{"id":27088,"date":"2025-07-15T08:29:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T13:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=27088"},"modified":"2025-11-19T11:40:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T16:40:15","slug":"do-re-mi-and-you-ear-training-with-sol-fa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/do-re-mi-and-you-ear-training-with-sol-fa\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Re Mi and You: Ear Training with Sol-Fa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"excerpt-callout-block_f1de80350391750554642130071e6c0d\" class=\"excerpt-callout style-default\">\n    <div class=\"excerpt-content\">\n        <p>The following information on the <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method is excerpted from the Berklee Online course <em><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/ear-training-fundamentals?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-link-from-article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ear Training Fundamentals<\/a><\/em>, written by <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/roberta-radley?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Roberta Radley (opens in a new tab)\">Roberta Radley<\/a>, and currently enrolling.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-learn-how-sol-fa-ear-training-builds-pitch-recognition-and-musical-fluency\">Learn How <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> Ear Training Builds Pitch Recognition and Musical Fluency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine being able to hear a melody and instantly identify its notes in the same way that you recognize words in a familiar language. This skill isn\u2019t just for musical prodigies; it\u2019s achievable through the <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method, a time-tested approach to ear training. By delving into the world of <em>Do Re Mi<\/em>, let\u2019s explore how the <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method can transform your musical perception, making melodies as intuitive as everyday speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to communicating music, this demonstration by Bobby McFerrin is a delightful and insightful example of how music can speak for itself. Onstage at the World Science Festival in 2010, he literally steps through the scale as the audience responds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ne6tB2KiZuk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bobby McFerrin at the World Science Festival in 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note<\/em>: The pentatonic scale is a five-note scale consisting of<em> Do<\/em>, <em>Re<\/em>, <em>Mi<\/em>, <em>Sol<\/em>, and <em>La<\/em>. There are no half steps in this scale; there is no <em>Fa<\/em> or <em>Ti<\/em>. As musicians, we know about these solf\u00e8ge syllable names for the pitches; notice the audience of music lovers shown in this video do not!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Bobby McFerrin demonstration, you can see how easily the crowd picks up on what he\u2019s trying to convey. That\u2019s because music is a language and it\u2019s very similar to how we learned our first spoken language as children, or, as adults, how we learn a new second language.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are four basic skills involved in spoken language.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We learn to <strong>listen<\/strong> (and slowly comprehend the meaning of what we\u2019re listening to).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We begin to <strong>speak<\/strong> (by imitating what we hear). It\u2019s an aural and oral experience at the beginning stages of learning a language.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We learn to <strong>read<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, we learn to <strong>write<\/strong>\u2014a more literate approach.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking at these four skills, you should be able to see how learning the language of music is much the same process. We\u2019ll explore these four language skills in greater detail using the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> method as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We focus on the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> method for analyzing and translating melodic pitches into solf\u00e8ge when<em> listening<\/em> to music. Using the solf\u00e8ge syllables equates to learning our \u201cABCs.\u201d While we\u2019re not yet reading standard music notation (that comes in a later lesson of the <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/ear-training-fundamentals?