Hades Guide | How to Play The Lyre

Here's a guide on how to play the Lyre in Hades.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Sep 26, 2025

During your runs in Hades, you will spend most of your time fighting Shades and Creatures in an attempt to reach the surface. However, when you return to the House of Hades after each run, you are allowed to engage in other activities.

In these moments, you can talk with characters, upgrade the house, interact with Cerberus, or begin learning music. One such activity involves taking up the Lyre, which also comes with a reward tied to the Fated List in Hades.

Hades, Guide, How to Play The Lyre

Prerequisite Requirement

Before you can begin the process of learning the Lyre, you must complete a separate Prophecy. This involves freeing Orpheus, the former court musician, from his sentence. To do this, you need to purchase the required work order from the House Contractor for 1 Diamond.

Doing so fulfills the minor Prophecy known as The Reluctant Musician and allows Orpheus to return to the House of Hades. At first, he refuses to sing, but by speaking with him multiple times and progressing conversations with Eurydice, you can encourage him to perform again in Hades.

Hades, Guide, How to Play The Lyre

Unlocking The Gift Of Song

After Orpheus has returned, you can strengthen your bond with him by offering him Nectar. Along the way, you will share stories to inspire him. Once you have convinced him to sing once more and told him the tale of defeating the Bone Hydra, he will suggest that you attempt to learn music as well. This unlocks the Prophecy known as The Gift Of Song on the Fated List in Hades.

To pursue this Prophecy, you need an instrument. Visit the House Contractor and, under the Bedchambers category, purchase the Lyre: Splendid for 1 Diamond. Once obtained, the Lyre can be found in your chambers, and you will be able to interact with it each time you enter.

Hades, Guide, How to Play The Lyre

Practicing The Lyre

The process of learning the Lyre is completed entirely through practice. Each time you interact with the instrument, you progress toward learning how to play. At the beginning, your attempts will sound unrefined, but after enough repetitions, the notes will begin to form recognizable chords in Hades.

Throughout this process, a new dialogue with Orpheus becomes available. In these exchanges, he provides encouragement and advice, though speaking with him is not mandatory for advancement.

To complete the Prophecy, you must interact with the Lyre a total of 210 times. Once Zagreus acknowledges that he can play the instrument, the Prophecy will be marked as fulfilled on the Fated List, and you will receive 2 Ambrosia as the reward in Hades.

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