Species Counterpoint: Species Iv printable pdf download

music theory for musicians and normal people by toby w. rush

Species Counterpoint: Species IV

with the fourth species, we stop using smaller note values and back up a bit to

species I. But instead of having the notes move at the same time, species IV involves

the voices being offset from one another.

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The biggest difference

with species IV is the

fact that dissonances

are permitted on the

downbeat. but as you

might expect, they have

to follow certain

specific rules.

dissonances in species IV must be in the form of suspensions.

oh you

A suspension is a dissonant note that is approached by being

don’t say .

held over — suspended — from the previous note.

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in this case, the suspension

another important defining

is the F on the downbeat of

characteristic is that the

the second measure. it’s

suspension resolves down

prepared by the F in the

by step. if it doesn’t resolve

previous measure, and resolves

7-6

down by step, it’s not a

down to the E.

suspension!

suspensions are great, by the way,

but don’t use the same one more

we label suspensions by the intervals of the

than three times in a row, or

suspension and resolution, so this one

fux will release the hounds.

would be called a 7-6 suspension.

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the only suspension fux allows when writing

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counterpoint below the cantus firmus is the

2-3 suspension, in which the suspended note

similarly, in

forms a second with the cantus firmus, then

this example,

8 6

4 3

resolves down to a third. (when this suspension

the suspended

is written an octave lower, it is sometimes called

note is the D,

a 9-10 suspension.)

which forms a

fourth with

see how we resolve to

4-3

2-3

the A. it moves to a C, a third above the

a larger interval, unlike

bass, making it a 4-3 suspension.

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the 7-6 or 4-3? we’re

2 3

below the cantus firmus,

the 7-6 and 4-3 suspensions

so we move away from it.

are the only ones fux allows

because suspensions

when writing counterpoint

always resolve down!

above the cantus firmus.

in species IV, you’re dealing with a lot of limitations with melody and counterpoint, so

you will sometimes get trapped in a situation where nothing will work. when this happens,

you are allowed to “break species”: forget the tie and slip into species II for a couple

Ó ˙

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of notes.

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for example, here we

break species so we

can avoid writing a

fux-enraging four

4-3 suspensions

in a row!

don’t go crazy with this, though... species IV counterpoint should embrace suspensions,

not avoid them. it’s best to break species only rarely . unfortunately, sometimes that means

backing way up and choosing a different starting pitch for your counterpoint!

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Species Counterpoint: Species Iv

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