Gretchen
I am a Kodaly trained teacher who studied in Hungary, and while I don't doubt that fixed do may work as a good way to teach sight-singing, I just wanted to challenge some of the comments you made on the website.
1) Compare Systems - Moveable Do/Disadvantages
[Moveable do] Does not develop a sense of relative pitch. "Do" is always changing as the key signature changes.
Gretchen
Actually, the students develop excellent relative pitch. Although the letter names change syllables, their intervallic relations become crystal clear. They know that D-D is always an octave, that M-S is a minor third, etc. Moveable do is meant to teach relational pitch. No, it doesn't teach relative pitch, but that is why Kodaly-trained teachers have their students sing on letter names as well as solfa:
With Flats: A, As, B, Bess, C, Cess, D, Dess, E, Ess, F, Fess, G, Gess
W/Sharps: A, Ais, B, Bees, C, Cees, D, Dees, E, Ees, F, Fees, G, Gees
Cole's response
I could never recommend singing the letter name A, As, Bess, etc. as it is just not musical.
2) Compare Systems - Moveable Do/Disadvantages
Accidentals (sharps, flats, or naturals) must still be accommodated by "change."
Gretchen
This "change" helps kids with intervallic relationships.
Cole's response
Moveable do does help in interval relationships, but I've found students have trouble with the syllables because of the change in the syllable each time there is a new key.
3) Compare Systems - Moveable Do/Disadvantages
Modulations to new keys are not easily performed.
Gretchen
You have something here, but Relative Major to Relative Minor is extremely easy. Minor is "La." When modulating to closely related keys, it is a bit tricky. Usually the teacher will warn students beforehand "Change your "Do" to "So" in measure 8 and go from there." This does increase AWARENESS of the keychange.
Cole's Response
I've found with fixed do that students have a faster response time in naming the pitches as they sing, and modulations, accidentals seemed easier for them to handle.
4) Compare Systems - Moveable Do/Disadvantages
Harmonic and melodic minor scales as well as modes must also be accommodated by a "change."
Gretchen
Not so!
Harmonic Minor: La Ti Do Re Mi Fa Si La/ La Si Fa Mi Re Do Ti La
Melodic Minor: La Ti Do Re Me Fi Si La/ La So Fa Mi Re Do Ti La
Also when doing modes - Dorian starts on Re AND they learn La Ti Do Re Me Fi So La - so they recognize the altered scale degree is the REASON it is Dorian.
Cole's response
True, modes if unaltered are accommodated easily by moveable do, however, having students recognize the tonic of the mode (i.e. Dorian) as re when they are used to do (for major) or la (for minor) is no easy feat. Students, in Fixed Do, can learn how altered scale degrees create the modes without the instructor having to alert them to a change.
Last Words
Gretchen and Cole wrap up their respective arguments.
Gretchen
The "Change" you refer to is a very good thing! When using Movable Do, when they have to use altered syllables (which they know), they recognize that these are altered tones, not part of the key signature. You also missed a very important disadvantage to fixed do, it does not teach tonality nearly as well as numbers or movable do. With moveable numbers/solfa they are thinking of scale degrees and tonality. With fixed do they are simply singing the pitches as written.
Cole
I adjudicate sight reading, and just recently in the Lancing area I again found that schools using fixed do did a better job in sight reading at the intermediate level than those using movable do. As to which sight reading method to use, it is relative. For me, my experience using all three methods, numbers, movable do and fixed do, has taught me that with fixed do I get the best results. My own choral groups recently received first division ratings in advanced sight reading at the District level, and I find that through fixed do my students develop excellent relative pitch.
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