Grade 12 · lesson 1 of 4

Check Every Written Phrase Constraint

A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once.

About 25 minutes, plus any extended practice

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and a pencil, typed notes or a browser scratch area. Color names can replace colored supplies; drawn figures and timelines can replace performance.
  • Complete teaching inputs: Original phrase constraints: pitches between 60 and 65 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks? Supplied candidates: (A) pitches [59, 62, 65], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (B) pitches [60, 62, 65], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (C) pitches [60, 62, 65], durations [1, 1, 1] (D) pitches [60, 65], durations [1, 1].
  • Independent check: Original phrase constraints: pitches between 61 and 66 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks? Supplied candidates: (A) pitches [60, 63, 66], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (B) pitches [61, 63, 66], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (C) pitches [61, 63, 66], durations [1, 1, 1] (D) pitches [61, 66], durations [1, 1].

Learn the idea

Bring structural reasoning and honest evaluation together. Audit a phrase against several constraints, interpret a nonchord tone from its supplied context, correct audiovisual cue offsets and design evidence suitable for a performance claim. A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once. Inspect each property independently so a phrase passing one constraint is not assumed to pass all of them.

Reason through the supplied case: The selected phrase has three pitches inside the allowed range and durations 1+0.5+0.5=2. The alternatives violate range, time or note count. Passing these structural checks does not by itself judge expressive quality or verify performed pitch and timing.

Structural validity does not establish expressive quality or accurate performance. The original exercise supplies a numeric pitch model and transparent criteria rather than a claim of expert musical achievement.

  1. Read the complete teaching inputs and mark the feature, rule or constraint being tested.
  2. Compare the model decision with one rejected candidate; state the visible evidence or calculation that distinguishes them.
  3. Solve the independent check and the three changed-input practice cases before reading feedback.
  4. Create exactly three pitches within sixty-to-sixty-five with durations totaling two quarter-note beats, then audit each condition.
  5. Check your artifact against these explicit criteria: The note count is three, all pitches lie in range and the duration sum is two; the audit reports each condition separately.
Worked example

See the method in action

Original phrase constraints: pitches between 60 and 65 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks? Supplied candidates: (A) pitches [59, 62, 65], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (B) pitches [60, 62, 65], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (C) pitches [60, 62, 65], durations [1, 1, 1] (D) pitches [60, 65], durations [1, 1]. Model decision: pitches [60, 62, 65], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5]. The selected phrase has three pitches inside the allowed range and durations 1+0.5+0.5=2. The alternatives violate range, time or note count. Passing these structural checks does not by itself judge expressive quality or verify performed pitch and timing.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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Helpful tips
  • A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once.
  • Structural validity does not establish expressive quality or accurate performance.
Original phrase constraints: pitches between 61 and 66 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks?

Feedback appears here after you check. This is practice, not a graded school assessment.

See the answer and explanation

pitches [61, 63, 66], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5]

The selected phrase has three pitches inside the allowed range and durations 1+0.5+0.5=2. The alternatives violate range, time or note count. Passing these structural checks does not by itself judge expressive quality or verify performed pitch and timing.

Take it further

New-input analysis: Original phrase constraints: pitches between 67 and 72 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks? Supplied candidates: (A) pitches [66, 69, 72], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (B) pitches [67, 69, 72], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5] (C) pitches [67, 69, 72], durations [1, 1, 1] (D) pitches [67, 72], durations [1, 1]. Expected relationship: pitches [67, 69, 72], durations [1, 0.5, 0.5]. The selected phrase has three pitches inside the allowed range and durations 1+0.5+0.5=2. The alternatives violate range, time or note count. Passing these structural checks does not by itself judge expressive quality or verify performed pitch and timing. Create your own artifact: Create exactly three pitches within sixty-to-sixty-five with durations totaling two quarter-note beats, then audit each condition. Completion criteria: The note count is three, all pitches lie in range and the duration sum is two; the audit reports each condition separately.

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More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

More practice: try new cases
1. Original phrase constraints: pitches between 62 and 67 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks?
Need a hint?
  • A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once.
  • Structural validity does not establish expressive quality or accurate performance.
2. Original phrase constraints: pitches between 63 and 68 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks?
Need a hint?
  • A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once.
  • Structural validity does not establish expressive quality or accurate performance.
3. Original phrase constraints: pitches between 64 and 69 inclusive, exactly 3 notes, total 2 quarter-note beats. Which supplied phrase passes all three checks?
Need a hint?
  • A composition brief can specify pitch range, note count and total duration at once.
  • Structural validity does not establish expressive quality or accurate performance.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. Keep your own notes or download them before leaving. The score describes these questions; it does not certify subject mastery.

Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.