TuneViva
Menu
Appearance

The Butterfly sheet music

The Butterfly sheet music is listed in the selected scores as a slip jig in 9/8. The versions differ: two open with two sharps, while one is labelled E minor with one sharp; one score specifies soprano recorder, and the others do not name an instrument. Tempo markings also vary, and no individual composer is credited, so compare the notation rather than assuming a single standard setting.

Scores 1–20 of 40

Sheet music

Page 1 of 2

What the selected scores show

The three selected scores all give an opening time signature of 9/8. Two open with two sharps; one opens with one sharp and is labelled E minor. One score is set for soprano recorder, while the other two do not specify instrumentation. Opening tempos are given as 165 BPM, 48 BPM, and no tempo.

Reading 9/8

A 9/8 time signature is compound triple metre: the bar normally falls into three main beats, each dividing into three eighth notes. Count the music in three broad beats rather than nine equal pulses, and let that grouping shape the phrasing.

Choosing a version

Check the instrument named on the score first. A soprano recorder setting may have a range and reading conventions that do not suit another instrument. Then compare the opening key signature and tempo, since two sharps and one sharp will feel different on fiddle, flute, whistle or accordion. Tempo markings are starting points, not fixed requirements.

What remains unverified

The supplied records do not name an individual composer for The Butterfly and do not establish a definitive or historically verified setting. Treat the scores as practical versions of the tune and check the notation itself if you need a particular key, instrument or tempo.

Scores to open first

Related collections

Common questions

What kind of tune is The Butterfly in these scores?

The selected scores identify The Butterfly as a slip jig. Each listed version uses an opening time signature of 9/8.

What time signature is used for The Butterfly?

Every selected score of The Butterfly gives 9/8 as the opening time signature. In compound triple metre, that normally means three main beats per bar, each divided into three eighth notes.

Is The Butterfly in E minor?

The key signature is not uniform in the selected scores. One version is labelled E minor with one sharp, while two versions open with two sharps. Check the key signature on the score you choose rather than assuming one key for every setting.

What instrument is The Butterfly written for?

One selected score specifies soprano recorder; the other two do not name an instrument. Players should check clef and range on the version they choose, since the recorder setting may not suit every instrument.

Do the tempos differ between versions of The Butterfly?

Opening tempo markings differ across the selected scores: one gives 165 BPM, another 48 BPM, and one gives no tempo. These markings describe the start of a particular score, not a fixed speed for the tune.

Who composed The Butterfly?

No individual composer is credited in the selected scores. One score is attributed to "IRISH TRAD"; the others show no composer name.