Counterpoint Study 4: 1:1 Ratio (Part 2)

Counterpoint Study Lesson 4: 1:1 Ratio (Part 2)

In the last lesson, we have studied at least 5 basic rules of strict counterpoint. In this lesson, we will further study more rules in strict counterpoint. 

Rule No. 6
Horizontal leap which forms at least diminished 5th interval is better approached (preceded and succeeded) by notes which lie inside the interval.

You may notice that this rule is more like a suggestion since it uses the word 'better'. However, in strict counterpoint, rule number 6 is regarded as strong suggestion (because there are contrapuntal works which violates this particular rule, for instance, Bach's Invention Number 4). In the example below, the first leap, which forms a major 7th interval, is preceded and succeeded respectively by note C and A, which lie inside the leap. In the second leap, it is preceded by note B and is succeeded by note F, which both lie inside the minor 6th interval.

Rule No. 7
Seventh (7th) interval, and its inversion, second (2nd) interval, must be resolved (or succeeded) by a step note.

The rule number 7 states that any 7th or 2nd intervals must be resolved by step notes. This rule exists because, as I stated in the first lesson about interval, that 7th and 2nd intervals are categorized as dissonant intervals. Dissonant intervals have the characteristic of being unstable, therefore they are relatively not so good to hear in a long time. Hence, they must be resolved by step notes. In 7th interval, a step note may form 6th or octave intervals horizontally, whereas in 2nd interval, a step note may form unison or 3rd intervals horizontally.

Rule No. 8
Do not use major seventh (M7) chord.

This is simply because M7 chord was not known nor used in the Baroque era.

Rule No. 9
Avoid using any diminished chord.

If diminished chord appears, then eventually, it will cause problems, mainly in the counterpoint which ratio is more than 1:1.

Rule No. 10
Three or more consecutive horizontal leaps on the same direction is forbidden.

This rule forbids the existence of three or more consecutive horizontal leaps on the same direction. In other words, there should not exist three or more leaps on melodic intervals appear consecutively on the same direction. The example below shows the violation of rule number 10. On the first bar, there are 3 consecutive upward leaps. On the second bar, there are 3 consecutive downward leaps. On the third bar, the upward leaps is interrupted by an upward step. Finally, on the last bar, the downward leaps is resolved by an upward leap. In conclusion, the first and the second bars violate the rule number 10, whereas the remaining bars do not.

Exercise
Try to compose counterpoint part for the cantus firmus below by using all the given rules. Notice that because the CF is written in clef F, the CP must be written in clef G. If you notice, the first four bar is the same with the last exercise in the previous lesson. Thus, you are allowed to use your own answer of the previous exercise. I will put my answer on the next update.

Below is my composition for the counterpoint part of the exercise above,

Counterpoint Study 3: 1:1 Ratio (Part 1)

Counterpoint Study Lesson 3: 1:1 Ratio (Part 1)

Assuming that we know basic harmony, now we should move on to the real lesson of counterpoint. The simplest type of counterpoint is 1:1 ratio. Ratio is defined as horizontal relation between two vertical notes. In the famous book Gradus Ad Parnassum by Johann Fux, ratio can be associated with species. 1:1 ratio means that one particular note is compared with another note with the same value, hence, 1:1 ratio simply means note against note.

There are many rules in counterpoint. These rules make counterpoint sometimes perceived as 'one of the most difficult subject in music theory'. Composing a contrapuntal music should consider these rules. Because our start point in studying counterpoint is from scratch, the type of counterpoint that we are going to study is strict counterpoint. All contrapuntal music that will appear or given in this lesson are subject to these rules. By studying strict counterpoint, I hope we can make a contrapuntal music using the same way Baroque composers composed theirs. In this lesson, I will introduce several rules in 1:1 ratio of counterpoint.

Rule No. 1
Good counterpoint is a counterpoint which has good harmonic structure.

The first rule states that good counterpoints must have good harmonic structures.  In more simple words, good harmonic structure in counterpoint means that the chords in counterpoint must be properly defined. It means that every essential notes (CF and its CP) must form a chord. In two notes counterpoint, chord not always be formed by a triad. Two distinct notes (one represents CF and the other represents CP) can be regarded as a chord. The chord may appear in various positions: root, first inversion, or second inversion.

Rule No. 2
Sometimes use dominant 7th chord.

