Tendency-Tone Pairs and Patterns

Tonal and modal melodic resolution patterns

(in C for reference)

Major

w
7 1 2 1 4 3 6 5

& w w w w
w w w
Ti Do Re Do Fa Mi La Sol
Minor

w
5 5 1 5 1 3 (2) 1 b3 (2) 1

&w w b
w w w
Sol Do Sol Do Mi (Re) Do Me (Re) Do
Minor and modal

bw
9 4 b3 b6 5 b7 1 b2 1 #4 5

&w bw w w bw w #w w
bw
Fa Me Le Sol Te Do Ra Do Fi Sol

o
Secondary dominant

w bw w #w w
14 A7 D- B7 E- E7 A- C7 F G 7 G7

& #w w #w w #w
Di Re Ri Mi Si La Te La Li Ti

#1 2 #2 3 #5 6 b7 6 #6 7
V7/II II- V7/III III- V7/VI VI- V7/IV IV V7 V7

Principle: Tones that are not members of the tonic triad tend to resolve by step to the nearest note of the
tonic triad. Tones of the tonic triad tend to return to the tonic note by leap or step (Sol-Do/5-1; Mi-Do/3-1,
Me-Do/b3-1).

Exception: In the context of secondary dominant harmony (or some 7ths), chromatic notes' tendencies
come from the secondary key (the 3rd of V7/II, Di/#1, is "Ti/7 of II," a secondary leading tone), but they are
named in the primary key.

Notes: Fi/#4-Sol/5 in V7/V to V has the same tendency as Fi-Sol in Lydian.

(Arabic numerals above refer to scale degrees; b=flat.)

2015, Allan S. Chase