Moveable Do Fixed Do Solfeggio

Moveable Do Fixed Do Solfeggio: Optimize Ear Training Practice Time

Q: While working through the exercises for the “Fanatics Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing” and “Hearing Chord Progressions” I have been utilizing the “movable do” form of solfege. I have been using the “do” based minor which you appear to advocate. This system makes pragmatic sense for the key centered approach of hearing. However, upon further research, there have been other pedagogues that make a case for the other variants of solfege.

Most notably are Zoltán Kodály, and later Edwin Gordon whom, in “Learning Sequences in Music,” states an argument for moveable do. i.e a ‘la’ based minor, where this variant is said to facilitate the skill of audiation. More so than a “do” based minor, regardless of key center. With “do” audiated as resting tone, tonality is major; with “la” harmonic minor or Aeolian; or Dorian.

https://books.google.com/books?id=F2zQQZXNj6oC&lpg=PA61&pg=PA75#v=onepage&q&f=false

Art Levine also wrote an article detailing an extensive comparison of movable do vs. fixed do. Art sides in favor of movable do (but also advocates for the “la” based minor variant.

http://www.artlevine.com/wp-content/uploads/ear_training/movabledo.pdf

Marianne Ploger, whom I am just looking into seems to advocate a hybrid system of sorts:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5eb412c0ff2cc756af856676/t/5ec6f8f653de4f6fed07e6d1/1590098169009/ploger+solfege+website+final.pdf

I was just curious if you had any thoughts/opinions on this variant of Moveable Do Fixed Do Solfeggio. Have you considered its potential benefits in regard to audiating/thinking music. There seem to be compelling arguments for the “la” based minor variant of movable do.

Thank you again,

A: There has been debate over fixed “Do” and movable “Do” for as long as I can remember. I tend to use movable “Do” because it is more inline with how you hear music. For some people they want to use a “music theory” approach to sight singing. For example, you have a song written in the relative minor so therefore let’s call the root of the relative minor key “La.” I guess it’s because theoretically it is related to a key a minor third above the root. That seems crazy to me. When you are in a minor key you shouldn’t be thinking about how it relates to another key. You should be naming the based on the the key you hear it in! As humans we certainly don’t have the mental bandwidth to simultaneously think in two keys at once. That said, what you are naming a note when you sing isn’t really the most important thing. It is really “how do you hear this note” which can vary depending on the context and tempo in which it is heard. I also do movable “Do” with my students because it allows me to know how they are hearing a piece of music when they sing it for me. This is especially useful when the music modulates. This information helps me understand how they are hearing which in turns help me help them.

Hope that helps

Warm Regards,

Bruce

Q: Hi Bruce, Thank you for the response, it is greatly appreciated! I agree that the most importing thing is how we hear the note. I just thought the use of solfege would help further solidify my ability by reinforcing the “sound-feeling” of each syllable in relation to its key center.

>You also raise some interesting points regarding “La” based minor. It would not make sense from an analytical standpoint, similar to roman numeral analysis, to think of a minor tonic in terms of its relative major. Regarding your comment on thinking in simultaneous keys, I think Gordon was implying “La” based minor as superior for “audiation” as to retain the interval structure and resting tone tonalities (see below).

This excerpt from the “Tonal Context Learning” is what initially sparked my inquiry into the merits of various solfege systems:

The term tonality traditionally refers to major and minor tonal systems. The term modality refers to the other tonal systems that have evolved from the church modes (dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian). In Music Theory, all these systems are referred to as tonalities. This provides a common term for all tonal systems sharing the characteristic of being audiated in relation to a resting tone. A resting tone is a tonal solfege syllable associated with a particular tonality. “DO” is the resting tone in major tonality, “RE” in dorian tonality, “MI” in phrygian tonality, and so on. The term keyality refers to the pitch name (A or Bb, for example) that functions as the pitch center, or tonic, in a piece of music. Music in what is traditionally called the “key of Bb major,” for example, is in the tonality of major and the keyality of Bb.

