Melody Trainer › Tune directory › Cattle in the Cane

Cattle in the Cane — Sheet Music, Tab & Chord Directory

▶ Learn it in the Melody Trainer See every note of Cattle in the Cane on your banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, ukulele or piano — then play along: the music listens and waits for you. Open Cattle in the Cane →

About Cattle in the Cane

Cattle in the Cane is a three-part old-time fiddle reel in A mixolydian (it uses the notes of D major) — one for the more experienced, running from G, to b and staying in first position on banjo, mandolin and fiddle.

Type
Reel, three parts, each usually played twice
Key
A mixolydian (the notes of D major) · 4/4
Range
G, to b · first position
Notes used
C C♯ D D♯ E F♯ G A B
Level
One for the more experienced

Cattle in the Cane — sheet music

A mixolydian (the notes of D major) · 4/4

The notes

Letter names, bar by bar · capitals up to C in the third space, lower case from the D on the 4th line

A B | C♯ e e f♯ e d C♯ d | e C♯ e f♯ g e d C | B G B C d e d B G B e B d B A G | C♯ e e e e f♯ e d | C♯ A C♯ d e a f♯ a | f♯ g f♯ e C♯ B C B A F♯ E F♯ G A B A A B | E F♯ G A B A E | A A A, A, B, | C♯ E D C♯ A, G, A, C♯ A, G, C♯ A, B, C♯ D E G | A B C♯ d e d C♯ B | C♯ e B C♯ B A B A G | E G E D C♯ E D C♯ E C♯ E G E D C♯ E | D C♯ B, C♯ A, G A | A A, A, A, B, | C♯ E D C♯ A, G, A, C♯ A, G, C♯ A, B, C♯ D E G | A B C♯ d e d C♯ B | C♯ d e a g b a g | e g e d♯ d C♯ A G E G C♯ G B C♯ A G | E D C♯ B, A A

▶ Play along in the Melody Trainer

Cattle in the Cane — tab

Tenor banjo · mandolin · fiddle · guitar · ukulele — tap one to open it

Cattle in the Cane — Tenor banjo tab

G D A E (Irish tuning) · open position

E|-----|---0-0-2-0-------|-0---0-2-3-0-----|-----------0-----|
A|-0-2-|-4---------5-4-5-|---4---------5-3-|-2---2-3-5---5-2-|
D|-----|-----------------|-----------------|---5-------------|
G|-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----0-----------|---0-0-0-0-2-0---|---------0-5-2-5-|-2-3-2-0-------------|
A|---2---2-5-2-0---|-4-------------5-|-4-0-4-5---------|---------4-2-3-2-0---|
D|-5-------------5-|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------4-|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
A|-------0-2-0-0-2-|-------0-2-0---|-0-0-------|-------------------|
D|-2-4-5-----------|-2-4-5-------2-|-----------|---2-0-------------|
G|-----------------|---------------|-----2-2-4-|-6-----6-2-0-2-6-2-|
E|-----------------|---------0-------|---0---------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0-2-4-5---5-4-2-|-4---2-4-2-0-2-0---|-----------------|
D|-----------0-2-5-|-----------------|-----------------5-|-2-5-2-0---2-0---|
G|-0-6-2-4-6-------|-----------------|-------------------|---------6-----6-|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
A|-----------------|-------------0-|-0---------|-------------------|
D|-2---2-5-2-0---2-|-0---------5---|-----------|---2-0-------------|
G|---6---------6---|---6-4-6-2-----|---2-2-2-4-|-6-----6-2-0-2-6-2-|
E|-----------------|---------0-------|-----0-5-3-7-5-3-|-0-3-0-----------|
A|-----------------|-0-2-4-5---5-4-2-|-4-5-------------|-------6-5-4-0---|
D|-----------0-2-5-|-----------------|-----------------|---------------5-|
G|-0-6-2-4-6-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-------------|
A|-----4---2-4-0---|---------0-0-|
D|-2-5---5-------5-|-2-0---------|
G|-----------------|-----6-4-----|

Numbers are frets. Tenor banjo sounds an octave below the written notes.

