SOLMIZATION EXPERTISE CORRELATES WITH SUPERIOR PITCH MEMORY

Memory is a complex phenomenon, and musical memory is especially interesting because it can involve so many facets: a visual image of the score, an aural recollection of the melody, the kinesthetic response of a performer, an analytical understanding of the music’s compositional structure, etc. This article investigates a possible verbal component of musical memory, specifically in the form of American-style moveable-do solfège. Solfège, the long-standing tradition of associating pitches with corresponding syllables, is one of the most fundamental verbal cues commonly used among musicians. The results of the two experiments presented here suggest that expertise in moveable-do solfège is advantageous when remembering pitch patterns, especially when these patterns are transposed. The significant positive correlation between demonstrated solfège ability and melodic discrimination performance supports the widely held pedagogical belief that training with a moveable solmization system benefits musicians.Memory is a complex phenomenon, and musical memory is especially interesting because it can involve so many facets: a visual image of the score, an aural recollection of the melody, the kinesthetic response of a performer, an analytical understanding of the music’s compositional structure, etc. This article investigates a possible verbal component of musical memory, specifically in the form of American-style moveable-do solfège. Solfège, the long-standing tradition of associating pitches with corresponding syllables, is one of the most fundamental verbal cues commonly used among musicians. The results of the two experiments presented here suggest that expertise in moveable-do solfège is advantageous when remembering pitch patterns, especially when these patterns are transposed. The significant positive correlation between demonstrated solfège ability and melodic discrimination performance supports the widely held pedagogical belief that training with a moveable solmization system benefits musicians