“Of the many tonal solfege systems available, the one best suited for developing audiation is the “moveable do” with a “la” based minor” system. Among its merits:

Audiation of various tonalities is facilitated by associating a unique tonal syllable with each tonality (see above).
The internal logic of interval relationships is always maintained. The interval “do – mi”, for example, is always a major third regardless of context.
Eight solfege syllables suffice for all basic tonalities: Major, Harmonic Minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. The only chromatic syllable required for diatonic contexts in those eight tonalities is “si,” the leading tone in harmonic minor.”

I still feel that “do” based minor is probably the most useful, as it vivifies the scale degree function, but I think the above points were worth enough consideration to raise the initial question.

A: Glad we agree on the solfeggio. The only problem I have with the excerpts from “Tonal Context Learning” is that there are way more scales and tonalities that you need to know to play modern music. Take a look at the “Scale Analysis” course this gives you a great picture of what type of scales exist when you think of an entire progression in one key. Also if you listen to some of the examples in the “Recordings” section of muse-eek.com you will see that my music and particularly the contemporary classic stuff done by “Spooky Actions” pushes the boundaries of the basic tonalities.

It is also recommended that you read Bruce Arnold’s Blog at his artist site. It contains more discussion of the musical topics found in these FAQs as well as other subjects of interest. You will also find the “Music Education Genealogy Chart” located here which shows you the historic significance of the music education products found on the Muse Eek Publishing Company Website.

Moveable Do Fixed Do Solfeggio

Muse Eek Publishing Members Area

Q: When I signed up on line for the Muse Eek Publishing Member’s Area, I only provided the Essentials book title due to space for input. Should these other links work, or do I need to do something to access all 3 book links in the member section? I bought all three of the following books from Amazon: The Essentials: Chord Charts, Scales and Lead Patterns for Guitar, Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume One and Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume Two. I tried down loading the Member files, and only Essentials worked. (note: books have not arrived yet, just ordered last night). When I signed up on-line, I only provided the Essentials book title due to space for input. Should these other links in the Muse Eek Publishing Member’s Area work, or do I need to do something to access all 3 book links in the member section?

A: Nice to hear from you and thanks for ordering all the muse-eek.com books. First thing to remember is not all books have additional downloadable material in the Muse Eek Publishing Member’s Area. Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume One and The Essentials: Chord Charts, Scales and Lead Patterns for Guitar both have downloadable files you just need to click on the book icon and then download the files. Currently there are no additional files for Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume Two in the Muse Eek Publishing Member’s Area.

Keep in mind that the video files for all our downloads are mp4s so you need a new enough operating system on your computer to be able to see these videos. In some cases you may need to download some 3rd party software available for older computers to see these videos. Same thing is true of the midifiles that accompany some of our books of which there are tons of in the Muse Eek Publishing Member’s Area. These files are great to use because they allow you to control the tempo of the exercise that you are playing along with. We recommend “GarageBand” for this which is available for both a Windows and Macs. There are also free midifile player programs on the internet but make sure the program allows you to control the tempo of the Midifile. That is important!

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have further questions about the Muse Eek Publishing Members Area.

Best Regards,

Ron

Muse Eek

Fanatics Guide Sight Singing Ear Training

Q:I’m not sure about how to organize the assignment in Fanatic’s Guide Sight Singing Ear Training Volume One on page 16, there are 11 possible 2-note groupings. Should I work with all the groupings in all 12 keys with Fanatics Guide Sight Singing Ear Training? Only in the key of C? Also… is there some kind of strategy to effectively integrate the MetroDrone while working with this progression?

