Editing Common practice period (section)

===Duration===
[[Duration (music)|Durational pattern]]s typically include:<ref>{{harv|Winold|1975|loc=chapter 3}}</ref>

# Small or moderate duration complement and range, with one duration (or [[pulse (music)|pulse]]) predominating in the duration hierarchy, are heard as the basic unit throughout a composition. Exceptions are most frequently extremely long, such as [[pedal point|pedal tones]]; or, if they are short, they generally occur as the rapidly alternating or transient components of [[trill (music)|trill]]s, [[tremolo]]s, or other [[ornament (music)|ornaments]].
# [[Rhythmic unit]]s are based on [[Metre (music)|metric]] or [[intrametric]] patterns, though specific [[contrametric]] or [[extrametric]] patterns are signatures of certain styles or composers. [[Tercet|Triplet]]s and other extrametric patterns are usually heard on levels higher than the basic durational unit or pulse.
# [[Rhythmic gesture]]s of a limited number of rhythmic units, sometimes based on a single or alternating pair.
# Thetic (i.e., stressed), [[anacrusis|anacrustic]] (i.e., unstressed), and initial rest rhythmic gestures are used, with anacrustic beginnings and strong endings possibly most frequent and upbeat endings most rare.
# Rhythmic gestures are repeated exactly or in [[variation (music)|variation]] after contrasting gestures. There may be one rhythmic gesture almost exclusively throughout an entire composition, but complete avoidance of repetition is rare.
# [[Composite rhythm]]s confirm the metre, often in metric or even note patterns identical to the pulse on specific metric level.

Patterns of [[pitch (music)|pitch]] and [[duration (music)|duration]] are of primary importance in common practice [[melody]], while [[tone quality]] is of secondary importance. Durations recur and are often periodic; pitches are generally diatonic.<ref>{{harv|Kliewer|1975|loc=chapter 4}}</ref>