Scribd
Upload
233 views

Counterpoint Rules: If You Chose "Standard" Rules

The document outlines rules for writing countermelodies in either a standard or strict style. For standard rules, intervals between notes should be consonant and certain parallel intervals are prohibited. The countermelody must use notes from the key signature and avoid tritones or augmented seconds. For strict rules, the first and last intervals must be perfect consonances and all other intervals must be consonant. Additional restrictions are placed on parallel intervals, leaps, and note repetition.

Uploaded by

suriyaprakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
233 views

Counterpoint Rules: If You Chose "Standard" Rules

The document outlines rules for writing countermelodies in either a standard or strict style. For standard rules, intervals between notes should be consonant and certain parallel intervals are prohibited. The countermelody must use notes from the key signature and avoid tritones or augmented seconds. For strict rules, the first and last intervals must be perfect consonances and all other intervals must be consonant. Additional restrictions are placed on parallel intervals, leaps, and note repetition.

Uploaded by

suriyaprakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Counterpoint Rules

If you chose "Standard" rules:


• The interval between the given note and the note in your counter-melody should be
consonant (major/minor 3rd or 6th, perfect unison, 5th, or octave, or a compound
form).
• If the counter-melody is above the given melody, then the last note of the counter-
melody should be in the tonic chord.
• If the counter-melody is below the given melody, then the last note of the counter-
melody should be the tonic or third of the tonic chord.
• Parallel fifths: if the previous harmonic interval was a fifth, your next note should not
create the same harmonic interval again.
• Parallel octaves: if the previous harmonic interval was an octave, your next note
should not create the same harmonic interval again.
• Direct octaves or fifths: if both voices are moving in the same direction (and the upper
voice by jump), they should not move to a vertical octave or fifth.
• Avoid the tritone — the diminished fifth or augmented fourth interval — both melodic
(between notes in your melody) and harmonic (between your note and the given note
above or below it).
• Avoid augmented 2nds, both melodic (between notes in your melody) and harmonic
(between your note and the given note above or below it).
• Use notes in the key signature only. The only exception allowed is a sharp for the
leading tone in a minor scale.
• Leading tone resolution at cadence: if your second-to-last note is the leading tone, you
should resolve that up a half-step to the tonic at the cadence.
• Your counter-melody should move in steps, or in leaps of a 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th.
• Your counter-melody should not contain multiple successive large leaps (5th or 6th) in
the same direction.
• Your counter melody should not contain more than 3 leaps in a row.
• Avoid simultaneous leaps in the same direction.
• Simultaneous opposite leaps are only allowed if both voices leap by a third, or one
voice leaps by a third while the other voice leaps by a fourth.

If you chose "Strict" rules:


• If your counter-melody is above the given melody, the interval between the given note
and the first note in your counter-melody above should be a perfect unison, 5th, or
octave, or a compound form.
• If your counter-melody is below the given melody, the interval between the given note
and the first note in your counter-melody below it should be a perfect unison or
octave, or a compound form.
• The last note of your counter melody should form a perfect unison, octave, or double
octave with the given note above or below it.
• The second-to-last vertical interval should include both the supertonic (second note in
the scale) and the leading tone (...so the interval will be either a major sixth or a minor
third).
• For all other notes in your counter-melody: all vertical intervals should be larger than
the unison, and consonant (major/minor 3rd or 6th, perfect 5th or octave, or a
compound form).
• Parallel fifths: if the previous harmonic interval was a fifth, your next note should not
create the same harmonic interval again.
• Parallel octaves: if the previous harmonic interval was an octave, your next note
should not create the same harmonic interval again.
• Direct octaves or fifths: if both voices are moving in the same direction (and the upper
voice by jump), they should not move to a vertical octave or fifth.
• Avoid the tritone — the diminished fifth or augmented fourth interval — both melodic
(between notes in your melody) and harmonic (between your note and the given note
above or below it).
• Avoid augmented 2nds, both melodic (between notes in your melody) and harmonic
(between your note and the given note above or below it).
• Use notes in the key signature only. The only exception allowed is a sharp for the
leading tone in a minor scale.
• Repeated note: don't use the same twice in a row in your counter-melody.
• Your counter-melody should move in steps, or in leaps of a 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th.
• Your counter-melody should not contain multiple successive large leaps (5th or 6th) in
the same direction.
• After a melodic leap, your counter-melody should move a step in the opposite
direction, except: — after a leap of a 3rd, you can move a step in the same direction,
leap back a 3rd, or leap back a 4th.— after a leap of a 4th, you can leap back a 3rd.
• Avoid simultaneous leaps in the same direction.
• Simultaneous opposite leaps are only allowed if both voices leap by a third, or one
voice leaps by a third while the other voice leaps by a fourth.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy