The Black Nag: Mandolin Tab
Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Key of Bm · 120 BPM · 6/8 time · English Traditional · Beginner
Chords used in this arrangement: Bm, A, D, Em, F#m.
The tune you know as "The Black Nag" actually spent decades under a completely different name. It first showed up in Playford's Dancing Master in 1657 as "Black Nagg," but later editions quietly renamed it "The Galloping Nag," and it bounced between the two names across multiple printings before settling back into "The Black Nag" that stuck. The tune is a 17th-century English country dance jig, and here's a neat structural quirk: the melody is only 24 bars long, but the actual dance it was written for is 72 bars. This meant the dancers needed you to play through it three times just to get once around the floor. On mandolin in Bm, that rolling B-part with its cascading triplet figures is where the tune really locks in and starts to feel like it's galloping, which, given the alternate title, makes a lot of sense.
This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart, printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise. Download the The Black Nag PDF.
The Black Nag: questions and answers
What key is The Black Nag in?
The Black Nag is in B minor. The transpose control on this page moves the tab, notation and chords to any other key.
What chords are used in The Black Nag?
The chords in this arrangement are Bm, A, D, Em, F#m. The chord chart on this page shows each shape and highlights the current chord as the tune plays.
How fast is The Black Nag played?
This recording is at 120 BPM in 6/8 time. Use the speed control to slow it down without changing the pitch, then work back up to full tempo.
Is The Black Nag a good tune for beginners?
Yes. The Black Nag is rated beginner, so it suits players who are still learning their first tunes.
Can I download The Black Nag as sheet music?
Yes. A printable PDF with the mandolin tab and standard notation is free at /tab/the-black-nag.pdf, and there is a download button on this page.
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- The Black Nag (Bm, 120 BPM)
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