Counterpoint

General

– How to Set Melody and Bass follow each other without “Copy” the same Pattern (follow the Bass-line with Melody would be the easiest Way but also too “Amateur”)

– the Trick are slight different Notes but Not too Far away 

– we wanna stay in a Approximate Range in the Tonic Key 

– some Notes send out more Harmonics than others (means to be careful which Notes you take to Ensure you keep Relation to overall Tonic “Stability”)

– Good Way is to look at the Melody Notes and find the matching Chords for these Notes (means in Fm for Example Ab shares the Notes

– Write down all the Notes from these Chords to Form the Bass

“Similar Motion” = the Bass follows also when the Melody Rises Up or down

“Contrary Motion” = the Bass goes in the Opposite Direction of the Melody Line

“Bleek Motion” = the Bass & Melody stay at the same Pitch while other Instruments follow a Rise or Fall

Practice Example:

1) we have a Melody in Fm (Scale Notes are F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F)

2) the First Melody Note is a Ab and Ab in the Key of Fm can make the Following Chord Triads = F / A / D (& even 7th Chord in B)

3) so we could change the First Bass Note to F instead Ab

4) make Rhythmical Offsets / Changes in the “Form” of the Bass

5) use the 3 Motion Types to construct  as the Melody Progresses (Similar, Contrary & Bleek Motion)