Lyre Harp for Beginners: 7-Step Guide to Play Your First Song

If you’ve ever admired the graceful sound of a lyre and thought, “I wish I could play that,” you’re in the right place. This guide is built for absolute beginners—no prior music knowledge needed. From picking the right harp to playing your first full song. In this 7-step guide, we’ll walk you through the beginner essentials so you can pluck out your first sweet melody, even if you’ve never played an instrument before. Feel its elegance! The Lyre instrument has been introduced in more detail in previous articles.  Learn about the Angel's Lyre Harp

Step 1: Choose the Right Lyre

Before you start strumming, you need to pick the right instrument. Lyre harps come in all shapes and sizes—from 7-string to 21-string models.

What to look for:

• Strings: Beginners usually start with 7–19 strings.

• Material: Go for a wooden lyre—mahogany and spruce are great choices.

• Tuning pins & wrench included? Make sure your harp comes with a tuning wrench (you’ll need it soon!).

• Budget: A decent beginner lyre harp costs between $40 to $200 ($200, Lyre of Pures Music second-generation tuning system).

Step 2: Tuning Your Lyre

Lyre harps don’t stay in tune forever (especially new ones), so you’ll want to tune it before playing. Tuning a lyre requires a good amount of patience, as new strings need time to stretch and settle under tension. It's perfectly normal for the instrument to go out of tune a bit at the beginning. We offer the latest model lyre with an upgraded tuning system — if your budget allows, it's definitely a great choice. It allows for quick tuning and doesn’t require a tuning wrench.

What you’ll need:

• Tuning wrench (usually included)

• A tuning app like gStrings (Android) or Pano Tuner (iOS)

Standard tuning for a 7-string lyre:
E – D – C – B – A – G – E (from top to bottom)

How to tune:

1. Use the tuning wrench to adjust the tension of each string.

2. Pluck a string, and check its note in the tuning app.

3. Tighten to raise the pitch; loosen to lower it.

Take your time—it can be fiddly at first, but you’ll get the hang of it!

Step 3: Hand & Finger Positioning

Next up: how to hold and play your harp.

• Hold it upright on your lap or close to your chest.

• Use your thumbs and index fingers to pluck.
  Most beginners use just their thumbs at first—totally fine!

Imagine you’re gently pinching the strings, not yanking them. A soft, relaxed pluck gets the best tone.

Step 4: Learn a Simple Strumming Pattern

Let’s not get too fancy yet—we’re keeping it chill.

Try this basic pattern:

1. Start by plucking strings one at a time from top to bottom.

2. Then go bottom to top.

3. Repeat slowly and stay consistent.

This will train your fingers and help you get comfy with the sound and feel of your lyre.

Step 5: Understand Basic Notes

Don’t worry—we’re not going deep into music theory here.

Just memorize which string plays which note. If you have a 7-string harp, you can use sticky tabs or a marker to label:

• E (1st string, top)

• D

• C

• B

• A

• G

• E (bottom string)

This visual guide will help you remember notes as you begin to play songs.

Step 6: Practice a Simple Melody

Time to put those fingers to work!

Let’s start with an all-time favorite: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." It's perfect for beginners and super recognizable.

Notes you'll use:

C – C – G – G – A – A – G
F – F – E – E – D – D – C

Now pluck the corresponding strings for each note—go slow and steady. It doesn’t need to be perfect!

Hint: Practice line by line, and don’t move on until you’re comfortable with each part.

Step 7: Play the Full Song

Now that you’ve practiced the notes, it’s time to play the whole tune from start to finish. Keep it slow—speed comes with time.

Here’s a simple way to organize your practice:

• Day 1–2: Tune and memorize string names

• Day 3–4: Practice strumming patterns and finger control

• Day 5–6: Learn the melody line by line

• Day 7: Play the full song!

Bonus Tips for Beginners

• Record yourself to hear your progress.

• Practice daily, even just 10–15 minutes.

Q: Do I need to read sheet music?
Nope! You can use letter notes or number tabs until you’re ready to dive into sheet music.

Q: Can kids learn the lyre harp too?
Absolutely! Its small size and soft tone make it ideal for children.

Q: How often should I tune it?
New harps need tuning every time you play. After a few weeks, it’ll stabilize.

Learning the lyre harp doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. With just a little dedication and this easy 7-step guide, you’ll be serenading yourself (and maybe your pets!) in no time.
Before long, you’ll be diving into folk songs, Celtic ballads, or even composing your own dreamy melodies.