Basics+of+Counterpoint

There were strict rules for creating such countermelodies, and these rules can be summarized in the simplest form as follows, based on the concept of perfect consonances, imperfect consonances and dissonances:

1. Perfect consonances, which should come as no surprise, are the unisons, octaves and perfect fifths, since these are based on the lowest integer relationships. (The fourth is considered a dissonance in this style, for reasons which will be explained shortly).

2. Imperfect consonances are the thirds and the sixths (which are inversions of each other). Dependent on their position within the scale, these thirds can be either major (comprised of two whole tones) or minor (a whole tone and a half tone). Both are equally “imperfect” but both are consonances. Indeed, these are considered to be the “sweet” intervals in this style, and their sonority will be an essential part of our study of tonality.

All other intervals are dissonant:


 * · Seconds are dissonant because of their close proximity to each other.
 * · Sevenths are dissonant because they are only a step away from being an octave.
 * · Tritones, as we know, are the most dissonant and require special treatment.
 * · All dissonances cannot remain so for long, and must be resolved in the proper way to consonances.

Finally, there are rules of motion when writing species counterpoint. They are:
 * Rules of Motion **

Direct motion results when two or more parts ascend or descend in the same direction by step or skip:

Contrary motion results when one part ascends by step or skip and the other descends—or vice versa:

Oblique motion results when one part moves by step or skip while the other remains stationary:

Direct motion into a perfect consonance. That is, you cannot go by direct motion, either by step or by skip, into a perfect fifth, octave or unison. Implied by this one rule are four rules that make the first more explicit: · From one perfect consonance to another perfect consonance one must proceed in contrary or oblique motion. · From a perfect consonance to an imperfect consonance one may proceed in any of the three motions. · From an imperfect consonance to a perfect consonance one must proceed in contrary or oblique motion. · From one imperfect consonance to another imperfect consonance, one may proceed in any of the three motions.
 * In writing species counterpoint, we concern ourselves with how we move from one pairing of notes to another. The main rule for species counterpoint is to strictly avoid the following: **