COUNTERPOINT AND
PARTWRITING
Philip Miller
Counterpoint and Part-writing Page |1
Table of Contents
Foreword....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Part-writing ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Notes on Part-writing................................................................................................................................ 3
Introducing Figures ................................................................................................................................... 4
Preliminary Exercise .............................................................................................................................. 4
Voice Leading ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Bass Movement of a Second ..................................................................................................................... 6
Exercises ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Bass Movement of a Fourth or Fifth ......................................................................................................... 8
Exercises ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Counterpoint ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Notes on Counterpoint ........................................................................................................................... 11
Introducing Counterpoint ....................................................................................................................... 12
3rds and 6ths .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Exercises .............................................................................................................................................. 15
5ths and 8ves .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Exercises .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Part-writing (Continued) ............................................................................................................................. 20
Notes on Part-writing.............................................................................................................................. 20
Chords with a 6th .................................................................................................................................... 21
Exercises .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Rule of the Octave .................................................................................................................................. 24
Counterpoint and Part-writing Page |2
Foreword
This method takes a graded approach to the theories of partimento or "part-writing" and counterpoint.
It relies on texts by Heinichen, Sanguinetti, and Fux for the rules and conventions expressed here. This is
by no means an exhaustive text on the subject, and the reader should refer to the previously noted
authors for any topics not covered.
As the method prepares the student for composition in partimento and counterpoint, it focuses on a
process of accumulating techniques as opposed to in-depth analysis.
The principles used throughout this method are independent of voicing, but the examples and exercises
will be presented in closed position or keyboard style for ease of reading and playing at the piano. The
student is encouraged to copy the bass from the examples and exercises and rewrite the upper voices
using open position or chorale style voicings.
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Part-writing
Notes on Part-writing
[To be added later]
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Introducing Figures
Principle #1: Chords with a 5 and 3 are the most stable and help to define the tonality.
Principle #2: Any tone may be doubled - the bass or any of the figures may appear twice.
Example 1.1 - Chords with a 5 and a 3.
The numbers below the bass notes are called "figures", and the voices written above the bass are called
the "realization" of the figure
These chords are built by using the intervals of a 5th and a 3rd above the bass note, and often, but not
always, by doubling the root
Notice some of the different voicings can be used for these chords.
Preliminary Exercise
Exercise 1.1 - Realize these chords with a 5 and a 3.
Remember that any tone may be doubled in the upper voices.
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Voice Leading
Principle #3: Voice leading with the smallest possible motion is the goal of good part-writing, and should
be attempted at all times, so long as another principle is not violated.
Example 2.1 - Voice leading with the smallest motion possible.
We will refer to each of the voices in the treble clef as the soprano, alto, or tenor voice.
The voice in the bass clef will be referred to as the bass.
Each of the upper voices has its own line, and the motion of one voice from a chord to the next is called
"voice leading". For example, in the first chord the note G moves to the note A in the next chord - this is
the voice leading of the top voice.
Compare this example with the following counterexample.
Counterexample 2.1 - Voice leading with motion larger than necessary.
This counterexample shows voice leading with large leaps between each of the upper voices and it does
not contain the smallest motion possible. Notice how far each voice needs to leap to its next note in the
following chord.
This should not be done.
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Bass Movement of a Second
Principle #4: The motion of two voices should not be in parallel 5ths or 8ves (octaves).
Principle #5: Contrary motion, i.e. the upper voices moving in opposite direction to the bass, should be
used with figures of a 5 and a 3 with bass movement of a second.
Example 2.2 - Bass movement of a second accompanied with contrary motion.
Compare this example to the following counterexample.
Counterexample 2.2 - Bass movement of a second without contrary motion in upper voices.
This counterexample shows bass movement of a second that is not accompanied by contrary motion in
the upper voices.
Notice how there are parallel 5ths and 8ves between the upper voices and the bass.
This should not be done.
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Exercises
Exercise 2.1 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd.
Follow the principles, and use the same rhythmic value for the upper voices as the bass.
Exercise 2.2 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd.
Exercise 2.3 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd.
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Bass Movement of a Fourth or Fifth
Principle #6: Similar motion, i.e. the upper voices moving in the same direction as the bass, may be used
with bass movements of a 4th or 5th when the soprano moves by step.
Example 3.1 - Bass movement of root position chords by a 4th or a 5th.
Notice how both similar motion and contrary motion do not produce parallel 5ths or 8ves.
Counterexample 3.1 - Similar motion for bass movement of a 4th or 5th that violates the principle of
smallest possible motion.
