The Solfege App 4+

This is a nifty app for teaching students. I’ve dreamed of something like this to give practical experience to students, who haven’t yet learned to order the solfege syllables as easily as the numbers 1-7. (For that matter, most of us music teachers could use practice, too!)

This app works well, and I am impressed. My only disappointment is that the app’s range is limited from Dō to Dō’ (Main Dō to High Dō). What about songs that go above or below? Even beginner songs can dip down to the leading tone below Dō, or go up to the supertonic, the note above Dō.

Look at Happy Birthday: It ranges from the Sol down below Dō, up to the Sol above Dō.

Look at Skip to My Lou: For this one, we need the Ti below Dō, and also up to Sol.

There are many examples of the need for bridging over the Dō. For instance, the Wheels on the Bus, the Eensy-Weency Spider, Where is Thumbkin — these and other familiar songs require the Sol below Dō. The Star-Spangled Banner requires Dō up to Sol’ (High Sol).

And then, what do we do about minor? We need to go from La to La’.

I’d love to have accidentals too: Dō, Di, Re, Ri, Fa, Fi, Sol, Si, La, Li, Ti, Dō’ for ascending, and Dō’, Ti, Te, La, Le, Sol, Se, Fa, Mi, Me, Re, Ra, Dō for descending. Maybe this is asking too much.

In any case, we do at least need the regular degrees above and below the one-octave range. Ideally, we would go from Fa below the octave to Sol above it. This would give us a range from a fifth below the scale and a fifth above.

The extra notes above and below the main octave could be different colors, or smaller type face, to set them apart from the main octave.

Can you do this for us, Mr. Developer? That would be a dream come true! And a 5-star app that teachers would love!!!

As a music teacher I'm always looking for new tools to help my students with ear training and sight singing.

This app is great for helping student explore basic Solfege (major scale, one octave) in any key, it can help them self correct when practicing sight reading at home and that's a huge benefit.

It also has a variety of timbres (different instrument sounds) which is rare in apps like this. This allows you to find a sound you like or change it frequently so you don't get bored. Boredom kills many singers' interests in ear training.

Highly recommended!

This app is great! So beautifully simple. I am going to recommend this app to my choir students to help with sight singing!