Solfege systems

Jon

Hi,

I've decided to start using Solfege when I learn tunes. I already learn them mostly in Roman numeral form, so they can be transposed easily, but have noticed that all the old French sheet music is in Solfege, and that people do actually use these naming conventions when teaching a song etc. I think attention to even seemingly superficial details of how the music is and was played in France is important if you're after a really authentic sound, so I'm going to do it.

So, the question is - in terms of professional gypsy jazz practice, is fixed, or movable Do the current standard? I want the answer to be moveable DO, because it facilitates transposition, which makes sense, but if it's fixed, I'll do it that way.

Bear in mind, I'm not interested in what is easier, or what makes more sense, but what is actually used by the masters.

Thanks,

Jon

kevingcox

I know that in the French tradition "Do" is the name of the note C, and that doesn't change ("Re" is D, "Mi" is E, etc.)

MichaelHorowitz

Movable Do is the standard in North America. In Europe they generally use fixed Do. At least that was the situation last I looked...

steven_eire

In Romane's instructonal video he sings as he plays the scales. When he begins in G he will start by singing "Sol, Fa, La, Si" etc.

Jon

steven_eire wrote:

In Romane's instructonal video he sings as he plays the scales. When he begins in G he will start by singing "Sol, Fa, La, Si" etc.

Excellent, that's what I wanted to know. Thanks guys!

Jon

Jazzaferri

Fixed do is the standard almost everywhere except us england and down under. Even in usa some music schools prefer fixed do.

In Europe Do is C re is D etc. I have a version of si tu savais that uses both key names in english and some of them are still in solfege.

kevingcox

I used to have to ask my French girlfriend if the chord was "Si" or "C", it got very confusing.

Joli Gadjo

Fun fact, last time we played with a sheet that had the chords written in French, when I got to the Do my brain did not process it in French and I played D Diminished instead of C !!