This rule is more like a suggestion rather than a necessity. To make it clearly, dominant 7th is a major triad chord with an additional minor seventh. Dominant 7th chord is sometimes used as a resolution chord, because of its tendency to change to tonic chord. Since leading tone has also the same tendency, dominant 7th chord sometimes appears together with it.

Rule No. 3
Use 3rd and 6th intervals as frequent as possible.

Rule number 3 is a strong suggestion. It could even be regarded as weak necessity. In most good contrapuntal works, 3rd and 6th intervals appear more often rather than other intervals. The extensive use of these intervals may caused by their characteristic of being consonant. Nevertheless, other consonant intervals (any kind of perfect intervals) do not get the same rule.

Rule No. 4
Octave interval may be used, but not too frequent. If it appears, it should be approached by contrary motion.

As I was saying that consonant intervals other than 3rd and 6th do not have the same rule like rule number 3. Therefore, rule number 4 is the one the consequences which apply to particular perfect interval. I believe that rule number 4 is a self explanatory. The application of rule number 4 can be seen in the picture below.

As you may notice that an octave interval appears on the third bar. The motion from second bar to third bar forms a contrary. Thus, the appearance of octave interval follows the rule number 4.

Rule No. 5
Perfect 5th interval may be used, but not too frequent. If it appears, it should be approached by contrary motion.

Rule number 5 is identical with rule number 4 except that it applies for perfect 5th rather than octave. The picture below shows an example of the application of rule number 5.

In this example, the appearance of perfect 5th in the fourth bar is approached by contrary motion which is formed from third bar to fourth bar.

Exercise
Try to compose counterpoint part for the cantus firmus below by using all the given rules. Notice that because the CF is written in clef F, the CP must be written in clef G. I will post my composition of this exercise on the next update.

Here is my composition for the above exercise. If you find my composition violates any counterpoint rules, please do not hesitate to elaborate. 

Counterpoint Study 2: Motion

Counterpoint Study Lesson 2: Motion

Some rules in counterpoint consider the motion of the notes. Motion is defined as how the notes are arranged horizontally. In counterpoint, the main melody is called as cantus firmus (or CF), whereas its counterpoint is simply called counter point (or CP). The notes arrangement between CF and CP form motion. These motions also referred to as contrapuntal motion. There are four basic type of contrapuntal motion:

1. Parallel, characterized by motion which has the same interval (CF and CP move within the same intervals). 
2. Similar, characterized by motion which has the same direction but has different interval (CF and CP move in the same direction but within different intervals).
3. Contrary, characterized by different direction between CF and CP.
4. Oblique, characterized by no change in pitch (in one melodic line), whereas the other goes up or down.

Below is the example of each contrapuntal motions, along with their respective intervals.

Analysis: Assume that clef G is the CF and clef F is the CP. On the first bar, the interval doesn't change, thus its a parallel motion. On the second bar, CF's and CP's melodic lines go on the same direction (down) but the intervals change, hence its a similar motion. On the next bar, CF's melodic lines go up whereas CP's melodic lines go down, hence its a contrary motion. Last, on the fourth bar, CF's melodic lines are on the same pitch whereas CP's melodic lines go down, hence its an oblique motion.

Counterpoint Study 1: Interval

Counterpoint Study Lesson 1: Interval

Counterpoint is one of the fundamentals in musical composition. It is very important in composing structured music. Counterpoint was widely used and developed in Baroque era. One of the pioneers in counterpoint music was Johann Sebastian Bach. Counterpoint music can be identified by its complex-structured polyphony. In Baroque music, counterpoint can be found in many forms, such as fugue, sarabande, gavotte, minuet, gigue, even in toccata.

I've been interested in studying everything related to musical composition. Recently, I joined an online class held by IMI (Indrapraja Music Institute), taught by its founder (and also my friend) Mr. Diecky K. Indrapraja himself, to increase my knowledge in composition. This online counterpoint class is very interesting. I study along with two other students who are currently studying music in various universities. This page, and other next pages titled "Counterpoint Study", will be my notes while studying this particular subject.

The word "counterpoint" originates from Latin words, contra punctus. In musical terms, these words mean point against point. A point here is associated with a musical note. Therefore, counterpoint generally discusses how to create a note which counters another note.