Just so you know I’ve bought the following titles:

I guess the approach on Key Note Recognitionand Ear Training 2 Note Melodic Piano is the same I’ve been using on Ear Training One Note Complete and Contextual Ear Training; listening to several times a day for a few minutes. I’m not sure about the approach I must use on each individual track of the Secondary Dominants Book. For example, if I’m listening to the jam track “C Melodic Minor Ascending” and reading the page on C Melodic Minor Ascending in the book… what should I do? Sing and play simultaneously all the bars? Sing first and play later (separately)? Improvise with the suggested scales? What’s the best approach?

I also have a few questions about the assignment on Fanatic’s Guide to Sight Singing and Ear Training Volume One. The blues progression in page 17 is supposed to be sung over a C Drone (the key of the progression), and not over a blues progression played with those changes. Also, I’m not sure about how to organize the assignment on this progression; according to page 16, there are 11 possible 2-note groupings. Should I work with all the groupings in all 12 keys? Only in the key of C? Also… is there some kind of strategy to effectively integrate the MetroDrone while working with this progression?

Thanks again.

A: You are correct Key Note Recognition and Ear Training 2 Note Melodic Piano are approached the same way as Contextual Ear Training. With the Secondary Dominant book you should sing through each example and then play through each example and then improvise over the progression thinking of the progression the same way as the examples. With the Fanatic’s Guide to Sight Singing Volume One and The Ear Training Blues Progression found in this book you should use either the MetroDrone which I would prefer or a drone and then sing through first the roots of every chord and do the IV chord substitutions as suggested then move into doing the same progression but with two notes per chord. I would start with a minor 7th then work your way down with smaller intervals. You only need to do this exercise in the key of C.

The MetroDrone setting will get longer and longer as you develop your ability. I would start with the MetroDrone playing every two measures for awhile and then see if you can move to the MetroDrone clicking every four measures. You may have to slow the MetroDrone down to do this. You could also use the MetroDrone with the Secondary Dominant book as well as when you are playing anything like scales or arpeggios when you practice your instrument.

I would also highly recommend you get started with the Scale Analysis course. The overall idea of this course is to teach you how this ear training works when you have a chord progressions. Basically Scale Analysis teaches you how you will hear the scales that go over a chord progression. There are two sides to this course. One is filling in the worksheets and the other is doing the ear training exercises that accompany the course. If you could get started filling in the worksheets now and in 6 months or so start the ear training exercises when you get better at the “one note” ear training that would be the best approach. I’d like you to do one worksheet a week which will take about 20 minutes to fill out. There are 36 worksheet to complete in the course so that will take 36 weeks or 9 months to complete. If you can get to the point that you intellectual understand how this ear training works it will help you see what you are working towards and you will also start processing chord/scale relationships in the right way.

Hope that helps you understand Fanatics Guide Sight Singing Ear Training

Bruce

Choosing the Right Workbooks for Ear Training

Q: Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. I haven’t purchased yet, for I won’t be home until Monday & it’s easier to download there. But I do have a few questions before I get started, if you don’t mind:

1. Choosing Ear Training One Note Complete vs Instrumental Color Ear Training Series: Should I completely pass the Intermediate, Advanced, & Beginner main/piano before going through the color the same way? One instrument at a time, so basically going through the course several times? Mix from the get-go? It just seems there are so many individual tracks that I wanted some tips.
2. Choosing Ear Training One Note Complete General: I read somewhere that the Beginner level can actually be a bit harder because the gap before the answer means you need to hold the key longer. Does this mean I should start or end with the Beginner level & not merely do Intermediate & Advanced?
3. Choosing Contextual Ear Training vs Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing: I think I read something about sometimes recommending both of these to vocalists & some others. I am wondering if I should work with both of these from the beginning. Main reason…before discovering you a few days ago, I was going to work with a sight-singing software to improve my ear,voice, general musicianship, etc. By sight-singing, I mean singing from sheet music. Sight-reading was always one of my strengths, but I haven’t read music in over 5 years, & I felt this would be a good exercise in general. Plus, my voice is certainly NOT one of my strengths!