Cattle in the Cane — Mandolin tab

G D A E · open position

E|-----|---0-0-2-0-------|-0---0-2-3-0-----|-----------0-----|
A|-0-2-|-4---------5-4-5-|---4---------5-3-|-2---2-3-5---5-2-|
D|-----|-----------------|-----------------|---5-------------|
G|-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----0-----------|---0-0-0-0-2-0---|---------0-5-2-5-|-2-3-2-0-------------|
A|---2---2-5-2-0---|-4-------------5-|-4-0-4-5---------|---------4-2-3-2-0---|
D|-5-------------5-|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------4-|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
A|-------0-2-0-0-2-|-------0-2-0---|-0-0-------|-------------------|
D|-2-4-5-----------|-2-4-5-------2-|-----------|---2-0-------------|
G|-----------------|---------------|-----2-2-4-|-6-----6-2-0-2-6-2-|
E|-----------------|---------0-------|---0---------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0-2-4-5---5-4-2-|-4---2-4-2-0-2-0---|-----------------|
D|-----------0-2-5-|-----------------|-----------------5-|-2-5-2-0---2-0---|
G|-0-6-2-4-6-------|-----------------|-------------------|---------6-----6-|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
A|-----------------|-------------0-|-0---------|-------------------|
D|-2---2-5-2-0---2-|-0---------5---|-----------|---2-0-------------|
G|---6---------6---|---6-4-6-2-----|---2-2-2-4-|-6-----6-2-0-2-6-2-|
E|-----------------|---------0-------|-----0-5-3-7-5-3-|-0-3-0-----------|
A|-----------------|-0-2-4-5---5-4-2-|-4-5-------------|-------6-5-4-0---|
D|-----------0-2-5-|-----------------|-----------------|---------------5-|
G|-0-6-2-4-6-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-------------|
A|-----4---2-4-0---|---------0-0-|
D|-2-5---5-------5-|-2-0---------|
G|-----------------|-----6-4-----|

Numbers are frets. Same strings as the fiddle, so the same notes fall in the same places.

Cattle in the Cane — fiddle fingering

G D A E · first position — finger numbers

E|-----|---0-0-1-0-------|-0---0-1-L2-0------|------------0-----|
A|-0-1-|-2---------3-2-3-|---2----------3-L2-|-1---1-L2-3---3-1-|
D|-----|-----------------|-------------------|---3--------------|
G|-----|-----------------|-------------------|------------------|
E|-----0-----------|---0-0-0-0-1-0---|---------0-3-1-3-|-1-L2-1-0--------------|
A|---1---1-3-1-0---|-2-------------3-|-2-0-2-3---------|----------2-1-L2-1-0---|
D|-3-------------3-|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------2-|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|----------------------|
A|-------0-1-0-0-1-|-------0-1-0---|-0-0-------|----------------------|
D|-1-2-3-----------|-1-2-3-------1-|-----------|----1-0---------------|
G|-----------------|---------------|-----1-1-2-|-H3-----H3-1-0-1-H3-1-|
E|-------------------|---------0-------|---0---------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-|-2---1-2-1-0-1-0---|-------------------|
D|-------------0-1-3-|-----------------|-----------------3-|-1-3-1-0----1-0----|
G|-0-H3-1-2-H3-------|-----------------|-------------------|---------H3-----H3-|
E|-------------------|-----------------|-----------|----------------------|
A|-------------------|---------------0-|-0---------|----------------------|
D|-1----1-3-1-0----1-|-0-----------3---|-----------|----1-0---------------|
G|---H3---------H3---|---H3-2-H3-1-----|---1-1-1-2-|-H3-----H3-1-0-1-H3-1-|
E|-------------------|---------0-------|-----0-3-L2-4-3-L2-|-0-L2-0------------|
A|-------------------|-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-|-2-3---------------|--------H3-3-2-0---|
D|-------------0-1-3-|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------3-|
G|-0-H3-1-2-H3-------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-----------------|--------------|
A|-----2---1-2-0---|----------0-0-|
D|-1-3---3-------3-|-1-0----------|
G|-----------------|-----H3-2-----|

0 = open string · 1–4 = finger · L = low (half step back), H = high.

