Le Papillon, Op. 50 is a collection of 32 short guitar pieces by Italian guitarist and composer Mauro Giuliani. No. 1 is marked Andantino and is written in C major and 3/4 time.
This short piece is useful for developing steady timing and fingerstyle control. The opening measures use simple two-note harmonies, while the second half introduces a flowing eighth-note accompaniment beneath the melody.
This lesson includes the guitar sheet music with tabs, along with three practical tips to help you learn the piece.
Grab your guitar and let’s get started!
3 tips for learning Le Papillon on guitar
1. Keep a steady count in 3/4 time
In measures 1 – 16, you’ll see several half notes followed by quarter notes. Count beats ‘1, 2, 3’ and make sure the longer notes get their full value.
Practice these opening measures slowly, listening for an even pulse. You’ll want to keep that same pulse when the rhythm becomes busier in the second half.
2. Bring out the melody over the moving notes
Starting in measure 17, a series of eighth notes move underneath the melody.
Try playing the upper notes by themselves first. Then practice the moving notes separately before putting both parts together.
As you combine them, keep the melody clear and let the accompaniment stay a little softer.
3. Practice the eighth-note patterns in small sections
In measures 17 – 23 and 25 – 31, the repeating eighth-note figures are a good place to work on smooth, even fingerpicking.
If needed, count ‘1, and, 2 and 3 and’ as you play. Start with just two measures, such as 17 -18, and repeat them slowly until the notes feel comfortable.
Pay attention to the different rhythm in measures 24 and 32 as well.
Le Papillon, Op. 50 No. 1 – guitar sheet music with tabs
The small numbers next to some notes on the top staff indicate suggested fretting-hand fingers. The tabs below show which strings and frets to play.
Start with measures 1–16 before moving on to the eighth-note patterns in measures 17–32. Once both sections feel comfortable, practice playing the piece from beginning to end at one steady tempo.
📘 Get the free Practice Blueprint: Build better habits and make your progress more consistent. Download the free guide →
Check out all the song PDFs or search for a specific song below.
Want to learn more songs? Check out the sheet music with guitar tabs resource on this site.
Explore Songs with Guitar Tabs
