Second Species Counter Point
Second Species Counter Point
Rules
- Opening. Start with either a half rest or a half note on the down beat of the first measure followed by a half note on the off beat. The first HI should be a octave or a unison or a fifth if the counter-point is in the upper part.
- Closing. End with hole note in the last measure with a HI of 8 (or U) following a 5 ↗ 6 or 5 ↘ 3 OR such that the last two notes are hole notes with HI 6 ↗ 8 3 ↗ 8 (take care of // 8).
- Other than the beginning and Close, use hole notes for the Cantus Firmus and half notes for the counter-point. An immediate repetition of the same pitch is not allowed within the bar or over the bar line.
- Consonant HI are on the beat, they also might appear on the off-beat approached as consonant leaps (CL), steps (CSt) or skips (CSk).
- Include dissonant HI (
2, 4, 7, 9, 5dim, 4aug), if resolved correctly on the down beat, as passing tones or more rarely neighbor tones.
- Check from one down beat to the next and from an off-beat to the next for parallel
5 or 8. Perfect consonances from off-beat to the next are allowed up to two in a row.
- Intervals on the down beat are normally approached melodically by step (preferred) or skip. Avoid similar motion into an octave or a fifth over a bar line if the upper voice moves by a step.
- Use no accidentals except to raise flat
7 and flat 6 if necessary at the close in minor 7 (get the leading tone).
- Continue to follow the guidelines for first species counter-point with respect to the overall motion between the parts (contrary, parallel, similar and oblique) and principles of good melody writing.