• A Breakdown Of The Sol-fa Notes Of Your Favorite Hymns

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    If you’ve always wanted to learn the sol-fa notes of your favorite hymns and how they can be played on the piano, this lesson is for you.

    One of the potent ways of mastering the melody of hymns is with the use of sol-fa notes. I can tell you that because it has helped musicians several centuries before now, it’s helping so many musicians at the moment, and I guarantee you that it will help musicians even in the next 1000 years.

    Before we go into the 9 hymns we’re learning in this lesson, let’s do a short study on the sol-fa system.

    A Short Note On The Sol-fa System

    The sol-fa system is a long-established notation that dates back to the 11th century. In the letter notation, notes are represented with Roman alphabets like:

    A B C D E F and G

    …while in the sol-fa notation system, notes are represented using sound syllables:

    Do Re Mi Fa Sol La and Ti

    There are two known approaches to the sol-fa system – the “fixed do” system and the “moveable do” system.

    The “Fixed Do” System

    In the “fixed do” system, every natural note on the piano has its syllable and C is always do.

    “Check It Out…”

    C:

    …is do.

    D:

    …is re.

    E:

    …is mi.

    F:

    …is fa.

    G:

    …is sol.

    A:

    …is la.

    B:

    …is ti.

    The “Moveable Do” System

    In the “moveable do” system, do is the first degree of the scale and varies from key to key. In the key of F major:

    F:

    …is do.

    G:

    …is re.

    A:

    …is mi, and so on.

    In the key of A major:

    A:

    …is do.

    B:

    …is re.

    C#:

    …is mi, and so on.

    A Breakdown Of Hymn Melodies Using Sol-fa Notes

    Let’s go ahead and break down the melody of your favorite hymn songs using solfa notes.

    Hymn #1 – Amazing Grace (In The Key Of G)

    In the key of G major:

    G is do

    A is re

    B is mi

    C is fa

    D is sol

    E is la

    F# is ti

    G is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn Amazing Grace:

    A(sol) ma(do) zing(mi) grace(mi)! How(re) sweet(do) the(la) sound(sol)
    That(sol) saved(do) a(mi) wretch(mi) like(re) me(sol)!
    I(mi) once(sol) was(mi) lost(mi), but(re) now(do) am(la) found(sol);
    Was(sol) blind(do), but(mi) now(mi) I(re) see(do).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    A:

    …ma:

    …zing:

    grace:

    how:

    sweet:

    the:

    sound:

    Hymn #2 – Holy, Holy, Holy (In The Key Of E)

    In the key of E major:

    E is do

    F# is re

    G# is mi

    A is fa

    B is sol

    C# is la

    D# is ti

    E is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy:

    Ho(do) ly(do), ho(mi) ly(mi), ho(sol) ly(sol)! Lord(la) God(la) Al(la) migh(sol) ty(mi)!
    Ear(sol) ly(sol) in(sol) the(sol) mor(do) ning(ti) our(sol) song(re) shall(sol) rise(la) to(sol) Thee(sol);
    Ho(do) ly(do), ho(mi) ly(mi), ho(sol) ly(sol), mer(la) ci(la) ful(la) and(la) migh(sol) ty(sol)!
    God(do) in(sol) three(sol) Per(la) sons(mi), ble(fa) ssèd(re) Tri(re) ni(do) ty(do)!

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    Ho:

    …ly:

    Ho:

    …ly:

    Ho:

    …ly:

    Lord:

    God:

    Al:

    …migh:

    …ty:

    Hymn #3 – How Great Thou Art (In The Key Of Bb)

    In the key of Bb major:

    Bb is do

    C is re

    D is mi

    Eb is fa

    F is sol

    G is la

    A is ti

    Bb is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn How Great Thou Art:

    O(sol) Lord(sol) my(sol) God(mi)! When(sol) I(sol) in(sol) awe(la) some(la) won(fa) der(la)
    Con(la) si(la) der(la) all(sol) the(mi) works(sol) thy(sol) hand(fa) hath(fa) made(mi),
    I(sol) see(sol) the(sol) stars(mi), I(sol) hear(sol) the(sol) migh(la) ty(la) thun(fa) der(la),
    Thy(la) power(la) through(la) out(sol) the(mi) u(sol) ni(sol) verse(fa) dis(fa) played(mi);

    Refrain:
    Then(sol) sings(sol) my(do) soul(mi), my(re) Sa(do) viour(ti) God(do), to(la) Thee(sol),
    How(do) great(do) Thou(ti) art(re), how(fa) great(la) Thou(sol) art(mi)!
    Then(sol) sings(sol) my(do) soul(mi), my(re) Sa(do) viour(ti) God(do), to(la) Thee(sol),
    How(do) great(ti) Thou(do) art(re), how(mi) great(fa) Thou(ti) art(do)!