Because counterpoint discusses about relations between notes, one particular subject in musical theory must be understand before our study going further. The particular subject is interval. Interval measures the differences between two notes. To understand intervals, I will give a simple example. The most simple scale which can be played on a piano is C major scale. As we know, C major scale consists of 7 notes (8 notes if includes C'), which are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B (and C'). The relations among these notes form intervals. Basic intervals in C major scale is shown below.

The table above shows intervals in C major scale. As you can see, it is very simple. You can easily identify these basic intervals by using only white keys on a piano. I say 'basic' because the table above only shows intervals which are formed by white keys. What about the intervals of black keys in C major scale? For instance, what is the interval between C and E♭? To answer this, see the table below, which shows more general intervals in C major scale. 

By referring to the table above, the answer of previous question is minor third (m3). There are several terms in interval which are common in music theory. Those are: 

1. Consonant: intervals which are categorized as consonant is third and sixth. These intervals can be identified by their sound characteristics: stable, pleasant, good to hear. Hence, because of the characteristic of unison and octave, these intervals are also categorized as consonant.
2. Dissonant: second and seventh are dissonant intervals because of their characteristic: unstable, tend to change.
3. Perfect: fourth and fifth are clearly perfect intervals
4. Tritone: tritone intervals are characterized by their 'unpleasant' sound, which is very unstable. This is caused by three adjacent whole tones.

To understand more about interval, on the picture below, I've made several examples of intervals in different scales. 

Here is my analysis of the exercise: on the first bar, the first note (bottom note) is G. The first note to the second note (upper note) forms a fifth interval. But, since the D got a sharp signature, the fifth interval is augmented. Hence, augmented fifth (A5). On the second bar, the first note (E♭) forms a seventh interval with the second note (D). But, since the D got a flat signature, the interval becomes minor seventh (m7). On the next bar, the note B forms a sixth interval with G. But, what type of sixth? On a B major scale, major sixth is formed between B and G♯. Because G♭ is 2 semitones lower than G♯, the interval on the third bar is diminished sixth (d6). Next, the first note on the last bar is A♭. A♭ to C forms a major third. Since the C got a sharp signature, the interval becomes augmented third (A3). 

The next lesson is about motion in counterpoint. If anyone has any question about this interval lesson, please put your question on comment.

Soundcloud: Random Thoughts

Yes, this is my first post after my last post a long time ago. By the way, I just want to tell you that I've just created my Soundcloud account. I've uploaded my first recording since I moved to Jakarta.

Many weeks ago, after office time, I played random sound on my office's piano, a Yamaha DGX650. This digital piano has the capability to record what I play and save it into my USB memory stick. Thus, I started to play random music. When I say random music, I mean it was just a kind of improvisation. You can hear the result on this Soundcloud link. I simply titled it "Random Thoughts 1". I hope you'll enjoy it, and don't forget to subscribe my channel.

Sunday, June 2nd, 2013

It's been a long time since I posted something on this blog. I'm glad to be back on Blogger again :D

I was too busy studying and working in my college. I only had a little spare time. I used most of them for playing my piano. Let me tell you what I studied during my first semester. Conventionally, I took 11 credits, which can be divided into 5 subjects. Those subjects are: Mechatronics, Nonlinear Control Systems, Optimal Control, Advanced Robotics, and Specific Topic on Control Systems. In Mechatronics, we (I and my classmates) studied sensors, transducers, actuators, and sort of things related to mechanics and electronics engineering. In Nonlinear Control, we studied the describing function, phase plane, sliding mode control, and Lyapunov stability. We studied the optimal design of regulator and estimator which respectively called LQR and LQE (or Kalman Filter) in Optimal Control. We only studied a few new technique for robot application in Advanced Robotics. I don't remember what I studied because it was too difficult to me to understand. In the last subject, the lecturer gave us an introduction about model predictive control and anti windup schemes.
 
The previous week was the last week I had tasks to submit. At last, this semester is over. I have some time to breathe. I just learned some new songs, but still not perfect when I play those. I'll post the video immediately after I've mastered all of it one by one. The songs are: Final Fantasy Battle Medley which mostly arranged by Michael Gluck, The Dancer by Levi Gunardi, Intermezzo from the Concert Etude by Nikolai Kapustin, and Secret from the movie "Secret" by Jay Chou.

I intended to learn something about control systems and do some projects during this vacation since I couldn't have any class in this short semester because I had no interest to take one or both the two subjects offered. I want to review and re-study what I've learned and forgotten. For the project, I get an offer to make a new module for control system laboratory due to a new different motor that will be used. I also need to make a precisely regulated power supply, because somehow I need it on occasion.
I'd like to study english for TOEFL as well.

