In view of the above, the two most often used systems today are the Guido d'Arezzo-System and the Alphabetical System.

A. Guido d'Arezzo
The Arezzo-System is the oldest: the syllables do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si are universally known and nearly perfectly corresponding to the principle of "singability". The major weakness of this system is the impossibility of modulation. Chromatic semitones are not represented. Singing the syllable "mi-flat", or "mi-bemol", is simply too long to be articulated musically. For our purpose, then, the Arezzo system is not useable.

B. Alphabetical System/Designations
The alphabetical system closes the gap which Arezzo opened. It gives us 35 names, which completely represent the chromatic possibilities. An unchanged root is declined by the use of an accidental: for example, c-cis-ces, etc. This allows the naming of the chromatic semitones and the perception of chromaticism itself. However, there is no musical way to sing it.

Arezzo's lack of chromaticism and the Alphabetical System's lack of "singability" could lead us to a synthesis of the two.

C. Other Attempts
This is not the forum to throughly discuss the other attempts at trying to resolve the problems. There are systems like "Tonika Do", the "Tonwort" by Carl Eitz, and the system of Jahle , which brought certain progressive ideas, but none of them introduced a complete system, corresponding to our needs.

However, Eitz found something very interesting and useable: his idea was to name the semitones using the vowels of the alphabet and in their alphabetical order, a-e-i-o-u. This concept led to the system of Constantin Bugeanu, who formulated and perfected a synthesis of the earlier systems. (2)

First, Solfège is an exercise, and thus a tool used to accomplish a certain aim. The essence and meaning of this exercise would be lost if solfège were an end in itself. Comparable to scale-studies, no one makes music exclusively using solfeggio. However, reading a difficult phrase or passage (for ease in memorization) without an instrument can be useful for conductors, singers and instrumentalists. And best for this purpose, is to sing a passage by using note names.

Solfège is not universally practiced or accepted. So, this article does not want to convert readers; rather, it presents an effective system, which recommends itself by its success, proven through years of teaching and study.

The naming of pitches through the use of words or syllables has to be not only easily readable -- it must also be integrated to a process of working and practicing whose goal is the memorization of phrases and passages. Solfège has to provide syllables which enable the musician to sing fluently.
It must also be able to completely represent our system of tones.

A. Singability
The principle of "singability" is realized by syllables, which are comprised of one consonant followed by a vowel. Syllables, which do not correspond to this requirement are not practical. Therefore, the syllable "ut" in the Guido d'Arezzo's system has been replaced by "do".

B. Compatibility to our System of Tones
Apart from certain contemporary music, where quarter-tones and sound-effects are used, our diatonic/chromatic system has seven notes: c-d-e-f-g-a-b in the alphabetical system; and do-re-mi-fa-si-sol-la-si in Arezzo's. All seven notes can be altered by the use of a sharp, flat, double flat our double sharp.
Thus, including the natural, every note has five possibilities, resulting in 35 tones and the need for 35 designations/syllables. Naturally, these 35 names have to correspond to a certain system, which must be logical and easily learned.

The principles of chromatic compatibility and singability for which the previous systems made unique and singular contributions, have now been unified in a new and synthetic approach. This new system must now correspond to a new and special purpose: it has to take into consideration the aspects of the ease of learning and practicability, and must maintain the closest possible connection to the musicians habit of spelling tones. This is important, because the new system is not for theoretical use -- it really must progress to a new level.

So, finally, the system of Constantin Bugeanu accomodates all principles and purposes in an astonishingly simple and clear way. It is able to unify the systems and supersede them. To unify the tradition of Arezzo and the alphabetical system, Bugeanu uses the consonants of Arezzo: d-r-m-f-s-l-s. The dual appearance of "s" compels Bugeanu, for the sake of clarity, to borrow one item from the alphabetical system: the sol-s is replaced by the alphabetical "g". Hence, we now have a row of seven consonants d-r-m-f-g-l-s, which will be the unchangeable foundation for the new system.
For the purpose of conjugation (chromaticism), the alphabetical vowels are introduced. Their natural order: a-e-i-o-u remains unchanged. Thus, the seven principle syllables are (corresponding to the white keys of the piano): da-re-mi-fi-go-lu-sa.

The creation of syllables, conditioned by accidentals, happens through changing vowels, always regarding their alphabetical order.

Obviously, Bugeanu's Solfeggio is an evolutionary step from traditional systems. Its use of 35 syllables follows a simple and conclusive logic, as you can see from the table below. Following the different directions, the diatonic semitones share the same vowel, the chromatics the same consonant. The order of the vowel is the alphabetical system. It is interesting to see that this order is not linear, but circular. Enharmonics are in column.

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(1)Try, even if you have only a weak voice, to sight-read vocally without any help from an instrument; the sharpness of your ear will always be increased (Robert Schumann, Musikalische Haus-und Lebensregeln)

(2) see: Carl Eitz, Das Tonwort in: Bausteine zur musikalischen Volksbildung, ed. by Frank Benedick, Breitkopf und Härtel, Leipzig 1928, Anton Schiegg: Zur Lösung des Tonnamenproblems, München und Berlin 1923, Richard Münch: Jale ! 2. Auflage Wolfenbüttel 1959.