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A Satellite of the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association

Playing Tab List

Tablature (or tabulature, or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches.

Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the dulcimer, guitar, or lute, as well as many free reed aerophones such as the harmonica. Tablature was common during the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and is commonly used in notating many genres of music.

Given the nature of old-time music as an aural tradition, there is no such thing as a “definitive” version of most tunes. Tablature ensures the essential melody of a tune is captured, along with any stylistic interpretations noted by the tab author. You are then encouraged to use tabs as a starting point and impart your own individual stamp upon them as they become more familiar to you.

 

This book was created with one purpose in mind: to make dulcimer club meetings more fun for all playing levels. At club meetings, informal jam sessions are important for passing along tunes, tricks, and knowledge as well as for just having a good time. Embellish the tunes to suite your own playing level.(This Tab Book is available to NGFDA membership at cost, and is not otherwise available for copy or sale.)

Tuning

Pg # Song Title Song Type Tradition
DAA 12

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

l0

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Amazing GraceBanks of the Ohio

Brother John

Chopsticks

Come Let Us Gather

Dona Nobis Pacem

Golden Slippers

Holy Manna

I’ll Fly Away

Liza Jane

Music Alone Shall Live

Rock of Ages

Simple Gifts

Sourwood Mountain

Waltzing Matilda

We’re Floating Down the Stream of Timc

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Sweet By and By

religiousballad

round

semi-classical

round

round

reel

religious

religious

reel

round

religious

religious

reel

international

religious

religious

religious

Englishold-time

French

Renaissance

old-time

Sacred Harp

Gospel

old-time

Gospel

Shaker

old-time

Australia

Ritchie Family

Carter Family

Gospel

DAG l920

2l

22

Hey Ho Nobody HomeBachelor’s Hall

Over the River, Charlie

Scarborough Fair

roundballad

play party

ballad

EnglishRitchie

Ritchie Family

English

DAD 2324

25

26

27

28

29

30

3l

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

Cripple CreekAsh Grove

Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho

Farther Along

Moonlight on the Water

Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss

Goin’to Boston

Lady Mary

Michael Row the Boat Ashore

My Own House (Mine Home)

Mississippi Sawyer

Ragtime Annie

Sail Away Ladies

Soldier’s Joy

Southwind

Whiskey Before Breakfast

Wildwood Flower

reelair

religious

religious

waltz

reel

play party

ballad

chant

waltz

reel

ragtime

reel

reel

waltz/air

reel

ballad

old-timeWelsh

Spiritual

Gospel

old-time

old-time

Ritchie family

Ozark

Georgia Sea Islands

Scottish

old-time

New England

Georgia Sea Islands

old-time

Irish

Irish

Carter family

DAC 404l

42

43

44

45

46

Black NagClinch Mountain Backstep

Greensleeves

Shady Grove

Ha Tikva

Nonesuch

Shalom Chaverim

jigreel

air

reel

intemational

English country

dance round

EnglishAppalachian

English

Appalachian

Israeli

English

Israeli

DGD 4748

49

50

Four Leaf Clover WaltzScotland the Brave

Skye Boat Song

Tombigbee Waltz

waltzmarch

waltz

waltz

GeorgiaScottish

Scottish

Alabama