This notation is pretty simple; dark circles mean covered holes; empty circles mean uncovered holes; a '+' below means to blow harder to get the upper octave; a '#' below means this note is too low for the whistle chosen and you'll have to fake it :) The author of this program always plays accidentals by closing holes, so you'll never see half-covered holes.
When I was starting, I found notation like this to be very helpful, and I know plenty of people who have trouble reading music who find this notation easier. Good luck!
(This score available as
ABC,
SongWright,
PostScript,
PNG, or
PMW, or
a MIDI file)
(Choose a whistle key:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Ab
Bb
Cb
Db
Eb
Fb
Gb
A#
B#
C#
D#
E#
F#
G#)
Dulcimer tab
for this song is also available
Cowboy Jack He was just a lonely cowboy With a heart so brave and true And he learned to love a maiden With eyes of Heaven's own blue They learned to love each other As they named their wedding day When a quarrel came between them And Jack, he rode away He joined a band of cowboys And tried to forget her name And out on the lonely prairie She waits for him the same One night when work was finished Just at the close of day Someone said sing a song Jack T'will drive those cares away When Jack began his singing His mind, it wandered back For he sang of a maiden Who was waiting for her Jack Jack left the camp next morning Breathing his sweetheart's name He said I'll ask forgiveness For I know that I'm to blame But when he reached the prairie He found a new made mound And his friends they sadly told him That they laid his loved one down They said as she was dying She breathed her sweetheart's name And asked them with her last breath To tell Jack when he came Your sweetheart waits for you, Jack Your sweetheart waits for you Out on the lonely prairie Where the skys are always blue DT #788 Laws B24 DP apr97
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!