Parallel 8ves will occur when the upper voices move farther than needed to the next chord
This should not be done.
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Exercises
Exercise 3.1 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 4th or 5th.
Follow the principles
Use similar or contrary motion as needed for proper voice leading
Use the same rhythmic value as the bass
Some notes might stay the same for successive chords, while the others will move.
Exercise 3.2 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 4th or 5th.
Exercise 3.3 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 4th or 5th.
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Exercise 3.4 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd, 4th or 5th.
Follow the principles, remember to use similar motion for bass movements of a 2nd
Use the same rhythmic value as the bass
Exercise 3.5 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd, 4th or 5th.
Exercise 3.6 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd, 4th or 5th.
Exercise 3.7 - Realize the figures accompanying this bass movement of a 2nd, 4th or 5th.
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Counterpoint
Notes on Counterpoint
Some words explaining why we are now looking at two part writing, and are not using figures
Main points:
- Counterpoint will be useful when more complicated motions are needed
- Counterpoint goes hand in hand with figured bass
- Counterpoint is useful in melody writing above a bass
- Counterpoint is as important as figured bass
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Introducing Counterpoint
Principle #7: Counterpoint is the motion that occurs between two voices, one above and the other
below.
Principle #8: The intervals of a 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8ve are consonant intervals, they are most useful in
creating consonant or pleasant-sounding counterpoint.
Example 4.1 - An example of counterpoint.
Notice that we are using two voices only, and that each of the voices uses consonant intervals.
Counterexample 4.1 - An example of improper counterpoint.
This counterexample shows two voices moving in counterpoint but without using consonant intervals.
This should not be done.
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3rds and 6ths
Principle #9: Use contrary motion at any time for clear counterpoint.
Principle #10: We may use 3rds and 6ths under the following conditions
- When one voice makes a leap, the other voice may step using similar motion,
or may either step or leap using contrary motion
- We may use many 3rds and 6ths in a row, and may the same interval may occur up to four times
before we must change to a different interval
Principle #11: Consecutive leaps in one voice must be in different directions.
Example 4.2 - An example of counterpoint using 3rds and 6ths only.
Example 4.3 - An example showing contrary motion when one or both voices leap.
Example 4.4 - An example of similar motion combined with stepwise motion during leaps.
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Counterexample 4.2 - A counterexample with similar motion and leaps in both voices.
This counterexample shows two voices moving in counterpoint where both voices are leaping in the
same direction.
This should not be done.
Example 4.5 - An example showing an interval repeated and then changed.
Counterexample 4.3 - A counterexample showing too many repeats of the same interval.
This counterexample shows the voices moving in counterpoint while repeating the same interval; this is
incorrect because the interval needs to change after occurring four times.
This should not be done.
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Exercises
Exercise 4.1 - Write counterpoint in the treble voice.
Follow the principles of counterpoint
Use only 3rds and 6ths, label the interval used
Use the same rhythmic value as the bass, and you may repeat the same pitch twice in a row.
Exercise 4.2 - Write counterpoint in the treble voice.
Exercise 4.3 - Write counterpoint in the bass voice.
Exercise 4.4 - Write counterpoint in the bass voice.
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Exercise 4.5 - Write all of the possible counterpoint to the bass voice.
Follow the principles of counterpoint
Complete the exercise with descending motion first, then with ascending motion.
Use only 3rds and 6ths, label the interval used
Use the same rhythmic value as the bass, and you may repeat the same pitch twice in a row.
Exercise 4.6 - Write all of the possible counterpoint to the treble voice.
Exercise 4.7 - Write all of the possible counterpoint to the bass voice.
Exercise 4.8 - Write all of the possible counterpoint to the bass voice.
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Exercise 4.9 - Write counterpoint in the treble voice.
Follow the principles of counterpoint
Use only 3rds and 6ths, label the interval used
Use the same rhythmic value as the bass, and you may repeat the same pitch twice in a row.
Exercise 4.10 - Write counterpoint to the treble voice.
Exercise 4.11 - Write a line in the bass, and then write counterpoint to that line.
Use between 10-12 notes.
Exercise 4.12 - Write a line in the treble, and then write counterpoint to that line.
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5ths and 8ves
Principle #12: We may use 5ths and 8ves under the following conditions
- When approaching a 5th or 8ve, contrary motion is always acceptable
- If similar motion is used, the top voice must move by step
and the bottom voice must move by leap
Example 5.1 - An example of counterpoint using 5ths and 8ves only.
Counterexample 5.1 - A counterexample showing improper movement of 5ths and 8ves.
This counterexample shows similar motion with the treble voice moving by leap and the bass voice
moving by step, and similar motion with both voices moving the same amount.
