Bonnie Isle o'Whalsay — Mandolin Tab

Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Key of A · 120 BPM · 4/4 time · Scottish Reel · Beginner

Chords used in this arrangement: A, E, D, G.

This tune is named after Whalsay, a tiny Shetland island that locals have long called "The Bonnie Isle," a nickname that comes with some irony given that its Old Norse name, Hvalsey, actually means "Whale Island." The tune itself is a proper Shetland reel at heart, not just generically Scottish, and it's got a cool modal twist. The A-part sits squarely in A major, but the B-part slides into A Mixolydian, which gives it that slightly open, bittersweet flavor that's so characteristic of Shetland fiddle music.

In Shetland sessions, this tune anchors a famous five-reel set — sometimes called the "Auld 5" — that Tom Anderson, Aly Bain, and others recorded together, and it's said that if someone calls for "the five reels," this is always the closer. Watch for those natural G notes in the B-part; they're what make the Mixolydian thing work, so don't let your fingers default to G-sharp on autopilot.

Enjoy this mandolin tab version of Bonnie Isle o'Whalsay.

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.