Pick direction

[jasona]

I am trying to relearn, correctly this time, the Butterfly, and am hung up on pick direction issues in this odd (read: not 4/4 or 3/4) metre. Suggestions?

[danb]

down-up down-uppp down-up

It's played swingy, use the upstrokes like a pick-up note.

personally, I play DDU as my jig pattern, so you can try that when there are 3 notes in a set instead of Quarter/eigth, though you will hear many options from others that probably work just as well

[mikeyes]

The Butterfly is mostly a hop jig in style (Daah-da, daah-da, daaah) or a quarter note and an eighth note instead of three eighth notes in a row. Listen to the way you want it played and then just play it. You will find that your pick direction will more or less take care of itself. For God's sake don't play it fast, you will never learn to play it at warp speed until you know this tune at a slow pace.

Interview with Mick Moloney at Banjosessions (http://www.banjosessions.com/oct05/interview.html)