In short
"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" is a cheerful, playful song that children love, and it plays beautifully 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. The animal sounds make it a fun one to sing along with.
The numbers: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Play from left to right, one number at a time. Each row is one line of the song, so take a small breath at the end of each row before moving on.
| Sing this line | Play these numbers |
|---|---|
| Old MacDonald had a farm | 5 5 5 2 3 3 2 |
| E I E I O | 7 7 6 5 |
| And on his farm he had some chicks | 2 5 5 5 2 3 3 2 |
| E I E I O | 7 7 6 6 5 |
| With a chick chick here | 2 2 5 5 5 |
| And a chick chick there | 2 2 5 5 5 |
| Here a chick, there a chick | 5 5 5 5 5 |
| Everywhere a chick chick | 5 5 5 5 5 |
| Old MacDonald had a farm | 5 5 5 2 3 3 2 |
| E I E I O | 7 7 6 6 5 |
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 song should sound, then try it slowly with the numbers above.
How to play it
A few gentle tips that make the first try feel easy:
- Go slowly at first. Find each number, then play it. Speed comes on its own once your hand knows the path.
- The opening line comes back at the end, so the song feels familiar by the time you finish.
- Numbers 1 to 8 run from the lowest note to the highest, so higher numbers are always further along the same direction.
- Swap in different animals each time you sing it to keep little ones giggling.
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 a child can follow this song without knowing a single musical note.
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. Fun next songs to try are "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Jingle Bells".
FAQ
Is "Old MacDonald" easy to play on a tongue drum?
Yes. It repeats the same lines and returns to its opening, which makes it an easy, playful song for kids and beginners 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.
