9/23/2014 counterpoint.

txt
http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/cpt.html 1/3
INTRODUCTION TO COUNTRAPUNTAL MUSIC

Counterpoint is the art of combining melodic lines. This involves
consideration of the individual melodies and attention to their
interaction as they unfold together through time.

General: This music should be singable. That is, the range, rhythms,
intervals and so forth should be comfortable for a regular person to
sing. Many of the specific features described below are to help you
re-create a musical style that evolved from vocal singing and became
part the basic language for Western tonal art music, both vocal and
instrumental. For the time being, imagine everything you write is for
a group of average (sometimes mediocre; definitely not exceptional)
singers (maybe from the 18th Century). Below are guidelines to write
the kind of music they like to sing. Be creative, but within the
boundaries of their musical tastes and abilities. Write music they'll
like (for a while), and I'm sure you will learn something valuable to
carry over to the music you like.

WRITING MELODIES

Contour: The melodic line should have a sense of direction; that it is
'going somewhere' rather than remaining static or meandering
aimlessly. Typically, the shape of the melody should be interesting,
but clear and simple, with a single focal point, the highest note of
the melody.

Range: The range for an individual melody should lie approximately
within the span of an octave (from its lowest to highest notes). Each
voice part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) has a fixed tessitura of
approximately an octave-and-a-half, within which the melody should
lie. (see Kostka/Payne p.82).

Key: Stay within one key. Use only the diatonic notes of a single
major or minor scale. Do not use chromatic tones.

Melodic Intervals: Use mostly stepwise motion (minor and major 2nds)
from note to note, with leaps (minor 3rds and larger) used to create
melodic interest.Leaps of 3rds, perfect 4ths, and perfect 5ths are
common in both directions (up and down). Ascending leaps of 6ths are
common; descending are not. Octave leaps are possible but not common.
Avoid all augmented intervals, 7ths, and any leaps larger than a
perfect 8ve.

Diminished intervals may be used if the melody changes direction by
step immediately after the diminished interval (e.g., B F E).

A leap larger than a P4 should be approached and left in the direction
opposite the large leap (e.g., G A D F).

9/23/2014 counterpoint.txt
http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/cpt.html 2/3
Two consecutive leaps in the same direction should outline a major or
minor triad (e.g., A C# F#).

Tendency tones: Ti almost always must resolve upwards to Do.
COMBINING MELODIC LINES

Harmonic Intervals: This refers to the vertical intervals between
simultaneous notes in different lines (as opposed to melodic intervals
between adjacent notes in a single line). Intervals are not all
treated the same. Different intervals create different effects, and
therefore must be employed in different ways. Harmonic intervals were
historically classified as either consonant and dissonant intervals.
In the style in which we are studying, they are as follows:
Consonant Dissonant
Perfect cons.: P1, P8, P5 2nds, 7ths, P4
diatonic 3rds & 6ths all augmented & diminished
intervals

Compound intervals (those larger than an octave) are classified and
treated the same as the the corresponding interval that is less than
an octave. For example, a perfect 12th (P8 + P5) is considered a type
of perfect 5th.

Motion between lines: When two independent melodic lines are combined,
they create motion in relation to one another. There are four types of
motion (see also Kostka/Payne, p.84):

Contrary Motion: lines move in opposite directions (one up, the other
down). This is best type of motion to ensure that the melodic lines
remain independent. However, contrary motion between consecutive
perfect consonances (e.g., P5-P5) is not allowed.

Oblique Motion: one line stays steady (i.e., a repeated note or a tie)
and the other line moves up or down.

Similar Motion: both lines move in the same direction (both up or both
down) but not by the same amount (e.g., one line goes down a perfect
4th, the other line goes down a major 6th). Similar stepwise motion
should not exceed three stepwise intervals. Also, similar motion from
any interval to a perfect consonance (e.g., m6-P8) is usually not
allowed. This is sometimes called direct or hidden motion.

Parallel Motion: both lines move in the same direction by the same
amount (e.g., both lines ascend by 3rds). Parallel motion between
perfect consonances is not allowed (e.g., parallel 8ves or 5ths).


ONE-TO-ONE COUNTERPOINT
9/23/2014 counterpoint.txt
http://www.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/cpt.html 3/3

We will begin with two-part duets between soprano and bass. Sometimes
you will be given a pre-existing melody (called a cantus firmus) for
one of the parts and you will compose an accompanying counterpoint in
a 1:1 rhythmic ratio. This means that for every note in the cantus
firmus there should be one (and only one) note in the counterpoint,
and vice versa. In addition to stylistic features described above, the
following characteristics also apply:

Only consonant harmonic intervals are allowed. In other words, no
dissonant harmonic intervals are allowed.

The bass should begin and end on DO. The soprano most commonly begins
on either DO or SO, and always ends on DO. Occasionally (not often)
the soprano opens on MI (in major) or M (in minor). To restate this
intervallically, each phrase may begin with a unison, octave, or
perfect 5th (or occasionally a 3rd); each phrase ends with either an
octave or unison.

Within the phrase, harmonic 3rds and 6ths should predominate. Perfect
consonances (especially octaves and unisons) are generally saved for
the opening and closing of the phrase and therefore are not very
common within the phrase.

The distance between the soprano and bass rarely exceeds a 12th. At
the other extreme, a unison is perfectly acceptable, but the voices
should not cross. That is, the bass should not be above the soprano.


TWO-TO-ONE COUNTERPOINT

This is an elaboration of 1:1 counterpoint, with two eighth-notes in
the counterpoint for each quarter-note in the cantus firmus. In
general, all of the stylistic guidelines for 1:1 counterpoint still
apply. In addition:

Dissonant harmonic intervals are allowed on off-beat eighth notes
only, and only if approached and followed by stepwise melodic motion.

Consonant harmonic intervals are allowed on beats and off-beats (and
may be approached or followed by steps or leaps).

Avoid parallel, contrary, and hidden, octaves and fifths between
consective beats AND between an off-beat and the next immediate beat.