Counterpoint

[purestmonk]

Hello guys

May I ask what is counterpoint? Can someone give some examples and how to practise it?

There was once I emailed Ken Hatfield, a classical+jazz guitarist and he told me that he made an effort everyday to practise counterpoint lines, but did not give any explanation.

It seems like it's widely used in classical music and I hope to incorporate into my jazz playing!

Help would be appreciated.

[mike walker]

Write a line. A very simple melody. Just a few bars. Maybe 2 or 4 bars.
Now, try and write another line that has it's own individual melody and rhythm, yet has a connection to the first line. They are both individual voices, but they support each other.
Bach was a master at this.
There are rules that you could get into to give you the discipline needed to create your own counterpoint ideas. A good book by Johann joseph Fux (fewks) called Gradus ad Parnassum is a brilliant study to work with. There are others but that would be good to begin with.
Once you can get 2 lines going you can try 3 then 4 or 5 etc.
Don't get overwhelmed with all the rules. There are many. But try to fall in love with the discipline of it. That was key for me. In fact, i didn't really have to try at all.

Best

Mike

[JonR]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterpoint
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfrYKlX6Nkw - his exercise has the two lines out of sync with one another, but counterpoint can be in sync too.

A good example of very simple counterpoint in pop/rock is the guitar in the Beatles "Blackbird" (2 lines in sync).

Here's some Bach counterpoint (not written for guitar originally of course):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mZvdGAGlOo

[stevel]

Originally Posted by purestmonk

Hello guys

May I ask what is counterpoint? Can someone give some examples and how to practise it?

There was once I emailed Ken Hatfield, a classical+jazz guitarist and he told me that he made an effort everyday to practise counterpoint lines, but did not give any explanation.

It seems like it's widely used in classical music and I hope to incorporate into my jazz playing!

Help would be appreciated.

In the old days, notes were called "puncta" (punctum)" which means "point" - they were shaped like little points rather than the way they are today. "contra" means "against".

It was originally "punctum contra punctum" or "point against point" or "note against note" in modern terminology.

We call this "counterpoint" now and it has come to mean:

One musical line "against" another musical line.

Now, you can have more than one musical line - could be 3, 4, or 5, etc. lines "against" one another.

Two things you should remember about counterpoint:
1. Contrary (opposite) motion is preferred.
2. Each line should maintain its identity and be in relatively equal status with the other line.

About #1:

Line 1: C D E
Line 2: E D C

A 6th, expanding to an octave, expanding to a 10th.

That's two lines (C D E, and E D C) moving "against" (opposite - one going up, one going down) each other.

That's counterpoint!

However, #2 above means that if one line becomes "subsidiary" to the other(s), it becomes an accompaniment, and not true counterpoint (though we could still say such a part is "contrapuntal" in nature).

Bach's music is full of counterpoint. The most famous (and obvious) example for guitar (originally for lute) is the Bouree in Em (and it's been played by many).

http://members.tripod.com/~Braumeister/#DeVisee

(click the Bach link, then Bouree - BWV996 - the PDF and it will bring up notation with standard and tab).

HTH,
Steve

[icarusi]

Originally Posted by purestmonk

Hello guys

May I ask what is counterpoint? Can someone give some examples and how to practise it?

One idea which worked for me is to use some ideas based on pedal tones then expand some of the pedal notes into counter-melodies. The pedal notes give you a harmonic skeleton to expand on or replace as the thing progresses.