Meaning & use
mi
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Meanings
nouncountablemusic
The syllable used for the third note of a major scale in the do-re-mi singing system.
Grammar: Sung name of a note: sing mi after re.
Patterns
- sing mi
- the note mi
In the song, the singers move from re up to mi.
In the key of C major, mi is the note E.
The teacher asked the class to hold mi for four beats.
nouncountablemusic
The note E in the fixed-do system used in some countries.
Grammar: Used in places where note names are sung as do, re, mi.
Patterns
- play mi
In Spain and Italy, the note E is called mi.
He tuned the top string to mi.
Word forms
| plural | mis |
|---|
Common combinations
- do re mi
- The children sang do, re, mi to warm up.
- sing mi
- Try to sing mi without going flat.
- mi fa sol
- The melody climbs mi fa sol and then drops.
- mi and sol
- The chord uses mi and sol together.
Synonyms and how they differ
- E
- E is the letter name for the same pitch in key of C, while mi is the singing syllable used in sight-singing.
Word family
Commonly confused: mi or me?
mi vs me
Me is the pronoun for yourself, while mi is a musical syllable; they sound alike.
Practice
In the do-re-mi scale, which syllable comes right after re?
Choose one answer.
After re the next syllable is mi, the third note of the scale. Fa follows mi, so it is the tempting wrong choice.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.