The Mason's Apron on the tin whistle

An Irish reel for a D whistle, 67 notes. Press play to hear it on Penny's whistle, then learn it one note at a time.

67 notes. Press play, or Next note to go one at a time.

D+

All six holes covered, blow a little harder.

The notes

Each box is one bar. A + means the high octave: same fingers, blow a little harder. A longer line under a note means hold it longer.

1. high D
2. C natural
1. B
2. G
3. G
4. G
5. G
6. G
7. A
8. G
9. E
1. D
2. E
3. G
4. B
5. C natural
6. B
7. A
8. G
1. C natural
2. A
3. A
4. A
5. A
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. G
1. A
2. B
3. C natural
4. high D
5. high E
6. high D
7. high E
8. high F sharp
1. high G
2. G
3. G
4. G
5. G
6. G
7. A
8. G
9. E
1. D
2. E
3. G
4. B
5. C natural
6. B
7. A
8. G
1. A
2. B
3. C natural
4. high D
5. high E
6. high D
7. high E
8. high G
1. G
2. G
3. G
4. B
5. A
6. G

Fingers for each note

D
E
G
A
B
C natural
high D
high E
high F sharp
high G

About the tune

The Mason's Apron is an Irish reel. It is tune 1343 in O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1903), a book of 1,850 pieces collected by Francis O'Neill, then head of the Chicago police. The notes here are the first part of the tune as it is printed there (a scan of the book), set for a D whistle, with the ornaments left out. It is moved down a step from the book, from A to G, so it sits on the whistle.

Most sources say it is Scottish in origin, though today it is strongly tied to Irish fiddling. Early Scottish versions are in Alexander McGlashan's collections. Source: The Traditional Tune Archive

How hard is it

Level: In between
Notes: 67
Range: D to G+
High notes: 12 of 67
C natural: 6 times. Cover only the second and third holes.

Keep going

All 18 tunes The full finger chart

Every tune here also plays in Typing Meadow, our free typing music game for kids.