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6All songs / The Wellerman
Number tabs for the steel tongue drum
The Wellerman
Free number tabs for The Wellerman on the steel tongue drum. 26 notes, C Major Pentatonic scale, Easy level — play it instantly in the free Tongue Drum Online player.
The tab
•1
6•1
6•1
65
45
45
46
56
56
55
43
35
45
4•1
6•1
6•1
6•1
65
46
55
43
35
46
55
41
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:
64531
The Wellerman is a New Zealand whaling shanty that became a global viral sensation, introducing a whole new generation to the seafaring song tradition. Its bold, call-and-response melody sits perfectly on a steel tongue drum, ringing out with a resonance that feels almost cinematic. Intermediate-friendly note spacing and a memorable hook make it an instant showstopper for anyone learning the handpan.
How to play The Wellerman 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 The Wellerman.
About this melody
New Zealand whaling shanty.