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-link-from-article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Ear Training Fundamentals<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>course), the <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method brings us one step closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Singing will continue to be our primary means of expressing our translations of pitches into solf\u00e8ge syllables. The only \u201cnotation\u201d will be a sketch of the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> syllables. We\u2019ll use singing to describe what we hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this exercise, we\u2019ll stick to stepwise melodies, exploring well-known songs, popular contemporary pieces, and even your own creations to help identify and analyze major key melodies using the <em>Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-using-the-sol-fa-method-as-a-translator-when-listening-to-music\"><strong>Using the<em> Sol-Fa<\/em> Method as a Translator when Listening to Music<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> method starts with singing, not for reading and performing, but to translate and analyze the pitches we hear when listening to a piece of music in a major key. This approach is highly effective for developing listening skills!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of notating, we\u2019ll describe and demonstrate what we hear by singing, as it\u2019s one of the best ways to express our inner hearing out loud. Singing makes a direct connection between the notes\u2019 <em>sound<\/em> and their names. Remember, singing is not proving that we can sing, it\u2019s proving that we can <em>hear<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider the iconic \u201c<em>Do<\/em>, <em>Re<\/em>, <em>M<\/em>i\u201d song from <em>The<\/em> <em>Sound of Music<\/em> and translate it into solf\u00e8ge syllables, using the<em> Sol-Fa<\/em> notation method. Listen as I sing the melody with solf\u00e8ge syllables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doe a deer, a female deer =<em> Do Re Mi\/ Do Mi Do Mi<\/em><br>Ray, a drop of golden sun = <em>Re Mi Fa Fa Mi Re Fa<\/em><br>Me, a name I call myself = <em>Mi Fa Sol\/ Mi Sol Mi Sol<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Do-Re-Mi-SOL-FA.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This might be a completely new experience for many of you as we begin to translate melodies into solf\u00e8ge syllables!<strong> <\/strong>As you determine the melody\u2019s solf\u00e8ge syllables, write them down. That will help you remember them. Then you can read back the syllables as you reveal the solf\u00e8ge translation through singing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, the<em> Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em> method is solely focused on identifying and expressing the role each pitch plays within the major scale using solf\u00e8ge syllables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-turning-melodies-into-solfege\"><strong>Turning Melodies into Solf\u00e8ge<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Turning melodies into solf\u00e8ge helps musicians develop aural skills, tonal awareness, and musical memory by reinforcing the functional roles of pitches within a key. By internalizing pitch relationships through solf\u00e8ge, you\u2019ll improve your ability to hear, transcribe, and perform music with greater accuracy and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We start simply by determining the pitches of melodies we already know, where we already have a general idea about their rhythmic phrasing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend you start with easy songs that mainly feature stepwise motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\n  .custom-details summary {\n    list-style: none;\n    cursor: pointer;\n    display: inline-block;\n    position: relative;\n    padding-bottom: 1.5em;\n    font-weight: bold;\n  }\n\n  .custom-details summary::after {\n    content: \"\u25bc Click to Reveal\";\n    font-size: 0.9em;\n    position: absolute;\n    left: 0;\n    bottom: 0;\n    font-weight: normal;\n    color: #444;\n  }\n\n  .custom-details[open] summary::after {\n    content: \"\u25b2 Click to Hide\";\n  }\n\n  .custom-details p {\n    margin-top: 0.5em;\n    color: #1a4d1a; \/* Dark green for revealed text *\/\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n<details class=\"custom-details\">\n  <summary><h3 style=\"display: inline;\">So what\u2019s the first step in determining the pitches with solf\u00e8ge?<\/h3><\/summary>\n  <p>That\u2019s exactly right\u2014we first need to establish <em>Do<\/em>, the note that sounds like \u201chome.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<details class=\"custom-details\">\n  <summary><h3 style=\"display: inline;\">And where do we look for <em>Do<\/em>?<\/h3><\/summary>\n  <p>Again, you\u2019re correct\u2014at the end of the melody, where the melody seems to resolve to the \u201chome\u201d note <em>Do<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with \u201cTwinkle, Twinkle Little Star.\u201d Start by listening to the final note of the melody. Then sing the pitch that sounds like <em>Do<\/em>. (Yes, it\u2019s the very last note, on the word \u201care.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Twinkle-Twinkle-Little-Star-straight-with-DO.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve established <em>Do<\/em>, the next question to ask is: Is the first note of the melody also <em>Do<\/em>? Go back and listen to the melody again. Sing <em>Do<\/em>, then sing the first note of the melody and determine if they are the same pitch. (In this song, yes, the first note is also <em>Do, <\/em>on<em> \u201c<\/em>Twinkle<em>.