SPECIES COUNTERPOINT
PART II

Now that we know how to compose a proper*, consonant melody, we will next learn guidelines for how to harmonize it with an independent but still complementary line of music. This secondary, independent line is called FIRST SPECIES COUNTERPOINT and it interacts with the Cantus Firmus in a meaningful and pleasant way while still remaining slightly weaker than the primary line.

*Reminder that these are the “proper” guidelines for only Western European Classical music which also influences modern popular music. These guidelines don’t apply to other types of music around the world.

First species counterpoint will look like a line of music on a staff running parallel below or above the Cantus Firmus line.

INTERACTION BETWEEN CANTUS FIRMUS AND FIRST SPECIES COUNTERPOINT

Not only is it important that both the Cantus Firmus and First Species Counterpoint be quality musical lines on their own, but it is also important that they interact in a way that independent yet inter-related and consonant. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when writing a First Species Counterpoint against a preexisting Cantus Firmus:

• Try to keep the Cantus Firmus and First Species Counterpoint within an octave interval of each other (and at the very most, a P12 - which is the distance of an octave + a perfect 5th)

• Write only CONSONANT vertical intervals between Cantus Firmus and First Species Counterpoint

  • Only use unisons (P1) and octaves (P8) for the first and/or last notes

    • This is because P1 and P8 imply tonic, which means “home” and you only want to be “home” at the beginning and end

• For the rest of the time, use the following consonant intervals:

  • major and minor thirds (m3/M3), perfect fourths and fifths (P4/P5), and major and minor sixths (m6/M6)

    • Never use tritones (A4/d5), seconds (m2/M2), or sevenths (m7/M7) - these are dissonant

    • If the C. F. and F. S. C. are more than an octave apart, don’t use ninths (m9/M9) because those are a second plus an octave (still dissonant)

TYPES OF RELATIVE MOTION

You will want to vary the directions your First Species Counterpoint moves in relation to your Cantus Firmus for interest and contrast. In general, there are four ways you can move your F. S. C. in relation to the C. F.:

• SIMILAR MOTION: The F. S. C. moves in the same direction as the C. F. but in different intervals

• PARALLEL MOTION: The F. S. C. moves in the same direction as the C. F. and in the same interval

• CONTRARY MOTION: The F. S. C. moves in the opposite direction as the C. F.

  • This means that they could move apart or together - both options are considered contrary motion

• OBLIQUE MOTION: The F. S. C. stays on the same note from the previous interval while the C. F. moves

  • In oblique motion, the C. F. could move closer to or farther from the F. S. C.

• The relationship between your First Species Counterpoint and Cantus Firmus should have a combination of the relative motion types above

• Never use parallel fifths or parallel octaves - they are considered illegal in Species Counterpoint (this seems ridiculous, but that is the case)

  • Also avoid using parallel fourths if possible - and more than three parallel anything else (3rds or 6ths) in a row

  • Do not approach a perfect interval by similar or parallel motion - only contrary or oblique motion

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE No. 1: Counterpoint Above

In the example below, the original Cantus Firmus from Week 6 is presented with a First Species Counterpoint on top. As you listen to both lines interacting with one another, notice a few things:

• The First Species Counterpoint is in D Minor just like the Cantus Firmus

• The First Species Counterpoint is above the Cantus Firmus the whole time except where it starts and ends in unison

• The F. S. C. repeats a note

• The vertical intervals achieved by the notes in the C. F. sounding at the same time as the notes in the F. S. C. are all consonant

EXAMPLE No. 2: Counterpoint Below

In this second example, the original Cantus Firmus from Week 6 is presented with a First Species Counterpoint below it. As you listen to both lines interacting with one another, notice a few things:

• The First Species Counterpoint is in D Minor just like the Cantus Firmus

• The First Species Counterpoint is below the Cantus Firmus the whole time and starts and ends an octave below the C. F.

• The F. S. C. repeats a note on three occasions

• The vertical intervals achieved by the notes in the C. F. sounding at the same time as the notes in the F. S. C. are all consonant

ANALYZING THE FIRST SPECIES COUNTERPOINT

To analyze (or make sense of and understand) a work of First Species Counterpoint, follow the guidelines below:

• Determine what key the C. F. and F. S. C. are in (including whether they are in major or minor)

• Determine which is on top and which is on bottom

• Determine what clefs the C. F. and F. S. C. are in (they aren’t necessarily in the same clef)

• Determine the starting and ending intervals (they will be unison or octaves on the root of the scale or you might see a P5 between a lower Cantus Firmus starting on the root and an upper First Species Counterpoint starting on the 5th)

• Check for range issues in each individual part

  • Does the C. F. or F. S. C. extend over a major 10th (octave + M3) and are there any leaps more than a major 6th?

• Check for range issues in how the parts interact

  • Do the C. F. and F. S. C. stay within a perfect 12th (octave + P5) of each other?

• Check for voice crossing or voice overlapping (if you identify these items, you should fix them)

• Check that both the C. F. and the F. S. C. follow the guidelines for good Cantus Firmus composing

• Check that all vertical intervals between the C. F. and F. S. C. are consonant and that there aren’t illegal parallels like P8s or P5s

Below, you will see how I have analyzed the two First Species Counterpoint Examples …

ANALYZING EXAMPLE NO. 1

RANGE: The C. F.’s range is one octave; the F. S. C.’s range is a P5; the widest distance created between the two is a M10

CLIMAXES: The C. F. climaxes at the beginning and end; the F. S. C. climaxes in m. 9 on the note A

There is no melodic or harmonic dissonance (there are probably too many 6ths in a row mm. 2-5 and the P5 in m. 6 is moved into by similar motion; if I was going to make edits, I would fix those things)

There is no voice crossing or voice overlapping

MOTION: There is 1 instance of similar motion, 5 instances of parallel motion (probably too many), 1 instances of oblique motion, and 6 instances of contrary motion (we like contrary motion, so this isn’t too much)

ANALYZING EXAMPLE NO. 2

RANGE: The C. F.’s range is one octave; the F. S. C.’s range is a m6; the widest distance created between the two is a P8

CLIMAXES: The C. F. climaxes at the beginning and end; the F. S. C. climaxes in m. 3 on the note F

There is no melodic or harmonic dissonance (the parallel P4s in the beginning are a little awkward, but not against the rules)

There is no voice crossing or voice overlapping

MOTION: There are 4 instances of similar motion, 4 instances of parallel motion, 3 instances of oblique motion, and 2 instances of contrary motion