Pattern 1: Level 1 Find TQ Piano
- Chris Caton-Greasley
- Apr 6
- 6 min read
Index
Introduction
The Triquetrae Programme: Three Note Patterns book introduces a pattern-recognition system designed to improve sight-reading ability. This method draws a parallel to how a new reader learns to instantly recognize the first 100 high-frequency words.
Before engaging with these patterns, students should demonstrate the ability to accurately read all Level 1 notes. This prerequisite mirrors a new reader's foundational knowledge of the alphabet. The three-note patterns presented are analogous to letter combinations that form words.
Each pattern, once identified and learned for sight-reading, will facilitate the comprehension of musical phrases, much like recognizing familiar sound combinations aids in understanding spoken language.
The examples provided adhere to a melodic principle, where notes progress sequentially, similar to a melody.
This approach is influenced by the Suzuki and Alfred methods, which incorporate pattern recognition as an integral part of their educational philosophies. It also stems from the fundamental concept that music, at its core, is a universal language. Within this framework, the 'nouns, verbs, and adjectives' of music are embodied in recognizable patterns of notes, just as phonemes form recognizable sound combinations in spoken language.
Pattern & Rhythm
Three Ascending Notes 1 step apart. This foundation pattern is found in many musical pieces. A step is the distance between two natural keys on the piano like ‘C5, D5 &, E5’ or ‘D3, E3, & F3’. In addition to recognising the pattern, these exercises consistently use a specific rhythm. The purpose of this is to encourage students to read the melodic pattern and the accompaniment continuously, without pausing at bar lines. This seamless reading is facilitated by the rhythmic structure of two crotchets (quarter notes) followed by one minim (half note) in the melody. This rhythmic grouping allows the student a single beat to anticipate and read ahead, selecting the subsequent notes. By consciously avoiding pauses at bar lines, the student develops the crucial skill of playing with a sense of musical phrasing.
Download the Music
Digital Demonstration Videos
Set A
Set A features a melody accompanied by a single semibreve (whole note) in the opposite hand. This accompanying note shares the same letter name as the corresponding right-hand melodic note.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Set B
Set B presents the melody accompanied by a single note in the opposite hand. It is recommended that students practice the right-hand melody and the left-hand accompaniment separately before playing them together.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Set C
Set C features the melody accompanied by a variety of options in the opposite hand. As with Set B, it is recommended that students practice the right-hand melody and the left-hand accompaniment separately before playing them together.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Tri-Formations Challenge
To participate in the Tri-Formations Challenge, please submit a video recording performing the following exercises using the script provided below:
Choose and perform either Exercise 1 or 2.
Perform Exercise 3.
Choose and perform either Exercise 4 or 5.
Please use the following script at the beginning of your video:
My name is ____________________ and my teacher is _________________.
This video is for the Tri-Formations challenge, pattern 1 - three ascending notes, 1 step apart.
I am playing (state ‘Set A’, ‘Set B’, or ‘Set C’).
This is Exercise _______ <play exercise> (state 1 or 2).
This is Exercise _______ <play exercise> (state 3).
This is Exercise _______ <play exercise> (state 4 or 5).
Thank you for listening.
Once your video is complete, please send it via WhatsApp to the reception number: +44 7706 638821. In your WhatsApp message, remember to include your name and the name of your teacher.
Key Points to Remember for Submission:
Video Content: Include performances of three exercises as outlined above, following the specified script.
Script Usage: Read the script clearly when recording your video.
Exercise Identification: Clearly state the exercise number you are playing within the script.
WhatsApp Submission: Send your video to the provided WhatsApp number.
Accompanying Message: Include your name and teacher's name in the WhatsApp message itself (in addition to stating it in the video).
Remember that all twelve patterns are required to complete the challenge, this is one twelfth of your entry.
If you are not a TQ Student, or having lessons at Stalybridge Music Academy, and would like to take the Tri-Formations challenge please complete this Google Form Link
We look forward to receiving your submissions.
Certificates
How does this pattern help you understand music?
By consciously identifying this basic musical unit how can this fundamentally change how you approach sight-reading? Think about how you read language, by recognizing prefixes and suffixes it helps you decode larger words. In music if you can independently recognise these fundamental patterns, reading music will become easier.
Quiz
How does the "Triquetrae Programme" aim to improve sight-reading, and to what familiar learning process is it compared?
What crucial musical ability should a student possess before engaging with the three-note patterns, and why is this important?
In the context of this source, how are the presented three-note patterns similar to elements of spoken language?
Describe the fundamental characteristic of "Pattern 1" as it relates to the direction and interval between the notes.
What is the purpose of the accompanying semibreve in the right-hand melody exercises found in Set A?
How does the rhythmic structure of the melody in Set A exercises aid in developing sight-reading skills?
What is the main recommendation for practicing the exercises in Sets B and C before playing hands together?
What is the core requirement for the Tri-Formations Challenge in terms of patterns to be performed?
According to the text, how can recognizing basic musical units fundamentally change how one approaches sight-reading music?
What specific information must a participant include in their WhatsApp message when submitting a video for the Tri-Formations Challenge?
Glossary of Key Terms
Sight-Reading: The ability to read and perform musical notation at first sight, without prior practice.
Triquetrae Programme: The name of the learning system introduced in the source material, focused on three-note patterns.
Pattern Recognition: The cognitive process of identifying recurring sequences or structures, in this context, specific groupings of musical notes.
High-Frequency Words: Commonly used words that new readers learn to recognize instantly to aid in reading fluency.
Melodic Principle: The characteristic of a musical line that is singable and progresses sequentially in pitch.
Step: The distance between two adjacent natural keys on the piano.
Ascending Notes: A sequence of notes where each subsequent note is higher in pitch than the previous one.
Semibreve (Whole Note): A musical note with a duration of four crotchets (quarter notes).
Crotchet (Quarter Note): A musical note with a duration of one beat in common time.
Minim (Half Note): A musical note with a duration of two crotchets (quarter notes).
Bar Lines: Vertical lines on a musical staff that divide the music into measures or bars.
Musical Phrasing: The way a musician shapes a series of notes to create a musical thought, similar to sentences in language.
Suzuki Method: A music education philosophy based on the idea that all children possess musical ability that can be developed through a nurturing environment and rote learning, often incorporating pattern recognition.
Alfred Method: A widely used piano method that emphasizes a multi-key approach, incorporating reading, technique, and theory from the beginning, also utilizing pattern recognition.
Phonemes: The basic units of sound in a language that distinguish one word from another.
TQ Teacher Training
Essay Format Questions
Discuss the effectiveness of using an analogy to language acquisition (specifically learning high-frequency words and letter combinations) as a method for teaching piano sight-reading through pattern recognition. What are the strengths and potential limitations of this approach?
Explore the pedagogical implications of incorporating pattern recognition, as exemplified by "Pattern 1," into early piano education. How might this approach influence a student's long-term development of sight-reading skills and musical understanding?
Analyze the structure and progression of the exercises provided for "Pattern 1" (Sets A, B, and C). How do these different sets contribute to a student's ability to identify and perform the pattern in varying musical contexts?
Evaluate the requirements and purpose of the "Tri-Formations Challenge." How might participating in such a challenge contribute to a student's learning and motivation in developing their sight-reading abilities?
Considering the influence of methods like Suzuki and Alfred, discuss the role and importance of pattern recognition in piano pedagogy. How does this concept align with broader philosophies of music education?