There’s Even More to Playing the Piano


Chapter 11 - Counterpoint

Counterpoint is a compositional technique and a musical texture. The word comes from the Latin phrase punctus contra punctum – note against note. Counterpoint describes music that has two or more melodic lines simultaneously. Melody (see Chapter 1) is not necessarily bound by the rules/conventions of harmony. Likewise, counterpoint is a way of composing that is not based on chords. Instead, counterpoint is based on an understanding of intervals and their sonorities (see Book 1, Chapter 7). Unisons, 5ths and Octaves sound strong and bold.3rds and 6ths are consonances (they sound...

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