<\/em>\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s begin the process of working through the song, note by note, solf\u00e8ge syllable by solf\u00e8ge syllable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the opening two notes represent an interval leap from <em>Do<\/em> up to <em>Sol<\/em>, from there, it\u2019s mostly stepwise motion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to me as I slowly sing through \u201cTwinkle, Twinkle Little Star,\u201d one solf\u00e8ge syllable at a time. I\u2019ve notated a simple sketch of the melodic pitches, no rhythm, using the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol<\/em> \/ <em>Fa Fa Mi Mi Re Re Do<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Twinkle-Twinkle-Little-Star-SOL-FA.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you try it. Read the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> syllables as you sing the melody. Remember, singing is believing and a great way to confirm out loud what your inner hearing is hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try singing a familiar song with solf\u00e8ge syllables. It\u2019s very likely your inner hearing memory of it will guide you through the pitches, so use that memorization to pay special attention to identifying the solf\u00e8ge syllables as you sing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are musical advantages to singing a song you already know with solf\u00e8ge. For instance, if you want to play the song on your instrument, the solf\u00e8ge syllables provide its translation into actual notes. To test this, try playing \u201cTwinkle, Twinkle Little Star\u201d in three different keys, using the solf\u00e8ge syllables as your guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-three-steps-to-success\"><strong>Three Steps to Success:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s the best way to determine the<em> Sol<\/em>&#8211;<em>Fa<\/em>? I have three suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sing aloud the melodic phrase with no solf\u00e8ge<em> <\/em>to help you remember and internalize it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As you begin to determine the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> translation,<em> <\/em>write down the solf\u00e8ge syllables so you can remember them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sing the melody again, but this time sing it with the solf\u00e8ge syllables. If you\u2019ve made any mistakes with the solf\u00e8ge, singing could help reveal those mistakes\u2014something that won\u2019t happen if you just \u201cthink\u201d and say the syllables. Remember, singing can be the great revealer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-determining-the-sol-fa-to-children-s-song-melodies\"><strong>Determining the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> to Children\u2019s Song Melodies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Challenge yourself to determine the solf\u00e8ge for other children\u2019s songs on your own. Have fun with it! Try \u201cHappy Birthday,\u201d \u201cOld MacDonald,\u201d and \u201cMary Had a Little Lamb.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing the solf\u00e8ge behind the lyrics will give you a new appreciation for these simple melodies. Keep in mind that they were written for children to sing and remember, so there are no challenging intervallic leaps and stepwise motion is featured throughout the songs (as well as much repetition of phrases).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to begin with the first two steps:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Find <em>Do.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Based on <em>Do<\/em>, determine what the first note of the melody is.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now are you ready for some more grown-up songs? Mature audiences only: These <em>Sol-Fa <\/em>melodies may be unsuitable for musicians who sing only nursery rhymes with stepwise melodies!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-determining-the-sol-fa-to-popular-song-melodies\"><strong>Determining the <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> to Popular Song Melodies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve selected a song for listening, and have included the solf\u00e8ge syllables with the lyrics to expand your listening experience. Simply take it all in, listening to the song as you consider the solf\u00e8ge syllables. What you\u2019ll notice is that the notes here feature stepwise motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you want a more complete experience, in addition to listening, <em>sing<\/em> these melodies with their associated solf\u00e8ge syllables to provide a deeper understanding of the connection between melodic pitches and their solf\u00e8ge functional meaning. Singing using \u201cla, la, la\u201d will only take you so far. Using <em>Sol-Fa<\/em> will take you to the finish line!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Remember our Three Steps to Success.<\/h3>\n\n<details class=\"custom-details\">\n  <summary>Click to reveal the three steps<\/summary>\n  <ol>\n    <li>Sing aloud the melodic phrase with no solf\u00e8ge to help you remember and internalize it.<\/li>\n    <li>As you begin to determine the Sol-Fa translation, write down the solf\u00e8ge syllables so you can remember them.