Find Steps, Leaps, and Repeats

Supplied materials

• Paper and a pencil, or typed notes. Write numbered scale positions and label each neighboring move.
• Example: Numbered scale positions are [1, 2, 3, 4]. Count adjacent moves: a difference of 1 is a step, a larger difference is a leap, and a difference of 0 is a repeat. Choices: (A) 0 steps, 3 leaps, 1 repeat (B) 3 steps, 0 leaps, 0 repeats (C) 3 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats (D) 4 steps, 0 leaps, 0 repeats.
• Try this: Numbered scale positions are [1, 3, 4, 5]. Count adjacent moves: a difference of 1 is a step, a larger difference is a leap, and a difference of 0 is a repeat. Choices: (A) 1 step, 2 leaps, 1 repeat (B) 2 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats (C) 2 steps, 2 leaps, 0 repeats (D) 3 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats.

Learn the idea

A melody moves from one note to the next. In this numbered scale plan, a difference of 1 is a step, a larger difference is a leap, and a difference of 0 is a repeat.

Look at the example. The sizes of the moves between neighboring numbers are [1, 1, 1]. Classify each move by the supplied rule to get 3 steps, 0 leaps, 0 repeats. Count transitions between notes, not the number of note positions.

Count the moves between notes. Four note positions have three neighboring moves. The numbers show scale positions, not loudness.

1. Read the four scale positions in the example. Compare each neighboring pair using the given step, leap, and repeat rule.
2. Compare counting three moves with counting four note positions. Explain which gives the number of steps.
3. Try the check question and the three practice questions. Then read the feedback.
4. Write four scale positions containing one step, one leap and one repeat, then label all three transitions.
5. Check your work. The stated rule matches each neighboring difference and the three transition counts total three.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Try a new example: Numbered scale positions are [2, 3, 5, 4]. Count adjacent moves: a difference of 1 is a step, a larger difference is a leap, and a difference of 0 is a repeat. Choices: (A) 1 step, 2 leaps, 1 repeat (B) 2 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats (C) 2 steps, 2 leaps, 0 repeats (D) 3 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats. Answer: 2 steps, 1 leap, 0 repeats. The sizes of the moves between neighboring numbers are [1, 2, 1]. Use the given rule to count 2 steps, 1 leap, and 0 repeats. Count transitions between notes, not the number of note positions. Make your own: Write four scale positions containing one step, one leap and one repeat, then label all three transitions. Check your work: The stated rule matches each neighboring difference and the three transition counts total three.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback. It does not include choices from the separate More practice section. Download that section separately.