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Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
Shosholoza
Free number tabs for Shosholoza on the steel tongue drum. 29 notes, C Major scale, Beginner level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
3
35
55
55
53
31
13
35
56
65
55
51
13
35
55
55
53
32
24
46
66
65
55
56
65
53
31
11
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 scale, then tap the petals or press these keyboard keys in order, following the tab above:
135624
Shosholoza is a beloved South African work song rooted in Ndebele and Zulu tradition, long associated with solidarity and communal spirit. On the steel tongue drum its rising pentatonic phrases ring out with warmth and confidence, making it instantly singable. The steady rhythm and short phrase lengths are ideal for first-time players, and each repetition deepens the meditative groove.
How to play Shosholoza 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 beginner arrangement and a simplified, single-instrument version of Shosholoza.
About this melody
South African folk (Ndebele/Zulu).