Counterpoint - An Overview

huh

you know, i always though that dogs...laid eggs. So, i learned something today.

 

I'll remember this next time I'm playing a contrapuntal bassline... whenever that might be.

 

Kiwi,

Thanks for that. I've heard the term, and thought I had an idea of what it was--now I really have an idea of what it is. I'd eventually like to learn to be a good enough song writer to incorporate counterpoint.

Cheers,
RK

 

All good bass lines are countrapunal to a degree. The essence of counterpoint is writing something that sounds good on its own while also working well and supporting the other parts of the song.

I make extensive use of various counterpoint techniques in my original compositions, especially to emphasize seperate between bass and guitar.

 

That's true. I just thought it seemed very odd to throw out a definiton of counterpoint into a bassists' forum without warning. Especially without making the statement you just made. Suggestions as to how we might apply that information would have been more to my liking than the original post was.

 

I agree, but that's a little like asking someone to give you suggestions on how to apply calculus...its kinda hard to suggest uses for either to someone who doesn't really know how they work yet.

Here's a simple counterpoint excercise for you:

Take a simple melody in the key of C major: C-D-C-B-C. Now write a conterpunal bassline that defines the following chord progression: I-ii-IV-V-i.

What would the countermelody be? Obviously there are a couple answers. C-A-A-G-G would work. So would C-A-F-G-C. So would C-F-A-G-C.

Which is the "best" choice? Why? What makes the other's insuitable?

Answer:

The last choice is the best according to traditional thinking, because it is the most independent of the first line. The first choice has only 3 notes, it lacks a real melodic structure of its own. The second has a melody, but violates several important rules for voice leading, namely the paralell 5th that occur on the 2nd and 3rd notes. Parallell 5ths and 8ths mask independent motion, and should be avoided. The last example has two weaknesses, but neither is that serious. First it has two rather large skips: C-F and G-C, but depending on direction they may not be too bad. Assume that the first pair are ascending and the last descending. This would still sound fine as a bass line, but probably not so much as a soprano or alto part. Large skips tend to be less noticeable and jarring in the bass part. The second problem is that the IV chord doesn't have its root defined, but that's not a big deal either. First the IV chord isn't extremely important to this melody, so not hearing its root isn't devastating to the piece. Secondly we DO hear its root, in the bass line on the previous beat. This sharing of a chord tone adds a degree of stability and smoothness to the ii-IV transition even if we don't play the F in the same beat as the IV chord.

Why is this information helpful to a bass player? Well, this is how you create a good bass line. What we did was look at a simple monophonic melody and use another monophonic melody to create a stable sounding chord progression. Imagine that melody was a trumpet, or flute, or voice and you were asked to provide accompaniment on the bass. You've managed to define the chord proegression for the song without benefit of any other instruments, and your bass line still sounds cool and melodic all by itself.

Counterpoint is cool.

 

wow, great post Tash. I'd really like to learn more about counterpoint theory. Can you point me to any *basic* books? I have access to the music school's library at my university. I've seen some very thick books on the subject, but I think they'd be overkill for now.

 

The counterpoint theory I know is all from two sources: my composition teacher and Kent Kennan's Counterpoint textbook. This is considered one of the best texts on the subject available and is frequently used in college level counterpoint classes, if your school doesn't have it they can probably get it on ILL. It does require you to have a strong background in traditional theory however, but it starts at level 1 in terms of counterpoint (simple melodies arranged for two voices over traqditional chord sgtructures). It all the way up to writing fuges arranged for 4 or more voices.

I also recomend studying under a dedicated composition teacher, someone who has a firm understanding of how to use counterpoint in a practical sense and can guide you through the to process of turning excercises into music. Since you are at a university already there is probably at least one professor of theory there who teaches composition, you may even be able to take comp lessons for credit depending on your program.

 

Ha! this takes me back to 11th grade theory.

I would note that the concepts of counterpoint apply beyond notes and rhythm. Verily, just about any aspect of music is built off of dynamic interplay between 2 or more elements, and keeping the ideas of traditional and untraditional counterpoint in mind while playing is worth while. That said, this is western tonal counterpoint kiwi is talking about. Don't get caught up thinking this is the be all and end all of contrapuntal exploration.

 

I'm interested in exploring this further but am hampered by being "unschooled" in advanced music theory. It would be very helpful to listen to different examples of melody/bass interplay (I learn more from hearing than reading). Can anyone point to aural resources on this topic?

 

Eleanor Rigby
She's Leaving Home
I've got a Feeling

Great examples of counterpoint vocal parts from Lennon-McCartney

 

So how could a guy who wasn't trained in music theory and couldn't read standard notation know how to do that?

 

How could Mozart write a symphony at age 7?