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    Oh:

    Lord:

    my:

    God:

    When:

    I:

    in:

    awe:

    …some:

    won:

    …der:

    Hymn #4 – Rock Of Ages (In The Key Of Eb)

    In the key of Eb major:

    Eb is do

    F is re

    G is mi

    Ab is fa

    Bb is sol

    C is la

    D is ti

    Eb is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn Rock Of Ages:

    Rock(sol) of(la) A(sol) ges(mi), cleft(do) for(la) me(sol),
    Let(do) me(re) hide(mi) my(re) self(do) in(ti) Thee(do);
    Let(ti) the(do) wa(re) ter(re) and(ti) the(sol) blood(do),
    From(ti) Thy(do) woun(re) ded(re) side(ti) which(sol) flowed(do),
    Be(sol) of(sol) sin(sol) the(sol) dou(sol) ble(sol) cure(sol);
    Save(sol) from(sol) wrath(sol) and(sol) make(sol) me(sol) pure(sol).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    Rock:

    of:

    a:

    …ges:

    cleft:

    for:

    me:

    Hymn #5 – Joyful, Joyful (In The Key Of Ab)

    In the key of Ab major:

    Ab is do

    Bb is re

    C is mi

    Db is fa

    Eb is sol

    F is la

    G is ti

    Ab is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn Joyful, Joyful:

    Joy(mi) ful(mi), joy(fa) ful(sol), we(sol) a(fa) dore(mi) Thee(re), God(do) of(do) glo(re) ry(mi), Lord(mi) of(re) love(re);
    Hearts(mi) un(mi) fold(fa) like(sol) flowers(sol) be(fa) fore(mi) Thee(re), o(do) pening(do) to(re) the(mi) sun(re) a(do) bove(do).
    Melt(re) the(re) clouds(mi) of(do) sin(re) and(fa) sad(mi) ness(do); drive(re) the(fa) dark(mi) of(re) doubt(do) a(re) way(sol);
    Gi(mi) ver(mi) of(fa) im(sol) mor(sol) tal(fa) glad(mi) ness(re), fill(do) us(do) with(re) the(mi) light(re) of(do) day(do)!

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    Joy:

    …ful:

    joy:

    …ful:

    we:

    a:

    …dore:

    …thee:

    Lord:

    of:

    glo:

    …ry:

    Lord:

    of:

    love:

    Hymn #6 – It Is Well With My Soul (In The Key Of F)

    In the key of F major:

    F is do

    G is re

    A is mi

    Bb is fa

    C is sol

    D is la

    E is ti

    F is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn It Is Well With My Soul:

    When(sol) peace(sol), like(fa) a(mi) ri(mi) ver(re), a(mi) tte(fa) en(la) deth(sol) my(fa) way(mi),
    When(sol) so(do) rrows(do) like(ti) sea(la) bi(sol) llows(fe) roll(sol);
    What(sol) e(do) ver(do) my(ti) lot(la), Thou(la) has(la) taught(re) me(re) to(do) say(ti),
    It(la) is(sol) well(do), it(do) is(do) well(do), with(ti) my(ti) soul(do).

    Refrain

    It(sol) is(sol) well(sol), with(re) my(fa) soul(mi),
    It(sol) is(sol) well(sol), with(re) my(fa) soul(mi),
    It(sol) is(sol) well(la), it(do) is(do) well(do), with(ti) my(ti) soul(do).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    When:

    peace:

    like:

    a:

    ri:

    …ver:

    a:

    …tte:

    …en:

    …deth:

    my:

    way:

    Hymn #7 – The Old Rugged Cross (In The Key Of Bb)

    In the key of Bb major:

    Bb is do

    C is re

    D is mi

    Eb is fa

    F is sol

    G is la

    A is ti

    Bb is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn The Old Rugged Cross:

    On(mi) a(fa) hill(sol) far(fe) a(la) way(sol) stood(sol) an(sol) old(la) ru(se) gged(ti) cross(la),
    The(la) em(ti) blem(la) of(sol) su(fa) ffering(sol) and(fa) shame(mi);
    And(mi) I(fa) love(sol) that(fe) old(la) cross(sol) where(sol) the(sol) dear(la) est(se) and(ti) best(la)
    For(la) a(la) world(ti) of(la) lost(sol) si(fa) nners(mi) was(re) slain(do).

