The musician's secret weapon for sight singing, ear training, and understanding music in any key.
Solfege (also spelled solfège) is a system for naming musical pitches using syllables: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti. If you've seen The Sound of Music, you already know the tune.
But solfege is far more than a children's song. It's a powerful tool used by professional musicians worldwide to:
This guide focuses on moveable Do, the system used in most American and British music education.
Every major scale uses the same seven syllables, in order:
| Scale Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syllable | Do | Re | Mi | Fa | Sol | La | Ti | Do |
| In C Major | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
In moveable Do, the syllable "Do" is always the tonic (home note) of whatever key you're in. This is the crucial difference from "fixed Do" systems.
In C major: C=Do, D=Re, E=Mi, F=Fa, G=Sol, A=La, B=Ti
In G major: G=Do, A=Re, B=Mi, C=Fa, D=Sol, E=La, F#=Ti
In Eb major: Eb=Do, F=Re, G=Mi, Ab=Fa, Bb=Sol, C=La, D=Ti
This means when you learn to hear "Ti resolving to Do," you can apply that knowledge in any key. The relationships stay constant even as the actual pitches change.
When a conductor says "the tenors are flat on Ti," everyone knows exactly which note needs attention—regardless of what key the piece is in. Solfege provides a universal vocabulary for discussing music.
What about sharps and flats? Solfege has syllables for chromatic notes too:
In Do-based minor, Do is always the tonic—regardless of mode. This maintains functional consistency across major and minor keys:
Natural minor: Do - Re - Me - Fa - Sol - Le - Te - Do
Harmonic minor: Do - Re - Me - Fa - Sol - Le - Ti - Do
Melodic minor (ascending): Do - Re - Me - Fa - Sol - La - Ti - Do
A = Do, B = Re, C = Me, D = Fa, E = Sol, F = Le, G = Te
The tonic (A) is Do, and the lowered syllables (Me, Le, Te) clearly show it's minor.
Note: Some programs use "La-based minor" where the minor tonic is La. While this has its own logic (relative major/minor share syllables), Do-based minor keeps scale-degree function crystal clear—Do is always 1, Me/Mi is always 3, Sol is always 5.
Like learning a language, solfege requires consistent practice. Here's a progression:
Our solfege flashcard tool lets you practice in any key with instant feedback.
Start Solfege Flashcards →In moveable Do, "Do" is always the tonic of the current key (C in C major, G in G major). In fixed Do, "Do" is always the note C regardless of key. Moveable Do is more common in the US and UK, while fixed Do is standard in France, Italy, and much of Europe. Moveable Do emphasizes function and relationships; fixed Do emphasizes absolute pitch names.
Raised syllables use "i" vowels: Do→Di, Re→Ri, Fa→Fi, Sol→Si, La→Li. Lowered syllables use "e" or "a" vowels: Re→Ra, Mi→Me, Sol→Se, La→Le, Ti→Te. For example, a raised 4th (F# in C major) is sung as "Fi", while a lowered 7th (Bb in C major) is "Te".
In Do-based minor, the tonic is always Do, with chromatic alterations: Me (lowered 3rd), Le (lowered 6th), and Te (lowered 7th). This keeps function consistent—Do is always 1, Sol is always 5—making it clearer for analysis, modal mixture, and jazz harmony. Some programs use La-based minor where the minor tonic is La, but Do-based minor offers stronger functional clarity.
Solfege provides a vocabulary for hearing and thinking about music. It helps with sight singing, ear training, memorization, and understanding harmonic function. Many professional musicians, conductors, and composers think in solfege. It's especially valuable for auditions, choral singing, and improvisation.
Basic diatonic solfege (Do-Re-Mi) can be learned in a few weeks with daily practice. Fluency with chromatic alterations and automatic recognition typically takes 3-6 months of consistent work. Like any skill, the more you use it, the more natural it becomes.
Once you're comfortable with solfege basics, these resources can deepen your understanding:
Solfege is a lifelong skill. The more you use it, the more it becomes second nature.