Solfege-Based Ear Training - Why Does It Work?

Anyone who has ever heard the song “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music has heard solfeggio. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you probably know the song: “Do, a deer, a female deer / Re, a drop of golden sun…” Sure, the lyrics are silly, and the song may sound like a nursery rhyme, but it actually teaches a very important and fundamental musical skill: namely, solfeggio.

When it comes to ear training, solfege is a tool that no musician should be without. If you’re a beginner musician and you’ve ever found yourself asking “what is solfege for?” or “what is solfege in music?” keep reading!

In this post, we’re going to talk about what solfege is, the purpose of solfege, and how it can aid you in your ear training practice, as well as the limitations of solfege, and some actual solfeggio exercises you can start doing today to improve your ear.

What Is Solfege in Music?

Solfeggio (or “solfege”) is a nomenclature (naming) system that gives a unique name to every note in a scale. Solfeggio uses a system called solmization to assign a single syllable (for example Do or Re) to each pitch. These syllables are different from the actual name of the note (for example, C or D.)

For the purposes of simplicity, the concepts discussed in this section refer only to “Movable Do” solfeggio, which is the best solfege for ear training. We will discuss the concepts of “Fixed Do” vs. “Movable Do” in the next section.

What is a Solfege Syllable?

In Movable Do solfeggio, there is only one set of solfeggio syllables for all major scales. There are other sets for different types of minor scales. The important point to understand here is that while the names of the notes refer to the specific notes (they identify the fundamental frequency i.e. A4 = 440Hz), the solfege syllables refer to the degrees of the notes within any major or minor scale.

For example, the first degree of any major scale is given the solfege syllable “Do.” This is true whether we are talking about the C major scale, G major scale, F# major scale, or any other major scale. The second degree is given the syllable “Re,” the third degree is “Mi,” and so on (see the next section “What is the solfege for a major scale?” for the complete major scale solfege).

What is the Solfege Scale?

There is no single “solfege scale”. There are a few different types of solfege scales (as we will see in this post), but the solfege scale you’ll see most often when you’re learning music is the major scale:

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do.

What is the solfege for a major scale?

The solfeggio for the major scale is the same as the solfeggio taught in the song “Do-Re-Mi” mentioned at the beginning of this article. It is as follows:

These syllables can be assigned to any major scale. For example, take these two major scales:

Even though the notes of these two scales are very different, the relationships between the notes are the same and the shapes of the scales are the same. So the solfeggio is the same.

What is the solfege for a minor scale?

Solfege for minor scales is slightly more complicated. There are three types of minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic. Each type of minor scale has its own solfeggio scale.

There are also two solfege nomenclature available for minor scales: “relative solmization” and “parallel solmization”. These different solmizations are two different ways of applying solfeggio to minor scales.

Relative Solmization

Every major scale has a relative natural minor scale associated with it. The relative natural minor scale starts and ends on the sixth degree (La) of the major scale. For this reason, “relative solmization” is also called “La-based minor”.

Using La-based minor solfeggio is preferable for ear training, as it allows you to keep the syllables consistent across major and natural minor scales. For example, using “relative solmization”, “Do” is always the first degree of the major scale, also if you are singing a minor scale. This is very helpful in associating the sonic sensation of the scale degrees to a specific syllable, more on that later.

Parallel Solmization

The other way to write the solfeggio for a minor scale is to start at Do. This is done in “parallel solmization” (also called “Do-based minor”) where the first degree of the minor scale is always labeled Do. Parallel solmization is useful in more complex harmonic contexts but is less useful for ear training as it requires you to change your perspective of where Do is between major and minor scales. This can be confusing to your ear because the first degree of the major scale has a very different sonic sensation than the first degree of the natural minor scale, calling both of them “Do” isn’t really helpful in separating and internalizing their unique feeling.

Natural Minor Scale

The natural minor is called “natural” because it uses the same notes as the relative major scale, as opposed to the harmonic and melodic minor scales, in which the sixth and seventh degrees are altered. Let’s look at the A natural minor scale:

A minor is the relative minor of C major; there are no sharps or flats. You can see that the scale begins on the sixth degree of the C scale by looking at the relative solmization:

In parallel solmization, the notes of the scale are the same, but we assign Do-based solfege syllables to them (Me, Te, and Le are inflections; We will cover those in a later section).

* “Me”, “Le”, “Te” are inflections. i.e. “Me” indicates that “Mi” has been lowered by half a step. More on inflections later on in this post.

Harmonic Minor Scale

In the harmonic minor scale, the seventh is raised. Some people say the combination of the flat sixth and raised seventh gives this scale an Eastern European or Middle Eastern sound. Let’s look at A harmonic minor:

* “Si” is an inflection, it means that the 7th degree (Sol) has been raised by half a step (Si). More on inflections, later on in this post.

* “Me” and “Le” are inflections. i.e. “Me” indicates that “Mi” has been lowered by half a step. More on inflections later on in this post.

Melodic Minor Scale

The melodic minor has both a raised sixth and seventh. This makes the end of the scale sound like a major scale, but the overall scale still has a distinctly minor sound because the third is lowered. Let’s look at A melodic minor:

* “Fi” and “Si” are inflections. i.e. “Fi” indicates that “Fa” has been raised by half a step. More on inflections later on in this post.

* “Me” is an inflection. “Me” indicates that “Mi” has been lowered by half a step. More on inflections in the next section of this post.

Inflections

In solfege, “inflections” refer to the alteration of syllables when they are flat (lowered by a semitone from their original position in the major scale) or sharp (raised by a semitone from their original position in the major scale).

As you can see, we used inflections in the solfeggio for minor scales (the syllables Me, Le, and Te are inflections, as are Fi, Si, and Li.) In addition to those inflections for flat notes, we also have Di (raised Do), Ra (flat Re), Fe (flat Fa), and Se (flat Sol.)

Different Types of Solfege

Now for the caveat: the concepts outlined above apply only in “Movable Do” solfeggio. Movable Do solfeggio is what is primarily taught in western music, and we believe it is the best system to learn for solfege ear training or when you are just starting out as a musician.

However, in your studies, you may also come across the concept of “Fixed Do” solfege. Let’s take a quick look at the differences between Fixed and Movable Do and how they relate to ear training.

Moveable "Do"

In Movable Do solfeggio, each degree of a scale has its own solfege syllable. Those syllables will be the same across every major scale for major solfege, or across every type of minor scale for minor solfege (see above for more in-depth explanations of the major and minor solfeggio scales).

The names of the notes are separate from the syllables themselves. For example, in C major Do is C, but in G major, Do is G. In short, Do moves depending on what key you are in (hence the name “movable Do”). This is useful because by internalizing the scale solfeggio, you will learn the overall shape and sound of a major or minor scale, and will be able to internalize the sonic sensation of each scale degree while associating it to a specific syllable, no matter what key you are in. This is a fundamental skill in developing good relative pitch.

Fixed "Do"

In Fixed Do solfeggio, “Do” is always C natural, no matter what key you are in. So the “usual” major scale solfeggio will apply only to the C major scale. In G major, instead of singing Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do, you would start at Sol. In D major, you would start singing a major scale at Re. Fixed Do is more like assigning different names to notes, rather than assigning names to scale degrees.

This can be confusing for students who have previously learned Movable Do, and we don’t recommend that those starting out with music learn Fixed Do. We also don’t recommend it as a tool for developing your relative pitch skills or for practicing solfege ear training.

However, it’s worth knowing that Fixed Do is used as a standard nomenclature for notes in multiple countries, such as Italy, France, Spain, Israel, etc. In these countries, notes aren’t named using the standard western nomenclature A, B, C, D, E, F, G but they are called respectively La, Si, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol (or some slight variation on that, depending on the language used).

Musicians from these countries are nowadays used also to the standard western nomenclature and can easily use it without any problems. If in your country Fixed Do is the standard nomenclature for notes, it still can make sense (from an ear training perspective) for you to adopt Movable Do or alternatively to use numbers as a means to identify scale degrees.

In any case, a consultation with an expert ear training teacher can easily help you adopt the better nomenclature for your specific situation, keep reading if you want to know how we can help you with that and ear training in general.

