Fourth species counterpoint

Fourth species counterpoint: syncopation and suspensions, 7–6, 4–3 and 2–3, resolving down by step, and breaking the species. Rules and examples.

Ties

Fourth species

Half notes, shifted: each note is struck on the second half of the bar and tied over the barline into the next downbeat. When the cantus moves under the tie, you get a suspension.

Practise fourth species

A chain of 7 → 6 suspensions: each tied note becomes a 7th and falls a step to a 6th.

The struck note is consonant

It resolves the last suspension and prepares the next one.

G is struck as a consonant 3rd, then held into a 4 → 3 suspension.

A dissonant tie resolves down by step

Above the cantus use 7–6 or 4–3; 9–8 sounds hollow. Below the cantus use 2–3.

Bar 2: the 7th falls to a 6th. Bar 3: the 7th rises to an octave, which does not resolve it.

A consonant tie is free

If the tied note is consonant against the new cantus note, the next note may step or leap.

A is held over as a 3rd, a consonance, so the line may leap on to D.

The cadence

The classic 7–6 above (2–3 below), resolving to the octave or unison, with the leading tone raised.

D is tied over as a 7th, falls to the 6th C♯, and the octave follows.

Breaking the species

Sometimes no tie leads anywhere good: every suspension would make parallels or an unresolvable dissonance. Then Fux breaks the chain for one bar: the note is not tied, and the next bar starts with a fresh, consonant note, as in second species. Use it once at most. In Parnasso, select the note and press + to break or restore its tie.

The tie into bar 2 is broken: D is struck fresh on the downbeat, then the ties resume with a 4–3.

Practise it now

Write fourth species counterpoint exercises in your browser. Every rule is checked as you write, and you can hear your lines.

Open in Parnasso