sol-fa

American  

[sohl-fah, sohl-fah] / ˌsoʊlˈfɑ, ˈsoʊlˌfɑ /

noun

1. Music. the set of syllables, do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti, sung to the respective tones of the scale. All but do and ti are attributed to Guido d'Arezzo.

2. the system of singing tones to these syllables.

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verb (used without object)

sol-faed, sol-faing

1. to use the sol-fa syllables in singing, or to sing these syllables.

verb (used with object)

sol-faed, sol-faing

1. to sing to the sol-fa syllables, as a tune.

sol-fa British  

/ ˈsɒlˈfɑː /

noun

1. short for tonic sol-fa

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verb

1. to use tonic sol-fa syllables in singing (a tune)

Other Word Forms

• sol-faist noun

Etymology

Origin of sol-fa

1560–70; sol ¹ + fa; gamut

Example Sentences

Now was our over-abundant quaver and trilling done away, and in lieu thereof was instituted the sol-fa in such guise as is sung in his Majesty's Chapel.

From The Parish Clerk by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

For many singers there is only one method of becoming good sight-readers, viz., combining the tonic sol-fa with the staff notation.

From The Influence of the Organ in History Inaugural Lecture of the Department of the Organ in the College of Music of Boston University by Buck, Dudley

Singing by syllable means that the singer sings the tones of a song or part to the sol-fa syllables instead of to words, neutral vowels or the hum.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson

At the same time I took sol-fa lessons from M. Savard who was excellent.

From My Recollections by Massenet, Jules

"Dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method.

From Breakfasts and Teas Novel Suggestions for Social Occasions by Pierce, Paul