This should not be done.
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Exercises [NOTE: WRITE AN EXERCISE WHICH MAKES SIMILAR MOTION MORE PROMINENT]
Exercise 5.1 - Fill in the opposite voice using 5ths and 8ves only. Label the interval.
Follow the principles of counterpoint.
Exercise 5.2 - Fill in the opposite voice using 5ths and 8ves only. Label the interval.
Follow the principles of counterpoint.
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Part-writing (Continued)
Notes on Part-writing
We have just completed some exercises in counterpoint which will enable us to explore some of the
more complicated motions involved in part-writing.
Previously, we used the same type of motion in all of the upper voices, whether it be similar or contrary
motion to the bass. In this section, we will use a mix of motions in the upper voices, governed by the
rules of counterpoint taken from the last section.
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Chords with a 6th
Principle #13: The 6th of a chord may move to any interval in the next chord, but may only move to a
3rd by stepwise motion.
Principle #14: The voices may move with a mixture of contrary and similar motion.
Principle #15: The principles of counterpoint apply to each voice in relation to the bass.
Example 6.1 - Chords with a 6 and a 3.
Example 6.2 - Chords with a 6 and a 3.
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Exercises
Exercise 6.1 – Realize the figures in the treble staff.
Follow the principles of part-writing and counterpoint.
Exercise 6.2 - Write the missing chords in the treble clef.
Exercise 6.3 - Write the missing chords in the treble clef.
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Exercise 6.4 - Write the missing chords in the treble clef.
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Rule of the Octave
The "Rule of the Octave" is a formula for coming up with the figured bass numbers.
When writing in a key, each scale step has its own figure. You can use the figures from the "Rule of the
Octave" as a tool to choosing the chords.
Here is the Rule of the Octave when used with ascending bass motion:
Example 7.1 - A realized bass with figures from the rule of the octave.
Notice how each note in the bass has the same figure as the one given in the Rule of the Octave above.
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Composition
Notes on Composition
Compositions can be constructed through the action of many processes. Here are given a few processes
for organizing composition – from figured bass to textures, creating form through melodic lines,
Process – Figured Bass to Textures
Write the figured bass. Realize the chords in a register of your choosing.
Ornament the notes through various techniques – arpeggiation, scalar passing tones, neighbor pitches,
trills, turns and mordants, registral changes, chromatic alteration of notes, rhythmic displacement, etc.
Let’s look at a realized figure bass, given to us in the rule of the octave:
There are various ways we can create a texture from this. Here are a few examples:
[Examples of the aforementioned techniques]
Arpeggiation
Scalar Passing Toes
Neighbor Pitches
Trills, Turns and Mordants
Registral Changes
Chromatic Alteration of Notes
Rhythmic Displacement
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Process – Creating Form through Melodic Lines
Form is the organization of music. It can be achieved through different means – textures, keys, rhythm
and meter, etc. We will consider ways in which form can be created through melody, or in another
perspective, how form constrains our choice of melody. Without dictating which tones should be chosen
for a melody to work, we will explore the effects of certain tones, their occurrence in music, and their
relationship to the form of a piece.
1, 3, or 5?
The choice of a melodic tone is often intuitive, as it has an effect on our perception of the movement of
a melody. This means that we may choose a particular tone because we want the melody to move, or
not move. At times it may seem obvious why certain tones do occur in specific places, such as cadences,
but the opposite is often overlooked – why tones do not occur in other places.
The first tone which we will consider is the harmonic root, or 1st degree. In relation to figured bass, this
tone is the octave above a 5-3, also the 6th above a 6-3, and the 4th above a 6-4.
When investigating how often the harmonic root of a chord appears, and its influence on form, it will be
most fruitful to look for 5-3 chords where the octave above the bass appears. In certain music of the
Baroque period, these chords are scarce and happen most often at structural points in a piece.
Let’s consider the first Prelude from the WTC Book 1, a piece with a total of 35 measures. The 5-3 chords
appear in measures: 1, 11, 19, 33, and 35. This may seem like a few number of 5-3 chords, but when we
consider that these chords are often chosen for their stability, arrested motion, and arrival at a new key,
it may not be so surprising. If Bach had written this piece with more 5-3 chords, then the sense of
motion would have been altered and decreased. We’ll look at another example to see whether this is an
odd duck.
The second prelude from the WTC Book 1, a piece with 38 measures, contains 5-3 chords in the
following measures: 1, 4, 14, 18, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 38. Since this piece contains many more 5-3
chords than the previous piece, we will group these by functional use.
