# Two basic questions about very common music patterns in music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2010, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585 "2010-06-26T11:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585/21 "2010-06-28T12:28:28Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Another example would be Chicago’s "Colour My World’, no? There you go. Great example. Aren’t those chords (arpeggiated) similar to a Bach piece? If not Bach, some famous Classical composer? Chopin? I can almost hear the piece. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585/22 "2010-06-28T13:11:11Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Another example would be Chicago’s "Colour My World’, no? Yes. As well, the Beatles’ _Because_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585/23 "2010-06-28T13:36:16Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I’ve heard “turnaround” used more broadly than that, but that would certainly work. There are quite a few [“turnaround”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(music)) sequences that have been the basis of familiar popular tunes. The progression I-vi-ii-V (C-Am-Dm-G for example) is found in “Heart and Soul” that many kids learn as a piano piece/duet early on. “Blue Moon” is similar. Even “Free as a Bird” is along similar lines as well as hundreds of others. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585/24 "2010-06-28T19:15:20Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Yes. As well, the Beatles’ _Because_. And, of course, “Every Breath You Take”. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585/25 "2010-06-29T04:40:07Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > That’s what it was meant to bring to mind. If I had a stronger music background I’m sure I’d know a better way to phrase things, but I don’t know whether it’s correct to say that these two pieces of music both contain arpeggios but the arpeggios are “different arpeggios”, “arpeggios in different chords”, “arpeggios of different chords”, “different chords played as arpeggios”, or something else entirely. Assuming you mean the first chord, they are in different keys, but they are arpeggiated in the same manner: 1(bass)-5-1-3-1-5, up to the 3, and back down to the 1. The only difference is the key: Hallelujah is in C, while Presley’s song is in D. In other words, the notes are different, but the pattern is the same. And just in case you are wondering, it’s not merely a broken chord because the bass note doesn’t have to follow the pattern exactly. Skipping the 3 is quite common at the lower end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-basic-questions-about-very-common-music-patterns-in-music/544585.md?page=1)