Counterpoint rules

One to One counterpoint

When both the soprano and bass have the same length

How are intervals counted

Always from the bottom/bass

Harmony

How music spans vertically (chords)

Melodies

How music spans horizontally (intervals)

Cantus Firmus

line given in counterpoint

Contrapuntal voice

line one has to make in counterpoint

Counterpoint generalization

8-14 measures, 1 key signature/mode, bass begins and ends on tonic and is preceeded by a 7 or a 2

Should have one high and/or one low point

Counterpoint shoulds (1st species)

Make it more stepwise rather than leapwise

Make it variaty rather than using the same pitches over and over

Have a clear focal point (high or low), meaning just have 1 high and/or low pitch

Go at least a 5th and no more than a 12th above the low note

In minor examples, use raised 6s and 7s if they are ascending

Precede a leap with opposite motion

Go stepwise in the other direction after a leap

2 consecutive leaps should span consonant interval

Only use consonant intervals

Resolve the leading tone (melodically)

Counterpoint should nots (1st species)

Have more than 2 consecutive same notes, or have consecutive same notes over barlines

Just go in one direction

have augmented or diminished intervals in the melody

Have more than 2 leaps in the same direction

Have unisons anywhere else than the beginning and end

Having more than 2 perfects (8ths or 5ths within counterpoint)

satic motion

Parallel unisons, fiths, or octaves

have more than 3 in a row of the same harmonic interval

Direct 5ths or octaves

Voice crossing

Overlapping

Leap in counterpoint

anything more than a melodic interval of a 3rd

consonant intervals in counterpoint

Unisons, 3rds, 5ths, 6ths, and octaves

static motion (never use this)

When both lines stay the same

oblique motion

when one line stays the same and the other moves

contrary motion

when one line moves up and the other moves down

similar motion

when both lines go in the same direction, but have different melodic intervals

parallel motion

when both lines go in the same direction and have the same melodic intervals

Direct 5ths/octaves (avoid)

similar motion going into an octave or 5th

Voice crossing

when the bass line is above the soprano line

Overlapping

when the bass line is above/equal to the previous note on the soprano line

Rules for second species

Dissonances allowed, but only on weak beat passing tones

The strong beats should be a good 1st species example

First and last tone have to be perfects (unisons, P5, octave)

Can begin with a half note rest

If cantus firmus is on top, one has to begin with a unison or octave

Use same ending rules as 1st species (Re-Do or Ti-Do)

Donts for second species

leap into a dissonance (vertically or horizontally)

Leap to or from a unison

Have unisons on down/strong beats

Repeated notes

No more than 3 repeated intervals in a row

No parallel 5ths/octabes

Leap into a 7th

Have a tritone (vertically or horizontally)

Dos for second species

Have a climax (low or high)

Follow rules from first species