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0 votes
2 answers
128 views

In Organum and Species Counterpoint why is one of the voices always in whole notes?

Edit: It was pointed out to me that counterpoint spawned from the Organum style of music. For more context, here’s information from two sources I just read. “Two styles of Organum existed during this ...
Lecifer's user avatar
  • 984
4 votes
1 answer
190 views

In the musical texture “monody”, can the underlying harmony be provided with a single voice?

According to these wiki pages (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monody https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophony), in Monody, ”one solo voice sings a melodic part, usually with considerable ornamentation, ...
Lecifer's user avatar
  • 984
1 vote
2 answers
146 views

What is the music theory term for the study of the role and rhythm of each voice in multi voice compositions?

I’m looking for the for the study of the role and rhythm of each voice in multi voice composing. For example “lead part/voice/melody or supporting part/voice/melody”. By rhythms what I mean is the ...
Lecifer's user avatar
  • 984
3 votes
0 answers
67 views

Why does Schoenberg think of "'semi-contrapuntal treatment' of the accompaniment" as a way of adapting a motive's melody to changes in its harmony?

Schoenberg says that the melody of a motive may be adapted to changes in the harmony "[b]y transposition," "[b]y addition of passing harmonies," or "[b]y 'semi-contrapuntal' ...
Noah J's user avatar
  • 277
2 votes
1 answer
139 views

Question on the definition of a dissonant passing/neighbor tone?

I am currently trying to teach myself counterpoint following Jacob Gran's videos. When I was analyzing my exercises today, I thought of this question. If the first two notes of a dissonant neighbor(or ...
Sam Cao's user avatar
  • 21
5 votes
3 answers
167 views

Can a Round Modulate?

I've been messing around with simple 2-part rounds recently, and also with modulation. The question occurred to me, can a round modulate? Initially I though not, since it would involve having parts in ...
Robin Andrews's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
123 views

Why might two jumps in contrary motion be avoided? [duplicate]

The goal is to write a well-constructed and easily singable melody. There is a motif in my melody that outlines a C major triad like this: E4 G4 C4 (in that order). Why might it not be wise to have ...
286642's user avatar
  • 1,396
2 votes
3 answers
106 views

What kinds of melodies tend to sound good under melodic inversion?

The other day I was trying to write a canon by inversion, and I wondered whether there are any general guidelines (other than trial and error) as to what kinds of melodies tend to sound "good" under ...
Kim Fierens's user avatar
  • 2,347
0 votes
3 answers
196 views

Does dissonance create movement in counterpoint?

I’m studying first species counterpoint and trying to wrap my head around why we try not to use unisons, octaves and perfect 5ths outside of the beginning and end. I understand that unisons, octaves ...
YoungCapone's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
769 views

How to differentiate countermelody from arpeggiated accompaniment?

I wonder what would be the main difference between arpeggiated accompaniment and counter melody. Could it be the rule that an arpeggiated accompaniment would be more repetitive (because it consists ...
Toby's user avatar
  • 371
0 votes
1 answer
305 views

Kinetic Rhythm in Pop Music

This is something I've noticed that I don't hear anyone really talking about... Essentially it's the way that separate rhythmic elements of most pop songs interact in a kinetic way with one another. ...
SSTEWART85's user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
2k views

Would the melodic leap of the opening phrase of Mozart's K545 be considered dissonant?

The Complete Musician by Steven Laitz states that melodic intervals larger than a fifth are considered dissonant and should be avoided. It also states that two leaps of a third are fine, provided you ...
october's user avatar
  • 123
1 vote
1 answer
665 views

Melodic lines are diatonic, harmony doesn't seem to be

Okay so this is something that I came across as I was writing my canons and analyzing the harmony to try to figure out which canon is best for my symphony. There is a section in one of my canons where ...
Caters's user avatar
  • 6,614
1 vote
0 answers
162 views

How to go about writing a second countersubject?

I have written a subject and countersubject. Here is how I went about writing the countersubject: 1st iteration: Restricted to D, G, and A(answer is is D major), all quarter notes 2nd iteration: A ...
Caters's user avatar
  • 6,614
1 vote
3 answers
2k views

What determines if counterpoint is good or bad?

I am currently reading through the Complete Musician and the current subject is second species counterpoint. I've written about 5 or 6 counterpoints so far in first and second species. That said ...
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