In the French Conservatory system, solfège is taught using fixed do (le do fixe). This means that do is always C, ré is always D, mi is always E – no matter the key. By contrast, in the “movable do” system often used in the United States, do represents the tonic of any scale, which can create unnecessary complexity and confusion for beginners.
Why is this important?
Clarity and Consistency:
With fixed do, children always know which note they are naming or singing. There is no ambiguity: do is always C. This clarity builds confidence and avoids the constant mental shifting between relative pitches.
Ear Training:
Fixed do develops a natural, almost automatic recognition of notes. Over time, many students can identify pitches by ear, the way they recognize words in a language. For example, a child who hears the note F can immediately identify it as fa, without having to calculate its relationship to a tonic.
Stronger Foundations for Advanced Music:
When students reach more complex repertoire — such as polyphonic works, orchestral scores, or atonal music — fixed do provides a precise and reliable reference system. It allows musicians to read and understand music at sight with far greater accuracy.
Early Is Best:
Learning fixed do at an early age is much easier and far more effective than trying to adopt it later — for example, at the college level, when habits are already set. Young children absorb it naturally, just as they would a second spoken language.
International Advantage:
Fixed do is used widely in Europe and Latin America. Students trained in this system can adapt easily to different musical cultures and collaborate internationally without confusion.
✨ In short: fixed do makes music a clear and universal language. Starting early gives children a fluency that is difficult — if not impossible – to achieve later.