movableDo

Movable-Do is a solfege system in which the syllable Do designates the tonic pitch of the current key, and Re, Mi, Fa, So (Sol), La, and Ti correspond to the successive scale degrees from that tonic. Unlike fixed-Do systems, where Do names a specific pitch (often C), movable-Do moves the syllables with the key, making transposition and relative pitch practice more direct.

In major contexts, the diatonic scale is sung as Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti, with Do serving as the tonal center. In minor contexts, many pedagogical approaches adapt the syllables to reflect altered intervals; a common natural-minor variant uses Do Re Me Fa So Le Te, where Me is the lowered third, Le the lowered sixth, and Te the lowered seventh. Some systems also accommodate raised degrees (as in harmonic or melodic minor) through chromatic solfege variants or alternate vowel/syllable conventions.

Movable-Do is widely used in singing instruction, ear training, and sight-singing, and is central to the Kodály method and related educational approaches. It emphasizes relative pitch, understanding of scale degrees, and the ability to transpose melodies to different keys without changing their internal structure.

Variants exist to handle chromatic movement, with additional syllables or modified vowels indicating raised or lowered pitches within a key. While advantageous for many learners, movable-Do requires trained teaching and may be less familiar in ensembles or repertoires that use fixed-Do or other solfege systems. Developed and popularized in the 20th century, movable-Do remains a foundational tool in Western music education.