Aural Comprehension Guide
David Loberg Code Western Michigan University
Solfege Syllables
Melodies will be sung using Solfege syllables with a movable Do.
In the movable Do system, Do always represents the tonic or the first degree
of the scale, regardless of key. The purpose of the system is to emphasize
the relationship between the degrees of the scale and the similarities between
melodies in different keys. In this way, melodic patterns using the same
sequence of scale degrees will be sung with the same syllables in every
key.
All major scales are read as follows:
Scale Degree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Syllable Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
Interval from (ray) (mee) (tee)
tonic P1 M2 M3 P4 P5 M6 M7 P8
Natural Minor scales are read as follows:
Syllable Do Re Mé Fa So Lé Té Do
(may) (lay) (tay)
Interval P1 M2 m3 P4 P5 m6 m7 P8
The syllables indicate both the scale degree and the quality of the interval
formed from a given note to the tonic of the scale. Thus, a minor third
above the tonic, for example--regardless of whether the note uses a sharp,
flat, or natural--is always `Me' (may). Other intervals are accounted for
by changing the vowels of the syllable.
A1 A2 A4 A5 A6
Di Ri Fi Si Li
Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
Ra Mé Sé Lé Té
m2 m3 d5 m6 m7
You will notice that when the note is raised, the vowel is changed to "i"
(ee) and when it is lowered, it becomes "e" (ay). The only exception
is scale degree 2, which becomes Ra when chromatically lowered. When a melody
modulates to a new key, the new tonic is called Do. The other notes of the
scale are renamed accordingly.
When practicing singing with solfege syllables do not get into the habit
of writing the syllables underneath the notes. Of course this makes it
easier to say the syllables, but it does not help you learn them. If you
need some visual aid in the beginning you could try marking the line or
space on the staff that corresponds to 'Do' with a highlighter or writing
in 'Do' and 'So' at the beginning of the line like this:
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This provides a visual frame of reference to assist you in determining the
proper syllables without actually writing in the words. You can easily
tell which line or space corresponds to a particular syllable and learn
to judge what musical intervals look like on the staff.
David Loberg Code, School of Music, Western Michigan University,
Kalamazoo, MI, 49008. E-mail: code@wmich.edu
http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/etg/sol.html
Revised: 28.Feb.99 (c) 1999
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