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 instrument using the same fingering for "C" but sounding off "B-flat"   


Figure 3:  Fingering comparison Chart of  Trumpet and Tuba 


The solfege system might be useful to start the beginner but at the end of the day, music students  need to know the note names in order to play more repertoire.   I would recommend the instructors to transit to note names as soon possible and to discontinue the practise when the children reached upper primary.  Most beginner band instructional books if not all, do not use solfege.    

From my experience, it is more effective to write note names on the score for the beginners.  It will help them to process the information on the score and they will be able to produce the sound with more confidence, quicken their learning journey, giving their morale a boost.  

Most music notation softwares have the ability to print note names on the music score.   I can provide some demonstration of how to make notes names using the notation software sibelius and musescore in my next blog.  

Location: Singapore

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