One of the most effective ways to build sight singing skills and strengthen part independence in your choir is through solfege canons. These short, repeatable exercises layer simple melodic patterns into beautiful harmony, all while training singers’ ears.
I’ve created three free solfege canons you can use with your ensemble. Each canon comes with a PDF download, and I’ve also put them together in one YouTube video so you can hear and follow along with all three.
🎥 Watch the YouTube Video: 3 Solfege Canons for Choir Warm-Up
Why Solfege Canons Work
Part Independence: Singing in canon requires students to stay on their own line while others sing something different.
Pitch Accuracy: Solfege syllables keep the focus on intervals and relationships between notes.
Ear Training: The overlapping entries force students to hear harmony against their own line.
Flexible Warm-Up: Can be sung in unison first, then layered for more challenge
Canon 1: Stepwise Scale
Pattern:
Do – Re – Mi – Fa – Sol – La – Ti – Do – Re – Do – Ti – La – Sol – Fa – Mi – Re – Do
• Groups enter after the previous group sings Do–Re.
• End with everyone holding Do together.
• Great for reinforcing stepwise motion and scale familiarity.
📥 Download PDF of Canon 1
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Canon 2: Leaping in Thirds
Pattern:
Do – Mi – Re – Fa … (with descending in thirds: Do – La – Ti – Sol, etc.)
• Groups enter after the previous group sings Do–Mi–Re–Fa.
• Builds skill in interval recognition, especially leaps.
• Helps singers internalize the sound of thirds while staying grounded in key.
📥 Download PDF of Canon 2
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Canon 3: Expanding Motif
Pattern:
Do | Do–Re–Do | Do–Re–Mi–Re–Do | … (ascending and descending expansion)
• Groups enter after the previous group begins with Do.
• Excellent for rhythmic focus and phrase shaping.
• The growing motif challenges singers to keep track of the line while hearing others in overlap.
✉️ Want the Third Solfège Canon?
Get the exclusive third canon, plus a printable vocal warm up routine poster for your classroom.
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Watch All Three Canons Together
To see and hear how each canon works, I’ve put them all together in one video. You and your singers can follow along, rehearse with the track, and get comfortable before trying them live in rehearsal.
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How to Use These Canons
1. Start in Unison: Make sure every singer knows the pattern first.
2. Divide into Groups: Two parts for beginners, then three or four as confidence grows.
3. Experiment with Tempi: Slow for accuracy, then quicker to energize rehearsal.
4. Add Dynamics: Shape phrases musically so they don’t feel like “just an exercise.”
5. Connect to Repertoire: Point out where these intervals or stepwise motions show up in their concert music.
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Free Resources
• 📥 Download the free PDFs of all three canons.
• 🎥 Watch the YouTube video with all three canons played through on [Flat.io].
👉 Use these in your next rehearsal to give your singers a quick, effective warm-up that directly supports sight singing and part independence.
🔗 Resources You Might Like
1️⃣ Musicianship Lesson 1 Bundle
Strengthen your students’ listening and rhythm skills with printable and digital exercises that build foundational musicianship. Perfect follow-up for choirs working on solfège and part independence.
2️⃣ Music Theory Unit 1 Bundle
Build a complete foundation in music literacy with this unit covering staff reading, keyboard awareness, accidentals, semitones, and whole tones. Includes four lessons and assessments that align perfectly with early musicianship training.
👉 View the full theory unit on TpT
3️⃣ Composer of the Month Mega Bundle
Bring music history to life with printable composer posters, listening activities, and quizzes for every month of the school year! Includes classical and romantic composers — perfect for bulletin boards, sub plans, or enrichment lessons.
4️⃣ Choir Warm-Up Assignment
Encourage reflection and ownership in your singers with this guided warm-up journal and assessment task that aligns with the Ontario Music Curriculum. A great addition to your daily rehearsal routine.
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