1.5: Pitch Patterns
- Page ID
- 258461
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Common Patterns
Music tends to be organized in a series of patterns. Over many years, composers and songwriters have discovered common traits that make music sound "good." We can use this idea to our advantage when starting to focus on training our ear. There are likely many pitch and rhythm patterns that you will already recognize. As we begin to intentionally listen for them, they will become easier and easier to hear.
Three-Note Patterns
Brains are wired to break larger pieces of information into smaller ones and to look for patterns. As we listen to music, if we can recognize patterns with which we are familiar, we can process an entire phrase of musical information a little bit quicker. In this section, we will cover some of the three-note patterns that often show up in melodic lines.
Do-Re-Mi
The ascending, stepwise pattern of do-re-mi is often heard in melodies. The major scale starts with these three pitches. When we hear this pattern, it often sounds like it wants to continue ascending. It is moving somewhere and wanting to continue. Listen to these three pitches: 
In this audio sample, you will hear Do-Re-Mi (opens in new window) played by a flute.
Mi-Re-Do
The descending, stepwise pattern of mi-re-do is the opposite of the pattern we just heard. These are the final three notes of the descending major scale. When we hear this pattern, it sounds more final. Our ear hears do as the conclusion or resolution compared to whatever we were just hearing. Listen to these three pitches: 
In this audio sample, you will hear Mi-Re-Do (opens in new window) played by a flute.
Do-Mi-Sol
One of the most common groups of three pitches outlines the tonic triad. We will learn more about this in a later chapter; however, we can think of these three pitches as important anchor notes for an entire melody. Whether we are singing a melody and need a firm sense of our key or we are listening to a piece of music and trying to figure out which pitches go where, these three notes are very important. It will help us to be able to identify this group if we can identify that this is made up of an ascending skip (in this case re is skipped) and another ascending skip (in this case fa is skipped). Listen to these three pitches:
In this audio sample, you will hear Do-Mi-Sol (opens in new window) played by a piano in two different octaves, one right after the other.
Do-mi-sol sounds open-ended - as if it is continuing somewhere else.
Sol-Mi-Do
The descending skip pattern of sol-mi-do is the opposite of the pattern we just heard. These are our same anchor notes as mentioned above, but this pattern will sound more final because we are ending on do. As you listen to this group of three pitches, consider pausing before the pitch for do is played and try singing it yourself. Can you hear where this pattern is heading? Listen to these three pitches: 
In this audio sample, you will hear Sol-Mi-Do (opens in new window) played by a piano in two different octaves, one right after the other.
La-Ti-Do
The ascending, stepwise pattern of la-ti-do has some similarities to our first three-note pattern. It is stepwise and moving in an ascending direction. However, this pattern has a very distinctive half step between the second and third pitches.
The ti-do half-step relationship is arguably the most important relationship in all of Western music:
- It leads our ear to identify the tonic of the key (do in "moveable do")
- It propels functional harmony toward the tonic chord (this will be covered in more detail in a later chapter)
- The leading tone (the seventh scale degree, or ti) of the key naturally has a tendency to resolve up by a half step
Because this half-step relationship is so important and helps us to identify the major key of the melody or piece, this ascending three note pattern will sound very final. You can also think of these three pitches as the final three pitches in an ascending major scale. Listen to these three pitches:
In this audio sample, you will hear La-Ti-Do (opens in new window) played by a flute.
Re-Ti-Do
This pattern is commonly heard at the end of phrases and melodic ideas. The first two pitches are on either side of do, the first scale degree. Instead of moving stepwise, our first two notes (re-ti) create a descending skip. The pattern then ascends by the same important ascending half step that we heard in the previous pattern. This pattern tends to bring our ear's attention to the final ascending half step and reinforces do. It should sound final, as if it is the very end of a melody. Listen to these three pitches: 
In this audio sample, you will hear Re-Ti-Do (opens in new window) played by a flute.