Just a little note on my sight-singing: even at my so-called “prime,” my ability to sing any named pitch wasn’t completely instant. It would take about a second to get a strong inner sound of the pitch, & would take me a couple of seconds to find my voice to match my inner pitch. So probably 2.5-5 seconds to sing a pitch. So if I were to practice singing from sheet music, I would use relative pitch to sing after the first note. Before finding this ability, I could basically mentally read music & know what it would sound like. I would basically do the same thing when singing now, for really my Active Perfect Pitch ability is musically useless so far. I can find a starting pitch, but would be too slow matching my voice to totally use this when singing. Maybe this is similar to how people with true perfect pitch can benefit from relative pitch training. I am planning on postponing any perfect pitch training, but I do have a curiosity about your perfect pitch courses. You say you develop perfect pitch one instrument at a time. I would guess each instrument gets easier & after 8 instruments one might develop the ability to recognize even more instruments without instrument-specific training or car horns & all. But would this teach you to identify multiple harmonic tones by pitch? Like 2, 3, or 10 random pitches at once that aren’t easily identifiable by chord type? Or is this a separate ability?

I apologize for getting so long. You have just been so kind & helpful.

By the way, I am planning on choosing Ear Training One Note Complete, Instrumental Color Ear Training Series, Contextual Ear Training, Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing, & the 25 Ear Training Tips: Video Course to start.

Thank you so much for all of your help. You really have gone above & beyond. Have a great day!

A: Nice to hear from you, here are the answers to your questions:

As soon as you are getting around 50% correct notes with either the beginning, intermediate or advanced Ear Training One Note Complete you can start the Instrumental Color Ear Training Series course.

Since you have some background in music I would start with the intermediate method first and see how you do. It’s nice to have the beginning available just in case you need to work on it once we evaluate your progress.

Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing will give you plenty of melodies to sight read and as soon as you pass out of Contextual Ear Training Course you will spend quite a bit of time working through the various exercises in that book. You can also do both at the same time depending on the amount of time you have available to practice. Until you develop a good sense of key I would stay away from any method that doesn’t give you a tonal center first. Later when your tonal center is stronger you can venture out to any ear training that you want. Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing will also help you to pre-hear notes so your ability to sight read will improve from that aspect as well. Along the way I’ll also have you sing through various books like Time Transformation or Sight Reading Solved Intermediate Level with the MetroDrone a Jam Tracks Volume One in the background to give you the key center. We will also work with Key Retention Builder to strengthen your ability to hold on to a key center so you can sightsing longer passages and still maintain the key center inside your head.

Doing multiple note recognition with either Perfect Pitch Ear Training Series or Contextual Ear Training does present a lot of obstacles along the way. Hearing a harmonic rather than the fundamental with string instruments is a good example. With perfect pitch you do learn one instrument at a time but for instance getting perfect pitch on a guitar makes piano a lot easier because both are stringed instruments.

Just one other point about the Contextual Ear Training courses you are about to begin. If you have a multiple note non-traditional structure one of the great things about Contextual Ear Training is if you played one note on your instrument while that multiple note structure was sounding you would know instantly what key you hear it in. This makes improvising over unknown structures much easier because you first know the key to get started and then as you listen further to the structure you can pick out other important tones that will tell you what scale to pick to improvise. Like if you hear a major 3rd in the structure you know that there is a strong chance at least the first 5 notes of a major scale will work. Your ear will tend to take these large structures and make them fit into one of the common scales used in music (which you will find in the Essentials Scales Book) This aspect of Contextual Ear Training really helps you get the big picture of a multi-note sound quickly and then refine as you go.

Hope that helps,

Best Regards,

Bruce

Transcribing Music to Improve Sight Reading

Q: So far I have been playing rhythms, melodies and progressions that are already written. What about writing down in notation what I hear or create? Is this something I should already be working on?