Fixed Do and Perfect Pitch

If you are wondering whether Fixed Do could be helpful in developing perfect pitch, while it may be true that teaching Fixed Do to very young children can help them develop absolute pitch skills, unfortunately, the same is not true for adults. Scientific studies show that perfect pitch can only be developed in early childhood when our brain’s plasticity is at its full potential. In other words, it is not possible for adults to develop perfect pitch, and no amount of Fixed Do practice will help you to develop it.

That being said, you shouldn’t be discouraged if you don’t have perfect pitch. Indeed, most professional musicians only have relative pitch skills, and great relative pitch can be developed by anyone who follows a proper ear training method, no matter their age or current level.

Why is Solfege Useful?

Solfege has many applications in both ear training and other areas of music. It is especially useful for anyone (singer or instrumentalist) who is trying to improve their relative pitch skills and develop their inner ear.

Solfege helps you to internalize tonality and the sensations that notes assume within a musical context. It forces you to think in terms of harmonic context, tonal centers, and scale degrees. In short, it is a tonal approach to ear training. Many scientific studies into our perception of musical pitch have proven that a tonal approach to ear training is far superior to an atonal approach (i.e. simply practicing and memorizing intervals in isolation, which will not help you to build a strong sense of musicality nor the ability to recognize and play music by ear).

What Are the Advantages of Learning Solfege?

Solfeggio gives you a system for hearing, naming, and visualizing pitches relative to a tonal center (tonic note). It is an excellent starting point for developing your musical ear, and it fosters the development of the cognitive processes that are essential for growing your inner sense of musicality. It is an easy way to intuitively grasp the language of music.

Solfege ear training will also be useful in learning sight-singing. Solfege is a great tool for all musicians but it’s particularly helpful if you are a singer. Singers cannot rely on a keyboard or fretboard to help them visualize pitches; solfeggio acts as this keyboard, allowing singers to “see” notes in a scale and visualize the movement of melody and harmony.

Be aware that learning solfeggio alone is not enough to truly develop a great musical ear—we’ll discuss some of the limitations of solfege later in the post.

Is Solfege Good For Ear Training?

Yes, solfege is a useful device for ear training. Solfege ear training teaches you how notes function within a tonality; it gives you a framework for understanding the harmonic context and helps you internalize the unique sonic sensation each scale degree has.

For these reasons and others described earlier in this post, it is far superior to simply practicing interval-based exercises (either melodic or harmonic intervals). However, it’s important to realize that solfeggio on its own is not a method for ear training. There are several limitations to using solfege, which we will discuss later.

What Is Movable Do Solfege Ear Training?

It’s important to understand that Solfege is not an ear training method but only a nomenclature system. However, adopting this nomenclature system (specifically, Movable Do solfege) fosters a specific way of thinking and perceiving music based on the tonal context.

This indirectly helps musicians to internalize the sonic sensations of notes in a given harmonic context. Thus it helps musicians to identify and reproduce pitches intuitively. That being said, solfege alone is not the best option available when it comes to ear training, as we are going to see later on in this post.

How to Train Your Ear Using Solfege?

Getting started with solfege is easy. We’ve outlined a couple of ear training exercises below that can help you develop your solfeggio and relative pitch skills. After these exercises, we are going to talk about a far more structured approach that takes solfege to another level.

Solfege Ear Training Exercises

Here are some step-by-step exercises that you can use to start building foundational ear training skills today. Either one of these exercises can also be used as a solfege ear training test to check how your skills are progressing.

Sing the Scale

The first exercise you can do to start training your ear using solfege is simply learning how to sing the major scale using Movable Do syllables. For this, you will need an instrument (a piano or electronic keyboard is great, but a guitar or any other instrument you have access to is also fine - piano mobile apps are also good, and most of them are free).

Start with C major, as it’s the easiest to visualize on a keyboard. Visualize the C major scale on the keyboard, and then give yourself a starting pitch by playing middle C on the piano. Now, using the solfeggio syllables, sing the C major scale. Check each pitch as you go by playing it on the piano after you sing it.

If you don’t remember the solfege syllables right away, don’t worry! It takes practice. Refer to the “What is a solfege syllable?” section above to review the syllables if you need to.

If singing the scale feels difficult for you, keep reading to learn how we can help you with that.