You may wonder why, but do you see? I don't do vacation. Even if sometimes I get bored studying all the time, I feel that I must not get bored before I've mastered what I studied. In addition, I'm still single. And, you know, I prefer to staying in my room or in laboratory rather that going outside alone.

By the way, the date format will be the title when I write my diary in this blog. Thus, this is my first diary I write on my blog. For me, it's a little awkward when a man writes a diary because in my head, I assume that most of diaries are written by women rather than by men. Maybe just because I don't know the real statistics or facts but, whatever. I'll keep writing my diary.

...

I don't know. I'm confused, after everything happened between us...

I think I saw the light again. I thought we can be together again. I was glad when you showed up and asked for my cares. I was happy about the fact that you were okay, even if I also knew the sad part, the one that made me jealous.

I don't want to distract you. I want you to focus to be what you wanna be. I want you to reach your success.
I want you to get the best, in every way...  

however, it turns out that my cares are just inhibiting you. Oh, sorry I didn't see that. Sorry...

but have you ever thought and considered my feelings?

all I want is you. To be with you.
as simple as that...

please, hold my hand and I'll do everything to keep it so.
I don't care with everything around us.
I want to live, as long as I can hold your hand.
I want to die, if you let me go and never come back.

Love is painful. My love story has turned into a tragedy.
Oh,  please! I don't want to fall in love anymore.
I wish I were born with no heart, so I can never feel the pain of love.

I'll go away from you...
I won't disturb you with my cares anymore...
because I want you to happy, to get everything you want...

I offered you my life, my soul, and my afterlife's life...
but unfortunately, you didn't accept my offer, you chose us to live separately...
okay then. Well, it seems that I can't fight for our love by myself...

Once I said, if you let me go for once more time, then you should kill me...
yes, I understand. You're killing me now...

Somewhere

I wish we were still together, and trust each other. I hug you and wipe your tears coming from your beautiful eyes. I'll say it's okay, everything will be fine. Just trust me that I love you, and I promise we'll be happy forever. Then, I whisper...

there's a place for us
  somewhere
    a place for us
      peace and quiet and open air
        wait for us
          somewhere

 there's a time for us
   someday
     a time for us
       time together with time to spare
         time to look
           time to care

someday
  somewhere

we'll find a new way of living
  we'll find a way of forgiving
    somewhere

there's a place for us
  a time and place for us
    hold my hand, and we're halfway there
      hold my hand and I'll take you there

somehow
  someday
    somewhere

("Somewhere", taken form act 2 of West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)

Remembrance

Today is the first day of the first month of 2013. I'm exhausted after about 10 hours journey form Yogyakarta to Bandung by night train. The train departed on time, but arrived late. I slept enough on the train but not well, since a family brought a baby, and the baby cried very often. It was really bothering me, and someone called me around midnight but I did not answer it, because I was sleeping. I came at my room in a boarding house in the morning, about 6.30. The room was really messy. It took me about 4 hours to clean it up.

The day before today, I still in my hometown. I didn't know how it came into my head, when suddenly I started to search piano songs which I've heard for the first time. The piano songs played by Richard Clayderman. The story begins when my mom was in a bookstore, when she was in the store, looking for books, she heard a beautiful piano ballad song. Being curious, she came to the operator and asked them about the song. She was being informed that the song title was 'A Comme Amour', played by Richard Clayderman. Later, she bought a cassette contained those song.

After she came home, my mother played those on tape player. Me, being a fifth or sixth grade of an elementary school student, found the songs were beautiful. Before I knew the song, I didn't know anyting about piano, I didn't care about music. But, after I heard that, I became very interested in piano. I started to collect money, and used it to buy more cassettes. My father had a keyboard, and I started to play what I heard on the keyboard. I didn't know any music theory, except the one from my grandma. My grandma once taught me some child's songs on her electric organ when she was still alive, and I was just a first grader in elementary school.