    Refrain

    So(ti) I’ll(do) che(re) rish(re) the(re) old(re) ru(do) gged(ti) cross(do),
    Till(do) my(ti) tro(la) phies(la) at(la) last(do) I(ti) lay(la) down(sol);
    I(sol) will(do) cling(mi) to(mi) the(mi) old(mi) ru(fa) gged(mi) cross(la),
    And(fa) ex(fa) change(mi) it(re) some(do) day(ti) for(do) a(re) crown(do).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    On:

    a:

    hill:

    far:

    a:

    …way:

    stood:

    an:

    old:

    ru:

    …gged:

    cross:

    Hymn #8 – Blessed Assurance (In The key Of D)

    In the key of D major:

    D is do

    E is re

    F# is mi

    G is fa

    A is sol

    B is la

    C# is ti

    D is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn Blessed Assurance:

    Ble(mi) ssed(re) a(do) ssur(sol) ance(sol), Je(fa) sus(sol) is(la) mine(sol)!
    O(sol) what(mi) a(sol) fore(do) taste(ti) of(ti) glo(la) ry(sol) di(fe) vine(sol)!
    Heir(mi) of(re) sal(do) va(sol) tion(sol), pur(fa) chase(sol) of(la) God(sol),
    Born(do) of(re) His(mi) Spi(fa) rit(re), washed(do) in(re) His(ti) blood(do).

    Refrain

    This(sol) is(sol) my(sol) story(do), this(sol) is(la) my(la) song(sol),
    Prai(sol) sing(sol) my(sol) Sa(la) vior(do), all(ti) the(ti) day(la) long(ti);
    This(ti) is(do) my(re) sto(do) ry(sol), this(la) is(la) my(la) song(sol),
    Prai(do)sing(re) my(mi) Sa(fa)vior(re), all(do) the(re) day(ti) long(do).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    Ble:

    …ssed:

    a:

    …ssu:

    …rance:

    Je:

    …sus:

    is:

    mine:

    Hymn #9 – What A Friend We Have In Jesus (In The Key Of F)

    In the key of F major:

    F is do

    G is re

    A is mi

    Bb is fa

    C is sol

    D is la

    E is ti

    F is do

    Here you are with the sol-fa notes to the hymn What A Friend We Have In Jesus:

    What(sol) a(sol) friend(la) we(sol) have(mi) in(do) Je(do) sus(la),
    all(sol) our(do) sins(mi) and(do) griefs(sol) to(mi) bear(re)!
    What(sol) a(sol) pri(la) vi(sol) lege(mi) to(do) ca(do) rry(la)
    e(sol) very(do) thing(mi) to(re) God(do) in(ti) prayer(do)!
    O(re) what(de) peace(re) we(mi) of(fa) ten(re) for(mi) feit(sol),
    O(la) what(la) need(sol) less(mi) pain(fa) we(mi) bear(re),
    all(sol) be(sol) cause(la) we(sol) do(mi) not(do) ca(do) rry(do)
    e(sol) very(do) thing(mi) to(re) God(do) in(ti) prayer(do).

    “Check Out The First Line…”

    What:

    a:

    friend:

    we:

    have:

    in:

    Je:

    …sus:

    Final Words

    I’ll see you in another lesson where we’ll be exploring harmonization techniques for these hymns.

    Thanks for your time and see you then.

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    Onyemachi "Onye" Chuku is a Nigerian musicologist, pianist, and author. Inspired by his role model (Jermaine Griggs) who has become his mentor, what he started off as teaching musicians in his Aba-Nigeria neighborhood in April 2005 eventually morphed into an international career that has helped hundreds of thousands of musicians all around the world. Onye lives in Dubai and is currently the Head of Education at HearandPlay Music Group and the music consultant of the Gospel Music Training Center, all in California, USA.




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