FUN with Solfeggio!
Well here’s the real deal ~ and it’s way more FUN!
Let’s take a listen . . . in the family of C major:
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The sound in the ‘Do’ or ‘1’ position has a certain feeling ~ a specific job to do in the family . . . as does the sound in the ‘Re’ or ‘2’ position, etc.
The ‘Do’ job is to create a sense of home. Whether low or high, Do will always feel like home ~ a resting place ~ or completion. Once you arrive there, you can leave for your destination of choice if you wish to do so.
The ‘Re’ job is frequently a hovering sunny brightness or a stretching feeling. ‘Re’ wants to move on ~ most often to ‘Mi’ or home to ‘Do’
The ‘Mi’ job or ‘3’ position is extremely important ~ as it differentiates major from minor when used in the tonic chord. It creates a feeling of tenderness or sweetness when played with perfect intonation.
The ‘Fa’ job or ‘4’ position is to create a temporary resting place ~ it is the “Ah” in Amen ~ meaning it frequently wants to descend to ‘Mi’ (the “men” in Amen)
The ‘Sol’ job or ‘5’ position is pointing towards home (‘Do’) ~ ending a song on ‘Sol’ will leave the listener longing for ‘Do’
The ‘La’ job or ‘6’ position is to create ambivalence, a sense of laid back ~ with sometimes a hint of shadows.
The ‘Ti’ job or ‘7’ position is to absolutely demand resolution ~ most likely to ‘Do’ ~ but occasionally do a change up to ‘La’.
The ‘Do’ job in the ‘8’ position is identical to the ‘Do’ job in the ‘1’ position. Home Sweet Home!
The above is true in every major family on the circle. As you practice your scales, stop on each degree of the scale and see how it makes you feel. As a beginner, learn your lesson du jour in one or two families most suited to your instrument. As you progress, you will be amazed as you hear and watch this unfold in the same manner in every major family!
So . . . what happens solfeggio-wise when we have an accidental? Like an F# in the key of C . . . or a C# in the key of G?
This is most easily explained and understood while looking at the grand staff cards ~ or download the grand staff PDFs.
In ascending order beginning with low ‘Do’
C as ‘Do’ . . . C# is then ‘Di’ (rhymes with ‘Mi’)
D as ‘Re’ . . . D# is ‘Ri’
E as ‘Mi’ . . . E#? never seen one!
F as ‘Fa’ . . . F# is ‘Fi’
G as ‘Sol’ . . . G# is ‘Si’
A as ‘La’ . . . A# is ‘Li’
B as ’Ti’ . . . B#? never seen one!
C as ‘Do’ ~ etc.
The above is how it works for sharps ~ (raising the pitch ½ step)
Below is how it works for flats ~ (lowering the pitch ½ step)
In descending order beginning with high ‘Do’
C as ‘Do’ ~ Cb? never seen one!
B as ‘Ti’ . . . Bb is ‘Te’ (rhymes with ‘Day’)
A as ‘La’ . . . Ab is ‘Le’
G as ‘Sol’ . . . Gb is ‘Se’
F as ‘Fa’ . . . Fb? never seen one!
E as ‘Mi’ . . . Eb is ‘Me’
D as Re . . . Db is ‘Ra’
C as Do . . .
So . . . here we go with the chromatic scale ~ in Solfeggio!
Do Di Re Ri Mi Fa Fi Sol Si La Li Ti Do (ascending){insert keyboard labeled}
Do Ra Re Me Mi Fa Se Sol Le La Te Ti Do (descending)
{insert keyboard labeled}
These are best committed to memory as a fun little conversational chant ~ in groups of 4 :
Do Di Re Ri ~ Mi Fa Fi Sol ~ Si La Li Ti ~ Do (ascending)
Do Ti Te La ~ Le Sol Se Fa ~ Mi Me Re Ra ~ Do (descending)
While some pedagogies use a fixed ‘Do’ system ~ meaning ‘Do’ is always C natural ~ I find the moveable ‘Do’ system more useful. It coordinates well with the Nashville numbering system and thereby facilitates communication between musicians trained in different styles.
On our Circle of 5ths page we use a ‘Do’ based minor rather than a ‘La’ based minor, as I find the ‘Do’ based minor approach easier to understand.
If you want to know everything about modern Solfeggio . . . including its very cool origin ~ here’s the link: