8,720
edits
Changes
m
→Breakdown in Major Scale
|1st String#What Does this Mean?|Conclusions}}
The 4-note whole/-whole/-half tetrachord is present twice in the major scale (C D E F, G A B C). This combines a whole/-whole pattern ((C D E) and (G A B)) and a whole/-half ((D E F) and (A B C)). The first tetrachord is connected to the second with a whole tone (F G). This gives us a half/-whole pattern (E F G). If we reverse the order of tetrachords (G A B C, C D E F), they share the tonic note as an ending/starting point (C C). Since the tonic note to the 2nd note in the scale is also a whole tone, this gives us the same pattern of half/-whole (B C D).
All that remains is the initial whole tone that bridges the two tetrachords (F G A). This is represented by "whole, whole2" above. If we reverse the order of tetrachords (G A B C, C D E F) we notice they overlap on the C - there is no whole or semitone between them - one goes right into the other. Thus, there is no additional 3 note pattern ((C D E) is already covered in the first tetrachord).