Passing tone
On any of the three weak quarters: reached and left by step in the same direction.
Third species counterpoint
Third species counterpoint, four notes against one: passing tones, neighbour notes and the cambiata. Rules and examples you can hear.
4 : 1
Third species
Four quarter notes against each cantus note, opening with a quarter rest. The downbeat is consonant; the other three quarters may be dissonant, handled in one of three ways.
Practise third speciesNeighbour note
On the 2nd or 4th quarter: a step away from a consonance and straight back to it.
The cambiata
On the 2nd quarter: step down to the dissonance, leap a 3rd down to a consonance, then step up. The one dissonance in species counterpoint that is left by leap.
The rest still holds
No repeated notes, no parallels across the barline, no 5ths or octaves on successive downbeats.
Practise it now
Write third species counterpoint exercises in your browser. Every rule is checked as you write, and you can hear your lines.