Sing Random Pitches in the Scale

Once you can comfortably sing the major scale up and down without checking the notes or having to think very hard about it, you can move on to the next step. For this, you will also need an instrument.

Again, starting with C major is a good idea because it’s easy to find the pitches on a piano. Play middle C as your starting pitch, then sing the whole scale up and down to get the sound in your head. Now, pick a syllable at random and sing it. For example, Sol. After you sing it, check your pitch by playing it on the piano. In this example, you will have sung the note G (“Sol” in the C major key).

You can start this exercise by first jumping from Do to all the other pitches in the scale in order (Do - Re, Do - Mi, Do - Fa, etc.) From there, try jumping from Do to other pitches at random (for example, Do - La). Once you can do that, try jumping from any pitch in the scale to any other pitch (for example Re - Fa or Mi - Ti).

This is certainly not an easy thing to do, and it will take time and dedicated practice to get there. So don’t worry if you can’t do it right away! Studying and practicing with an experienced teacher, or following a proven system is the best way to gradually build your skills and improve your relative pitch. Indeed, there are many sub-skills that contribute to performing this task. It’s a good idea to work on each sub-skill individually if you want to work effectively, efficiently, and avoid struggles and frustrations.

The Ear Training Method That Takes Solfege to Another Level

As mentioned before, solfeggio is not an ear training method but only a nomenclature system. There are several significant limitations with solfege-based ear training. We will explore them in the next section as well as provide a suitable comprehensive solution that allows anybody to develop great ear training skills in a systematic way.

Limitations of Using Solfege for Ear Training

Given that solfege is not in itself a method for ear training but simply a nomenclature system, it doesn’t tell you what to practice, when to practice, how to practice, or what foundational skills you need to develop before you can move to the next level, next exercise, etc.

This means that, while Solfege encourages the development of some important cognitive processes in ear training, simply learning solfege will not improve your ear on its own.

Moreover, since solfege doesn’t provide any useful insights on the cognitive mechanisms that students should develop (it doesn’t have specific indications on how to think in order to perform each ear training task) it’s often inappropriately mixed up with atonal interval-based ear training (or other ineffective approaches) that render it totally ineffective from an ear training perspective.

Another limitation of Solfege is that it doesn’t provide a framework for understanding chord progressions. There are no indications from Solfege on how to gradually learn to recognize chords, or on the best way to think when facing that task.

Finally, just learning solfeggio won’t provide you with any benchmarks or feedback, or help you to understand which skills and sub-skills you should work on in order to progress. This leaves students on their own, without a clear step-by-step roadmap to follow.

All of the above set the basis for the development of the Use Your Ear method.

How Use Your Ear Addresses Those Issues

Use Your Ear is a comprehensive ear training method that incorporates solfege into a holistic, science-based, step-by-step approach to ear training.

Our method is entirely focused on helping students develop an intuitive understanding of musical pitch. You will internalize the sonic sensations of different notes and chords so you can recognize chord progressions and identify notes on the fly.

Use Your Ear is the only ear training method that takes into account all the sub-skills that are needed in order to develop your ear. We provide a step-by-step framework for musicians of any level, to gradually improve upon their current abilities and take their musicality to the next step.

There are already thousands of students who are currently following the Use Your Ear method and they are seeing incredible results, check them out on our testimonial page.

If you are interested in developing your ear training skills, we encourage you to check out our three main services—The Use Your Ear relative pitch course, the free Use Your Ear Workshop, and our one-on-one lessons. Our courses are designed to help you develop your inner ear and build skills that you can immediately apply in real-life situations like jams, songwriting, choir practice, music lessons, etc.

Conclusion

Solfeggio is a powerful tool in any musician’s arsenal. Should solfege be used as an ear-training device? Absolutely! Learning how to use it will help you skyrocket your musical ability to the next level—however, solfege is not a method, and learning it on its own is not enough to develop a strong inner ear.

To truly reap the benefits of solfege, you must learn how to use it as part of a comprehensive program that takes into account what skills and sub-skills you should work on depending on your situation, provides feedback, benchmarks, and guides you through the development of the cognitive processes that will build your musicality.

The Use Your Ear method, is designed to provide you with the right strategic plan to ear training including all the exercises, explanations, support, and expertise you will ever need to master your musicality.