Using Solfege to teach beginner band.
I was asked if I would use solfege to teach beginner band. The short answer is "No". Some instructors use solfege to help the beginner band student to quickly understand the western tonal scale system, however, most wind instruments are transposing instruments, which means that the instruments will produce a different sounding note instead of the internationally accepted practise of the note of "C" equals "doh". It is unlikely that a beginner student would understand the concept of a movable "doh" at this point. The fingering for "doh" for B-flat instruments will sound-off the note "B-flat" and not "C". Likewise with all the other transposing instruments like Eb Alto Saxophone and French Horn. Figure 1: Fingering Chart for Trumpet Figure 2. Fingering Chart for Tuba. 3 Open valves for B-flat The fingering comparison chart below shows both i...