Solfege is a system of identifying notes that can be fluently read or sung in rhythm much like reading a verse or a sentence in prose. The solfege note names, do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, are easily pronounced and flow well in any order and in varying speeds. This enables the student or artist to study the score away from the instrument. Learning the music away from the instrument has been advocated by many great musicians and pedagogues. Most beginner piano methods do not address the use of speech or singing,  as the corresponding notes of c,d,e,f,g,a,b, are awkward to say and sing, either alone or while playing. Singe lyrics do not provide a cognitive note-identification system that can be directly applied to the music at hand. A simple example to demonstrate the effectiveness of solfege syllables compared to the letter names would be to sing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with the letter names (e-d-c-d-e-e-e, d-d-d…) followed by singing the same notes with the solfege syllables (mi-re-d0-re-mi-mi-mi, re,re, re…) as in the audio example below. Even pre-schoolers find it easy to sing in solfege!

◆ Solfege skills result in more efficient learning, enhanced memorization, better long-term recall and sight-reading ability. It may be applied as part of the practice regimen for amateur and professional pianists.

◆ Nothing about using solfege is new! These skills and learning disciplines were exactly what many great artists and composers had as their training! Many top music schools in this country require students to take solfege classes.

◆ The solfege in the Silva Piano Method© written by Dr. and Mrs. Silva is based on fixed do, just like c is fixed. Reading in solfege is easily transferable to naming notes in c-d-e for analysis purposes for the advanced students.

◆ Training in solfege after having had the c-d-e approach will have an immediate positive impact on the skills of an already accomplished musician and will manifest positively in his or her learning, memorization, aural and sight-reading skills.

◆  Solfege skills may be applied by musicians playing other instruments too!