Basic Musicianship: Counterpoint Principles & Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering core species counterpoint terms, melodic guidelines, relative motion types, interval classifications, and harmonic principles from Basic Musicianship: Written & Aural Skills I (Handout W15).

Cantus-Firmus

A fixed melody that begins and ends on 1, contains a single climax generally in the middle, avoids repeating pitches back to back, and ends with stepwise motion into the tonic.

First-Species Counterpoint

A form of counterpoint characterized by note-against-note motion between the voices, using only consonant harmonic intervals.

Second-Species Counterpoint

A form of counterpoint where two notes are set against each whole note in the cantus firmus, typically starting on the weak beat after a rest and permitting dissonances strictly as passing tones.

Fourth-Species Counterpoint

A form of counterpoint emphasizing tied rhythms and suspensions, where voices start on a weak beat after a rest and a single melodic climax is not strictly necessary.

Imperfect Consonances

Harmonic intervals of 3rds and 6ths, which are maximized in two-voice counterpoint to achieve tonal fusion.

Perfect Consonances

Harmonic intervals of unisons, 5ths, and 8ths (octaves); allowed for tonal fusion, though parallel and similar motion into them must be avoided.

Harmonic Dissonances

Intervals such as 2nds, 7ths, 4ths, and augmented or diminished intervals that must be avoided vertically, except when introduced as passing tones in second species or suspensions in fourth species.

Contrary Motion

A type of relative motion in which two musical lines move in opposite pitch directions; it should be maximized between voices and across bar lines.

Oblique Motion

A type of relative motion where one musical voice remains on the same pitch while the other voice moves; it should be included sparingly.

Parallel Motion

A type of relative motion where both voices move in the same direction by the exact same interval; parallel perfect intervals are strictly forbidden and parallel imperfect intervals must be limited.

Similar Motion

A type of relative motion where both voices move in the same direction but by different intervals; it should be used sparingly and avoided when entering perfect intervals.

Passing Tone

A melodic embellishing tone approached and resolved by step in the same direction, representing the only permitted dissonance in second-species counterpoint.

Neighbor Tone

An embellishing tone that moves away from a note by step and returns by step to the original pitch.

Suspension

A rhythmic and harmonic embellishment where a note is held or tied across a bar line from a weak beat into a strong beat, creating a tension that resolves downward by step.

Preparation

The first phase of a suspension, where the designated pitch is sounded as a consonance on a weak beat before being tied across the bar line.

Resolution

The final phase of a suspension, where the held pitch steps down into a consonant harmony.

Voice Overlap (Crossing Voices)

A vertical counterpoint error occurring when one voice crosses higher or lower than the adjacent voice's current or immediately preceding pitch register.

Tonal Fusion

The acoustic effect produced when simultaneous vertical notes blend into a consonant unity, accomplished by prioritizing 3rds and 6ths and avoiding unisons in the middle.

Melodic Climax

A single unique peak pitch within a melody, typically situated near the middle of the line, which must be placed at a different measure in each voice.

Large Leap Rule

The melodic guideline stating that any large leap within a line must be balanced immediately by a step in the opposite direction.