Fairytale of New York Tin Whistle Notes, Tabs & Tutorial

There’s something about those opening notes of “Fairytale of New York” that instantly brings Christmas to mind. Released in 1987 by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, the song has become a holiday staple, and this guide provides the letter notes, tabs, and step-by-step instructions to play it on a D whistle.

Song release year: 1987 · Original performers: The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl · Common tin whistle key: D major · Approximate playing time: 4 minutes 10 seconds · Difficulty level on tin whistle: Intermediate · Number of unique notes in melody: 14

Six key facts stand out about this song as a tin whistle project. Here’s a quick reference:

What Are the Tin Whistle Notes for Fairytale of New York?

The melody of “Fairytale of New York” uses the notes of the D major scale, making a D tin whistle the natural choice. Below are the letter notes for the full melody, verse, and chorus.

Full melody letter notes

• The tune starts with the lyric “When you first took my hand” and uses the sequence B A G F# E D.
• The highest note reaches a high D (^D) and the lowest is low D (d).
• A total of 14 unique notes are used.

Verse section notes

• The verse follows the lines “It was Christmas Eve babe, in the drunk tank” – starting notes: E D E G A.
• The phrase “I could have been someone” uses the sequence B A G F# E D.

Chorus section notes

• The chorus begins with “The boys of the NYPD choir” – melody notes: G A B A G E D.
• The final line “Galway Bay” resolves on a low D.

The implication: If you can play a D major scale, you already know all the notes in this song. The challenge is in the phrasing and tempo changes.

How Do You Play Fairytale of New York on Tin Whistle?

Playing the song well comes down to three areas: correct finger placement, controlled breathing, and avoiding common pitfalls. Follow these steps:

1. Master finger placement – follow the detailed guide below for low D, high D, and transitions.
2. Control breathing and phrasing – use the tips below to manage breath support and slur notes for a folk sound.
3. Avoid common beginner mistakes – refer to the pitfalls list to prevent rushing, squeaking, and poor hole coverage.

Step-by-step finger placement

• Hold the whistle with your left hand covering the top three holes and your right hand covering the bottom six.
• For low D, cover all six holes. For high D, cover only the top two holes and blow a little harder.
• Practice transitions between B (left thumb + index + middle) and A (add ring finger).

Breathing and phrasing tips

• Blow steadily with moderate force – too much pressure will squeak the high notes.
• Treat each phrase as one breath: “It was Christmas Eve babe” – one breath, “in the drunk tank” – second breath.
• Use slight legato (slurring) between notes to get the folk sound.

Common beginner mistakes

• Rushing the chorus – the tempo change catches many new players off guard. Practice the chorus at 60% speed first (CutiePiePiper YouTube tutorial).
• Squeaking high D – relax your jaw and don’t overblow.
• Not covering holes fully – ensure a flat finger pad seal for each hole (Irish Folk Songs traditional music resource).

Where Can I Find Free Fairytale of New York Tin Whistle Sheet Music?

Free resources are abundant, but quality varies. These sites offer verified tabs and letter notes.

Free PDF resources

• Learn Tin Whistle tutorial site offers a free page with full letter notes and a downloadable PDF.
• Scribd document sharing platform contains a user-uploaded document with lyrics and notations.

Trusted websites for tin whistle tabs

• Noob Notes simplified notation site provides beginner-friendly letter notes with a simplified layout.
• Irish Folk Songs traditional music resource includes guitar chords and whistle-adaptable notes.

YouTube tutorial channels

• Search “Fairytale of New York tin whistle tabs tutorial” on YouTube. The Learn Fairytale of New York on the Tin Whistle video shows finger placements in slow motion.
• The CutiePiePiper channel uses a Chris Wall SweetBrass D whistle and includes printable tab links in the description.

Why this matters: Relying on a single source can lead to errors. Cross-referencing between these resources gives you double‑checked accuracy.

What Are the Fairytale of New York Tin Whistle Chords?

If you want to play along with a guitar or piano, these chords support the whistle melody.

Chords to accompany the melody

• Primary chords: D, G, A, Bm, Em (Irish Folk Songs traditional music resource).
• The whistle carries the melody while the guitar or piano provides the harmonic foundation.

Guitar chord shapes in key of D

• D major: open shape (xx0232). G major: 320003. A major: x02220. Bm: x24432. Em: 022000.

Whistle chord substitutions

• Because a tin whistle plays single notes (not chords), you can play the root notes of each chord as drone notes. For D, play D; for G, play G; etc.

The trade-off: Whistle players don’t need chord shapes, but knowing them helps you lock in with accompaniment and anticipate key changes.

Is There a YouTube Tutorial for Fairytale of New York on Tin Whistle?

Several well‑produced tutorials exist, and the best ones combine visual finger charts with slow‑speed playback.

Recommended tutorial videos

• Learn Fairytale of New York on the Tin Whistle – a steady‑pace walkthrough with on‑screen tabs.
• Fairytale Of New York | Tin Whistle Tabs by CutiePiePiper – uses a D whistle and provides a printable tab PDF in the description.

What to look for in a good tutorial

• Slow‑play section – the teacher should play the melody at half speed first (YouTube recorder tutorial).
• Visual finger chart – a diagram of which holes to cover for each note.

Timestamps for verse/chorus

• In the Learn Fairytale of New York on the Tin Whistle video, the verse starts at 1:20 and the chorus at 2:45.

The catch: Videos are helpful, but they don’t let you practice at your own pace. Download the tabs and pause the video to work through tricky sections.

Confirmed Facts and What’s Unclear

We’ve separated what’s reliably documented from what still requires caution.

Confirmed facts

• The melody is written in D major.
• The song was written by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer (Learn Tin Whistle tutorial site).
• Tin whistle tabs are available from multiple sources.

What’s unclear

• Some sources list the original recording key as D, others as C# (Noob Notes simplified notation site).
• It’s not definitively known which whistle fingering system (e.g., standard German or Baroque) is most used by tutorial creators (CutiePiePiper YouTube tutorial).

The implication: Understanding what is confirmed helps focus practice efforts on the verified elements while remaining cautious of ambiguous details.

What the Experts Say

“The tutorial includes intro and two instrumental parts for tin whistle.”

Learn Tin Whistle tutorial site

“Guitar chords in original key G with optional capo and 6/8 time signature.”

Irish Folk Songs traditional music resource

“Use trills and legato for authentic folk sound.”

YouTube recorder tutorial

The pattern: Expert advice consistently emphasizes slow practice and attention to ornamentation for an authentic rendition.

For anyone picking up a D tin whistle this Christmas, the clear path is to start with the verse notes, then tackle the chorus, and practice slowly with a metronome. The effort pays off when you can join in with the original recording. For the beginner in Ireland or the UK, the choice is simple: get a D whistle, print the free Learn Tin Whistle tutorial site tabs, and work through the verse first, or risk getting stuck on the tempo changes in the chorus.

For a deeper understanding of the song’s lyrics and background, the lyrics and analysis of the song provides a comprehensive analysis.

Frequently asked questions

The upshot: Focusing on the D whistle and practicing the verse before the chorus will yield the quickest progress.

If you enjoyed this guide, you might also like our article on Counties of Ireland in Irish – Official Names for 32 Counties and What Is the Book of Kells – History, Art and Significance.