<\/li>\n    <li>Sing the melody again, but this time sing it with the solf\u00e8ge syllables. If you\u2019ve made any mistakes with the solf\u00e8ge, singing could help reveal those mistakes\u2014something that won\u2019t happen if you just \u201cthink\u201d and say the syllables. Remember, singing can be the great revealer.<\/li>\n  <\/ol>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lean-on-me\"><strong>\u201cLean on Me\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bill Withers was an American singer-songwriter. His song, \u201cLean on Me\u201d was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007. His other huge hit \u201cAin\u2019t No Sunshine,\u201d was inducted in 1999.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to the first eight bars of the song, with the lyrics: \u201cSometimes in our lives \u2026 always tomorrow.\u201d The word, \u201cSometimes\u201d starts on <em>Do<\/em>. The song is in the key of C major, so <em>Do<\/em> is\u2026 \u201cC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n  <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lean on Me\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fOZ-MySzAac?start=26&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n  <\/div>\n  <figcaption>\n    \u201cLean on Me\u201d by Bill Withers, from <em>Still Bill<\/em>, the part in question is the beginning, and you can keep coming back to it after you get to the 53-second mark.\n  <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1254\" height=\"194\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lean-on-Me-1.jpg\" alt=\"The first line of lyrics to &quot;Lean on Me&quot; by Bill Withers are written out with the solfege syllables underneath, showcasing the notes.\" class=\"wp-image-27092\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lean-on-Me.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<details>\n  <summary><strong>Try the next line yourself and see how you do by clicking the triangle to reveal the answer.<\/strong><\/summary>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lean-on-Me-2a.jpg\" alt=\"Lean on Me solf\u00e8ge answer\" style=\"margin-top: 1em; max-width: 100%; height: auto;\">\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After completing this exercise, I recommend listening to one song a day to make this activity a part of your regular practice routine. Try starting with the following songs, which we use in the full 12-week course of <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/ear-training-fundamentals?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-link-from-article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Ear Training Fundamentals<\/em><\/a>, where you will truly learn to hear what you see and to see what you hear. The following songs are also a good starting point because they include stepwise melodies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cCan\u2019t Help Falling in Love\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Elvis Presley<br>\u201c<strong>Joy to the World\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Traditional<br><strong>\u201cMy Romance\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Ella Fitzgerald<br>\u201c<strong>Ode to Joy\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Ludwig van Beethoven<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through the lens of <em>Sol-Fa<\/em>, we can uncover how \u201cDo Re Mi\u201d transcends its simplicity, and serves as a gateway to good ear training and musical fluency. When we internalize these syllables, melodies become more than just sequences of notes\u2014they transform into expressive narratives that can resonate deeply. As you continue to work with <em>Sol-Fa<\/em>, I hope you\u2019ll find that each note not only carries a pitch but also a purpose. This is just one step to help you become a more interactive and confident musician, performer, and composer, by learning how to really hear what is going on within the music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What if hearing melodies was as natural as speaking your native language? Through the <em>Sol<\/em>\u2013<em>Fa<\/em> method, you can train your ears to understand music with clarity and confidence. Roberta Radley, author of <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/ear-training-fundamentals?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&#038;pid=&#038;utm_source=takenote&#038;utm_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Ear Training Fundamentals<\/em><\/a>, breaks down this powerful technique and shows how singing with solf\u00e8ge helps you not only recognize notes, but feel the purpose behind them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":27084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9561,7579,24],"tags":[5944,9772,9770,6023,9774,8712,494,849,9766,9769,9767,6027,9771,9773],"class_list":["post-27088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basics-lessons","category-lesson-content","category-music-theory-harmony-ear-training-lessons","tag-bill-withers","tag-bobby-mcferrin","tag-do-re-mi","tag-ear-training","tag-ear-training-fundamentals","tag-ella-fitzgerald","tag-elvis-presley","tag-ludwig-van-beethoven","tag-roberta-radley","tag-sol-fa","tag-solfeg","tag-solfege","tag-sound-of-music","tag-twinkle-twinkle-little-star"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Do Re 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