In short
Strauss's "Blue Danube" is one of the most loved waltzes in the world, and it sounds surprisingly elegant on a steel tongue drum. Because our drums are laid out in simple number order from low to high (1 to 8), you just follow the numbers below, with no music reading needed. It is built from short, repeating patterns, so it is easier than its famous sound suggests.
The numbers: The Blue Danube
This is an instrumental piece, so there are no words to sing. Play each part from left to right, one number at a time, pausing briefly between parts.
| Part | Play these numbers |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | 1 1 3 4 5 |
| Part 2 | 5 5 3 3 |
| Part 3 | 1 1 3 4 5 |
| Part 4 | 5 5 4 4 |
| Part 5 | 2 2 4 6 6 |
| Part 6 | 6 6 4 4 |
| Part 7 | 2 2 4 6 6 |
| Part 8 | 6 6 3 3 |
| Part 9 | 1 1 3 5 8 |
| Part 10 | 8 8 5 5 |
| Part 11 | 1 1 3 5 8 |
| Part 12 | 8 8 6 6 |
| Part 13 | 2 2 4 6 6 7 7 8 |
| Part 14 | 8 3 3 2 6 5 1 |
These numbers match our numbered steel tongue drums exactly, straight from our official songbook. If you have a different brand with a scattered note layout, the numbers may not line up the same way.
Watch the tutorial
Follow along with the short video below. Play it once to hear how the waltz should sound, then try it slowly with the numbers above.
How to play it
A few gentle tips that make this famous piece feel easy:
- Learn it part by part. Each part is short, and many parts repeat, so you are learning less than it looks.
- Notice that Parts 1 and 3 are the same, and Parts 5 and 7 are the same. Spotting these repeats makes it much faster to learn.
- Numbers 1 to 8 run from the lowest note to the highest, so higher numbers are always further along the same direction.
- A gentle three-beat waltz feel (count 1-2-3) brings the melody to life.
What you need
Any standard 8-note C major steel tongue drum will work. On our steel tongue drums for kids the notes are numbered and color coded, so anyone can follow this piece without knowing a single musical note. This is a simplified arrangement made to fit comfortably inside 8 notes.
More easy songs
This tutorial is part of our free Easy Tongue Drum Songs collection, where every song is written out by numbers the same simple way. Other beautiful classical pieces to try are "Ode to Joy" and "Swan Lake".
FAQ
Is "The Blue Danube" hard to play on a tongue drum?
Not as hard as it sounds. It is built from short parts that repeat, so once you learn a few patterns you can play most of the piece, even as a beginner following numbers.
Do I need to read music to play it?
No. You only follow the numbers on the drum from left to right. No notes, no sheet music, and no prior experience are needed.
What drum do I need for this song?
Any standard 8-note C major steel tongue drum works. Our numbered drums make it especially easy because each note already shows its number and color.