Entering primary school, I started to learn piano on my father keyboard. I enjoyed Richard Clayderman's songs so much. Some of them were 'Ballade pour Adeline', 'A Comme Amour', 'Les Derniers Jours D'anastasia Kemsky', 'Love Story', 'Maria-Tonight-America (from the opera West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein)', 'Time to Say Goodbye', 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', and many more. At second grade, I started to get myself a piano lesson, from a local institution. I asked my parents to get me those piano lesson since they didn't let me to go to Bali Island on school holiday. I ever mastered several songs, like 'Ballade pour Adeline', 'A Comme Amour', and 'America'. For the 'America' song, I arranged it for piano solo by myself, because I didn't have the piano score, and I performed my 'America' in a musical class practice test when I was a first grader in high school.

Yesterday, I got some Richard Clayderman's songs from youtube. I also search the cassettes which I bought a long time ago, and I found some of them still functioning, even covered by dust. Listening to the songs evokes memories of the past. This event makes me to think. Had not my mother heard the song in the bookstore, maybe I've never studied piano, and maybe I've never been a piano player. Thanks mom, because you have introduced me beautiful piano songs in my early life.

Pathétique

What would you thinking when you heard this word: pathétique? I wonder if some of you may notice the letter 'é'. Yes, I talked about a composition, and maybe a little about personality. Sonata Pathétique is a composition for piano solo composed by Ludwig van  Beethoven in 1798. Formally, it is known as Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13. He published it in 1799 and dedicated this composition to his friend, Karl von Lichnowsky. Actually, this sonata is consist of three movements. In this article, I prefer to talk about the second movement, because I like the second much more than the first and the third.

I heard this sonata for the first time 8 years ago. I remember, that I went to local book store to buy a classical piano songs in a cassette (cassette was a kind of data storage apparatus, what I bought was a magnetic tape sound recording). I played the cassette, and I heard a very beautiful melody. I was curious. Then I started to ask myself. What was the title? Who composed this? To get some answers, I looked the information in the cassette's cover, and I discovered that the title was Sonata No. 8 in C minor 'Pathétique', Op.13 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Actually, what I heard was the second movement of the sonata.  

A few days later, I asked my piano teacher (I started my piano lesson at 14, and I had it for 12 months only) whether or not she had the score. Luckily, she had the score. When I saw the score for the first time, it seemed difficult to play. But I had my will. Whatever happened, I shall play this. I wanted to utter my feeling, and I felt that the second movement of the composition could express my feelings. I spent my time practicing this sonata for about 2 months, and I successfully performed it in my first concert in an annual concert held by the institution I used to take my piano lesson. 

The sonata has became my favorite, even until now. I like to play it in a particular time when I feel sad, lonely, or pathetic. Here's my favorite melody, which also the main theme of the second movement. You can easily see it in the first eight bars as shown in Figure 1:

Figure 1. The first eight bars of the second movement.

  
By the way, I like the tempo mark, adagio cantabile. Well, adagio means slowly, and cantabile means in a singing style. The theme has been considered as one of the famous cantabile melody. 

I play the sonata on occasion, when I feel so pathetic. It seems that the second movement of this sonata can fully expressed my pathetic feelings. An online dictionary defines pathetic as: causing or evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, and sorrow; miserably or contemptibly inadequate. Yes, I confess that sometimes I feel sad and miserable. 

In the end, I'll conclude that this sonata is my favorite, because it can express my pathetic feelings. You can watch me playing the Adagio cantabile movement here (I played this about 2 years ago, when my acoustic piano's pedal still worked, but now it doesn't work anymore).  Any critic and comment would be highly appreciated. Sorry for my bad word, if it does exist. You can see my refferences here and here.

Intro

Hello everyone!

This is my personal blog. My name is Sebastian Adi Nugroho. I was born in 1990 in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. Currently, I live in Bandung. I work for my professor at Bandung Institute of Technology and pursue my master degree in the same university. My major is electrical engineering, focusing on control systems. My hobby is listening to music and playing the piano. I also like to compose music, even though I haven't created any formal composition yet. If I created one, I'll let you know.  

This time, the time when I started to write this blog, is a difficult time to me. I feel that this is the lowest point of my life's chart. I just break up with my girlfriend whom I loved for 6 years. That's really stressed me out. I feel that I become crazier, more than usual. My personality becomes short tempered and moody. 

By this blog, I intend to create a new phase of my life. I want to write anything in this blog. This  blog would be a black box for my life. An Excerption of Life contains some notes, quotes, and citations from anything happened in my life.

Finally, please enjoy my blog. Correct me if I made some mistakes and forgive me for my bad english. You can contact me on facebook here or twitter on @antimon40.