HARP LESSON | How to Play "The Butterfly" | Irish Slip Jig on Harp

Learn the Butterfly on your harp or instrument of choice - by ear today! FREE video lessons of the left hand are down below!
While I'd classify this as an intermediate tune, I do think you can play this as more of an ambitious beginner with a pretty good grasp of technique. I have explained the different parts pretty slowly in this tutorial, so give it a whirl if it's one you like!
Learn the left hand FOR FREE here: / 21468958
This is a sample of what Patrons get every month.
Here's also an EASIER version of the left hand: / 21469259
Update: Learn The Butterfly Slip Jig by Tommy Potts (1912-1988)
Free sheet music for the right hand: thesession.org...
Sorry to say my sheet music arrangement for this is unavailable as this tune is still under copyright.
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[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Composition by fiddler Tommy Potts (1912-1988). Sorry to say the sheet music for my arrangement is no longer available as I found out this tune is still under copyright. Enjoy the tutorial!

[@TaisiaDanilova]

Thanks!!!!

[@Schluckspecht85]

this has really helpt me sorting my fingers :) thanks a lot

[@emblamiriam]

Awesome tutorial! Thank you!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jeffschake6801]

This is really great. Thank you for putting it up! Do you have a follow up tutorial that shows left hand accompaniment? Happy New Year

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Hi there! Yes normally the left hand videos are reserved for Patreon subscribers, but these ones are open to the public. Easy version: www.patreon.com/posts/21469259 Intermediate: www.patreon.com/posts/21468958

[@jeannieb.]

Hi Tiffany, great video! I'm trying to learn it right now as we speak. I have a question though. I'm a beginner so this may be dumb question, but why can't you just use your first and second finger rather then first and third for part A? It feels so much harder. Is there a reason for it? Is it just that it looks cooler? Lol? I also don't understand why you have to use your thumb and first finger to pluck the same note. Why can't you just use your thumb twice? Thanks!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Hi Jeannie those are great questions! For the A part, it's recommend to use the thumb and 3rd finger for an interval of a 5th, which this melody has. This is because it's less of a stretch for most harps and hand sizes, but also because it frees your 2nd finger up to do other things. For example when you play a C and G 5th with 1 and 3, your 2nd finger is in a position to take the middle of your chord - the E, in this example. In some tunes and arrangements you'll need that, so it's good to get used to it. So, the short answer is it's pretty much a standard harp fingering thing. For your second question - using different fingers for repeated notes, especially quick ones, puts less tension on your hand. It can also sound a lot nicer! A lot of being a good player is dealing with subtleties like that. Hope this helps! :)

[@SharonCullenArt]

Hi Tiffany, thank you for teaching this. I will probably have to watch it a few times before it sinks in because I had to walk away half way through and had already forgotten the beginning. I should’ve stopped and added A and B together before moving on to C but at least I can watch again. I was wondering if I can learn the left hand? Do you have sheet music for this?

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Hi Sharon, unfortunately I had to take my sheet music down as the tune is still under copyright. You can find free sheet music for the melody in the video description. The left hand video lesson is linked in the description as well, this one is a free sample of what Patreon subscribers get every month. Thanks for watching!

[@SharonCullenArt]

@@tiffanyharpandsong I’m sorry I just saw your pinned comment and the description. I should’ve looked first. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@SaraKaiser]

Thank you this is great! Is it normal to feel super mentally worked from learning just one segment? (Brand new to harp)

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Oh yeah! When you're new sure - especially with a tune like this! This is not the easiest one out there :)

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Depending on where you're at Sara, I wonder if you'd find this one a better first step! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3zUpJuVZ8ahjqc

[@SaraKaiser]

@@tiffanyharpandsong Yes that's the first one I did :) Glad to hear the brain fatigue is to be expected!

[@celestinac1105]

Yep completely normal. There’s only so much i can learn before being tired from it.