Related
A sequence does exactly one thing: take the figure you just had and say it again at another pitch level.
model: C–D–E sequence: D–E–F → E–F–G → …
Its power lies in a double effect: the listener hears something familiar (the figure is unchanged) and something new (the pitch has moved). Familiar plus fresh is why it is so useful.
How it differs from repetition
| Repetition | Sequence | |
|---|---|---|
| Figure | unchanged | unchanged |
| Pitch | unchanged | changed |
| Effect | emphasis | propulsion |
Repeating one thing three times looks clumsy; sequencing it three times sounds purposeful. The single variable is the shift.
Common types
| Type | Interval of the shift | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| stepwise sequence | one degree up or down | the most common, strongest drive |
| third sequence | a third | gentler, with a clear change of colour |
| descending sequence | shifting downward | often a tone of yielding or lament |
| harmonic sequence | a whole chord group shifted | standard in Baroque and Classical development sections |
Harmonic sequences are worth particular attention: the melody and the harmony move together, which makes them the most effective way to enlarge a structure — one small idea can fill a whole passage.
Where it sits in form
A sequence is the first choice wherever music needs to advance: see the development of sonata form, and the episodes of a fugue (see canon and fugue). Its function is to push the music forward without introducing new material.
Diagram: same figure, different height
Listen: the drive of a sequence
Use the progression player on a sequencing progression: the functional chords stay the same while the whole group is moved. Notice how it creates onward motion without any new material.
Common misconceptions
- "A sequence is just repetition." The shift is the whole point. Repetition without shifting emphasises; repetition with shifting propels.
- "Sequences are mechanical, not real composing." They are among the principal means of development in Baroque and Classical music — used in developments, episodes and transitions.
- "A sequence must be exact." Both strict sequences (intervals copied literally) and free ones (adjusted to the harmony) exist; the free kind is more common.
- "Sequences only go up." Both directions occur. Descending sequences often express yielding or lament, and are common in Romantic music.
:::
Listen in the library
All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).
Sources
- 模进指同一音型（旋律型或和声型）在不同音高上的重复，属乐理与曲式通则
- 模进与单纯重复的区别在于是否移位，为通行表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.