 scale, then tap the petals or press these keyboard keys in order, following the tab above:
321456
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is a minor-key English carol from the 18th century whose driving melody carries an air of mystery and ancient power. On a steel tongue drum the modal character of the tune comes alive, each note hanging in the air with a haunting resonance quite different from the usual major-key carols. Its steady pulse and clear phrases suit players ready to explore darker tonal colours.
How to play God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 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 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
About this melody
Traditional English carol, 18th century (public domain).