Cattle in the Cane — Guitar tab

E A D G B E · open position

e|-----|---0-0-2-0-------|-0---0-2-3-0-----|-----------0-----|
B|---0-|-2---------3-2-3-|---2---------3-1-|-0---0-1-3---3-0-|
G|-2---|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|
D|-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
e|-----0-----------|---0-0-0-0-2-0---|---------0-5-2-5-|-2-3-2-0-------------|
B|---0---0-3-0-----|-2-------------3-|-2---2-3---------|---------2-0-1-0-----|
G|-0-----------2-0-|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------4-|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
e|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
B|---------0-----0-|---------0-----|-----------|-------------------|
G|-----0-2---2-2---|-----0-2---2---|-2-2-------|-------------------|
D|-2-4-------------|-2-4---------2-|-----------|---2-0-------------|
A|-----------------|---------------|-----0-0-2-|-4-----4-0---0-4-0-|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-----------3-------|
e|-----------------|---------0-------|---0---------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|---0-2-3---3-2-0-|-2---0-2-0---0-----|-----------------|
G|---------------0-|-2---------------|-----------2---2-0-|---0-------------|
D|-----------0-2---|-----------------|-------------------|-2---2-0---2-0---|
A|---4-0-2-4-------|-----------------|-------------------|---------4-----4-|
E|-3---------------|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|
e|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
B|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-------------------|
G|-------0---------|-----------0-2-|-2---------|-------------------|
D|-2---2---2-0---2-|-0-------------|-----------|---2-0-------------|
A|---4---------4---|---4-2-4-0-----|---0-0-0-2-|-4-----4-0---0-4-0-|
E|-----------------|---------------|-----------|-----------3-------|
e|-----------------|---------0-------|-----0-5-3-7-5-3-|-0-3-0-----------|
B|-----------------|---0-2-3---3-2-0-|-2-3-------------|-------4-3-2-----|
G|---------------0-|-2---------------|-----------------|-------------2-0-|
D|-----------0-2---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---4-0-2-4-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
e|-----------------|-------------|
B|-----2---0-2-----|-------------|
G|---0---0-----2-0-|---------2-2-|
D|-2---------------|-2-0---------|
A|-----------------|-----4-2-----|
E|-----------------|-------------|

Numbers are frets; the bottom line is the low E string.

Cattle in the Cane — Ukulele tab

G C E A (high G) · open position · played an octave up, as the tune dips below the lowest string

A|-12-14-|-16-19-19-21-19-17-16-17-|-19-16-19-21-22-19-17-15-|-14-10-14-15-17-19-17-14-|
E|-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C|-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-10-14-19-14-17-14-12-10-|-16-19-19-19-19-21-19-17-|-16-12-16-17-19-24-21-24-|-21-22-21-19-16-14-15-14-12-9-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------|
C|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------|
A|-7-9-10-12-14-12-12-14-|-7-9-10-12-14-12-7-|-12-12-0-0-2-|-4-7-5-4-0---0-4-0-|
E|-----------------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------------|
C|-----------------------|-------------------|-------------|-------------------|
G|-----------------------|-------------------|-------------|-----------0-------|
A|---4-0-2-4-5-7-10-|-12-14-16-17-19-17-16-14-|-16-19-14-16-14-12-14-12-10-|-7-10-7-5-4-7-5-4-|
E|------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------|------------------|
C|------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------|------------------|
G|-0----------------|-------------------------|----------------------------|------------------|
A|-7-4-7-10-7-5-4-7-|-5-4-2-4-0-10-12-|-12-0-0-0-2-|-4-7-5-4-0---0-4-0-|
E|------------------|-----------------|------------|-------------------|
C|------------------|-----------------|------------|-------------------|
G|------------------|-----------------|------------|-----------0-------|
A|---4-0-2-4-5-7-10-|-12-14-16-17-19-17-16-14-|-16-17-19-24-22-26-24-22-|-19-22-19-18-17-16-12-10-|
E|------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
C|------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-0----------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-7-10-16-10-14-16-12-10-|-7-5-4-2-12-12-|
E|------------------------|---------------|
C|------------------------|---------------|
G|------------------------|---------------|

Numbers are frets; the top line is the A string, the bottom line the high G.

Cattle in the Cane chords

A mixolydian (the notes of D major) · 5 chords: A, G, E, Am, C

pickup
A
A
G
G
A
A
G
E A
E A
Am
Am
C
C
Am
Am
C
E Am
Am
Am
C
C
Am
Am
C
E

One box per bar, in the same order as the sheet music. A faded chord carries on from the bar before.

Guitar chords for Cattle in the Cane

Strings E A D G B E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

A×GEAm×C×

Ukulele chords for Cattle in the Cane

Strings G C E A, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

AGEAmC

Tenor banjo & mandolin chords for Cattle in the Cane

Strings G D A E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

AGEAmC

More reels and tunes like it

Soldier's JoyArkansas TravelerWhiskey Before BreakfastThe Redhaired BoyCumberland GapForked DeerMississippi SawyerSaint Anne's Reel

This traditional setting comes from Jim’s Roots & Blues. The tune itself is traditional. Tabs and letter names worked out by The Music Arcade.

← Melody Trainer