A: You can start transcribing anything you find of interest. If you want to develop a jazz feel you might start with Wes Montgomery’s D Natural Blues. Whichever style you are interested in, playing and transcribing 8 to 16 bars and learning it note for note is great. It will help you develop a better sense of feel, phrasing, and articulation. Try to pick stuff that is not too difficult to start with.

Question Regarding New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book 1

Q: I’ve been slowly working my way through the New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book One. I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with the Single String Studies on page 20, and rhythm exercise 1 on page 16.

I’m having a pretty rough time with the eighth note exercise on page 17 and the sixteenth note exercise on page 18. I’m struggling to visually track the rhythm to recognize where the metronome pulses align with the rhythm. I’m easily thrown by tied notes and ties across bars. I’m getting good traction in the Rhythm Ear Training course in recognizing rhythms by ear, but have not spent much time working from the Rhythm Ear Training PDF to try and play the shorter rhythm phrases.

I see a few different ways that I might try to break this down so that I can get some traction, but I’m not sure if some options could be counter-productive to my goal of being able to sight read. In other words, I don’t want to develop any bad habits, but I really want to get past this hurdle.

Should I…

Take the rhythm exercises in NYGME and mark them up with annotations for the beat counts?
Slow the metronome way down?
Try different combinations that beeping on the 2 and 4 (for the eighth note exercise)?
Try to break down the exercises into one bar, two bar, three bar, and four bar phrases (building up to longer phrases)?
Do some remedial rhythm reading work in another book or with the Rhythm Ear Training PDFs?

I’m starting to get frustrated with myself since I’m stuck in the first chapter of the book.

I definitely need to tighten up my rhythm, but I’ve got a decent ear, I’ve been working at my musicianship diligently for the past four years, and am play bass in two gigging bands. I know that I can do this, but am feeling a bit stuck.

For me reading rhythm feels like the hard part… I have a much easier time visually recognizing the pitches and chords on the staff.

I welcome your suggestions and expert guidance on getting unstuck.

A: Great to hear from you with all your good questions.

1. If you have a rhythm that you don’t understand you certainly should break it down and play it REALLY slow until you understand it then speed it up. BUT the trick is once it gets to a tempo that you feel comfortable you should just listening and memorizing the sound. Where is that point? You will learn over time. But remember all rhythms you don’t know slow them down subdivide them until you understand them. Especially 16th notes. You want to get so you can do
- 1 e and ah
- 2 e and ah
- 3 e and ah
- 4 e and ah
In you head and then only tap or play the notes you need for each rhythm
2. If you don’t understand an eighth note rhythm again slow it down and say:
- 1 and
- 2 and
- 3 and
- 4 and
and tap or play the notes of the rhythm. Once you know the rhythm or a page of rhythms you can start putting the metronome on 1 and 3 then try 2 and 4 and then try just one beat per measure.
3. If the eighth note and sixteenth note rhythms are really taking a long time then I think we need to do some remedial work by going through the New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book One and just doing the 1st rhythm exercise in each chapter. Then coming back second time through and tackling the eighth note and sixteenth note rhythms. Many people play through that book many times. I know for myself because I’ve taught many years with it I’ve been through it about 15 times. But most students go through it at least twice to either learn it in pieces or to speed up the exercises.
4. Certainly if you are feeling stuck you should do what I mentioned in #3. If that is still frustrating then we need to go back and work on Rhythm Primer to prepare you for the New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book One, NYGMEV1
5. You could also do some remedial reading with the Rhythm Ear Training, RET PDF’s. Basically you have to get so you start to recognize some of the these rhythms and that takes time. So take heart it’s not you that is the problem it just takes some patience breaking things down into simple bit size chunks and a lot of patience. But remember always check in and get my opinion every week or two until you know you are on the right path. That is important.

So give me some feedback and let’s keep working on this until we get you plowing ahead with good progress.

Happy Holidays

Bruce