Solfège — Do, Re, Mi
Solfège is a system of syllables — Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti — used to sing and identify the notes of a scale. It turns pitches into memorable names that make ear training and sight-singing far easier.
The seven solfège syllables
Each degree of the major scale has one syllable. Sung against C major, they line up with the natural notes C through B.
| Syllable | Scale degree | Note in C major |
|---|---|---|
| Do | 1 (tonic) | C |
| Re | 2 | D |
| Mi | 3 | E |
| Fa | 4 | F |
| Sol | 5 | G |
| La | 6 | A |
| Ti | 7 (leading tone) | B |
| Do | 8 (octave) | C |
In Romance-language (fixed-do) systems the seventh syllable is spelled "Si" rather than "Ti", while in English tonic sol-fa "Sol" is often shortened to "So" — so every syllable begins with a distinct consonant and stays a single sound when sung.
Chromatic syllables
The notes between the scale degrees get their own syllables. A note raised on the way up ends in "-i" (Di, Ri, Fi, Si, Li); a note lowered on the way down mostly ends in "-e" (Ra, Me, Se, Le, Te). Each altered pitch is one raised and one lowered spelling of the same key.
| Altered degree | Raised (going up) | Lowered (coming down) | Note in C major |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♯1 / ♭2 | Di | Ra | C♯ / D♭ |
| ♯2 / ♭3 | Ri | Me | D♯ / E♭ |
| ♯4 / ♭5 | Fi | Se | F♯ / G♭ |
| ♯5 / ♭6 | Si | Le | G♯ / A♭ |
| ♯6 / ♭7 | Li | Te | A♯ / B♭ |
There is no raised 3 or 7, and no lowered 1 or 4 — raising Mi already lands on Fa, and raising Ti already lands on Do, so those pitches keep the diatonic syllable.
Movable do vs. fixed do
There are two ways to assign the syllables. In movable do, Do is the tonic of whatever key you are in — in G major, Do is G; in E♭ major, Do is E♭. Because the pattern of syllables stays the same in every key, movable do trains relative pitch and functional hearing: you learn what the fifth degree (Sol) or the leading tone (Ti) feels like, no matter the key. It is the system behind the Kodály method and most sight-singing classes.
In fixed do, Do always means the note C, Re always means D, and so on, exactly like the letter names used across much of Europe. Fixed do suits players who want a single, unchanging name for every pitch and pairs naturally with absolute pitch. Neither system is "correct" — they simply answer different questions.
The major scale in solfège
Every major scale is Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La–Ti–Do. The half steps fall between Mi and Fa and between Ti and Do; every other step is a whole tone. That fixed shape is why Ti pulls so strongly up to Do, and it is the "Do, a deer" scale from The Sound of Music. The natural minor scale reuses the same syllables starting on La: La–Ti–Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La.
Hand signs and ear training
Each syllable has a matching Curwen hand sign — a set of gestures devised by John Curwen in the 1870s and later popularized by Zoltán Kodály — that gives every pitch a physical shape and helps singers internalize intervals. Folding syllables into your practice sharpens sight-singing, melodic dictation, and improvisation. Pair it with the circle of fifths to see how keys relate, check exact pitches on the note frequency chart, and use a tuner to confirm you are landing each note in tune.
Frequently asked questions
What is solfège?
Solfège is a system of syllables — Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, and Ti — used to sing and identify the notes of a scale. It turns pitches into memorable names, which makes ear training and sight-singing far easier than reading note letters alone.
What are the solfège syllables?
The seven diatonic syllables of a major scale are Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, and Ti, returning to Do at the octave. Chromatic notes get their own syllables: raised notes become Di, Ri, Fi, Si, and Li, while lowered notes become Ra, Me, Se, Le, and Te.
What is the difference between fixed do and movable do?
In movable do, Do is always the tonic of the current key, so the same syllable pattern fits every key and trains you to hear scale-degree function. In fixed do, Do always means the note C regardless of key, so the syllables act as fixed note names like the letters C, D, and E.
What does Do Re Mi mean?
Do Re Mi are the first three solfège syllables — the first three notes of a major scale (C, D, and E in the key of C). The system dates back to the 11th-century monk Guido of Arezzo, who named the syllables after a Latin hymn.
Sing it, then check it.
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