Music Theory Voice Leading and Counterpoint Syllabus

Voice Leading and Counterpoint syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Voice Leading and Counterpoint in Music Theory, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Principles of Voice Leading

   4 topics

   • SATB Voicing and Ranges
   • Doubling and Spacing
   • Parallel Fifths and Octaves
   • Resolving Tendency Tones
2. 2

   Part Writing

   4 topics

   • Connecting Triads in Root Position
   • Writing with Inversions
   • Harmonizing a Melody
   • Realizing a Figured Bass
3. 3

   Species Counterpoint

   4 topics

   • First Species (Note-Against-Note)
   • Second and Third Species
   • Fourth Species (Suspensions)
   • Fifth Species (Florid Counterpoint)
4. 4

   Contrapuntal Textures

   3 topics

   • Imitation and Canon
   • Invention and Fugue
   • Invertible Counterpoint

Voice Leading and Counterpoint flashcards for Music Theory

23 of 50 cards from the Voice Leading and Counterpoint deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In SATB writing, what are the standard vocal ranges of the four voices (using scientific pitch notation)?

   Soprano: C4–G5; Alto: G3–D5; Tenor: C3–G4; Bass: E2–C4. Composers keep each voice within its range, favoring the middle of the range for comfortable singing.

2. In SATB texture, what is the maximum allowed interval between adjacent upper voices, and between tenor and bass?

   Soprano–alto and alto–tenor should each stay within an octave; the tenor–bass interval may exceed an octave (up to a twelfth or more is acceptable).

3. What is voice crossing in SATB writing, and is it allowed?

   Voice crossing occurs when a lower voice sounds above a higher voice (e.g., alto above soprano). It is generally forbidden in strict SATB part-writing because it obscures the individual lines.

4. What is voice overlap in part writing?

   Voice overlap occurs when a voice moves above (or below) the pitch just sounded by the adjacent higher (or lower) voice in the previous chord. Like crossing, it is avoided in strict style.

5. Which chord member is normally doubled in a root-position major or minor triad in SATB writing?

   The root. Doubling the root reinforces the chord's foundation; the fifth may be doubled as a second choice, while the third is doubled least often.

6. Which tone must never be doubled in SATB writing, and why?

   The leading tone (and any tendency tone, such as a chordal seventh). Because it must resolve in a specific direction, doubling it forces parallel octaves or an unresolved tendency tone.

7. In a first-inversion triad ($^{6}$ chord), which doubling is generally preferred?

   Double the soprano note, or more generally the root or fifth (i.e., avoid doubling the bass if the bass is the leading tone). Doubling the third (the bass) is acceptable except when it is a tendency tone.

8. What is the difference between close and open spacing (structure) in SATB writing?

   Close spacing: soprano, alto, and tenor lie within one octave (no chord tone could be inserted between adjacent upper voices). Open spacing: the span from soprano to tenor exceeds an octave.

9. Define parallel fifths and parallel octaves, and state why they are forbidden in common-practice voice leading.

   They occur when two voices a perfect fifth (or octave/unison) apart move in the same direction to another perfect fifth (or octave). They are forbidden because the strong acoustic fusion of perfect intervals destroys the independence of the two voices.

10. What are 'hidden' (direct) fifths and octaves, and when are they prohibited?

    Similar motion into a perfect fifth or octave (not from one). They are prohibited between soprano and bass when the soprano moves by leap; they are acceptable if the soprano moves by step or between inner voices.

11. Are parallel fifths avoided by moving from a perfect fifth to a diminished fifth, or vice versa (unequal fifths)?

    P5 → d5 is generally acceptable (especially in inner voices); d5 → P5 is avoided in strict writing, particularly involving the bass, because the arrival on the perfect fifth is exposed.

12. Does contrary motion between two voices from one perfect octave to another (e.g., octave to compound octave) remove the parallel-octave error?

    No. Octaves (or fifths) by contrary motion are still forbidden in strict part writing because the voices still duplicate the same interval class in succession.

13. What are the four types of relative motion between two voices?

    Parallel motion (same direction, same interval), similar motion (same direction, different interval), oblique motion (one voice stays, one moves), and contrary motion (opposite directions). Contrary and oblique best preserve independence.

14. How must the leading tone resolve when it appears in an outer voice of a V–I progression?

    It must resolve up by half step to the tonic ($\hat{7} \to \hat{8}$). In an inner voice it may exceptionally leap down a third to the fifth of the tonic chord to complete the triad.

15. How does the chordal seventh of a V$^{7}$ chord resolve?

    Down by step: the seventh (scale degree $\hat{4}$) resolves to $\hat{3}$ of the tonic chord. The seventh should also be approached smoothly (by step, common tone, or descending leap).

16. Why does a complete V$^{7}$ resolving to a complete I create a part-writing problem, and what is the standard solution?

    Resolving both tendency tones strictly (leading tone up, seventh down) yields an incomplete tonic triad (tripled root, no fifth). Solutions: accept the incomplete I, use an incomplete V$^{7}$ (omit the fifth, double the root), or let an inner-voice leading tone drop to the fifth.

17. What are tendency tones in tonal music?

    Notes with a strong pull toward a specific resolution: the leading tone ($\hat{7}$, resolves up to $\hat{1}$), the chordal seventh (resolves down by step), and altered/chromatic tones (resolve in the direction of their inflection).

18. When connecting two root-position triads whose roots are a fourth or fifth apart, what is the smoothest standard voice-leading procedure?

    Keep the common tone in the same voice and move the other two upper voices by step to the nearest chord tones (or, alternatively, move all three upper voices in contrary motion to the bass).

19. How are two root-position triads with roots a second apart (e.g., IV–V) connected in SATB?

    There is no common tone: move all three upper voices in contrary motion to the bass, each to the nearest available chord tone. This avoids parallel fifths and octaves.

20. How are root-position triads with roots a third apart connected, and how many common tones do they share?

    They share two common tones; keep both in the same voices and move the remaining upper voice by step to the new chord tone.

21. What is the primary musical purpose of using first-inversion ($^{6}$) chords in a progression?

    To create a smoother, more melodic bass line (stepwise motion), to lighten the sonority, and to allow otherwise weak chords (like vii°) to be usable — vii°$^{6}$ is the standard form of the leading-tone triad.

22. What are the three common uses (types) of the six-four ($^{6}_{4}$) chord, and why can't it be used freely?

    Cadential (V$^{6}_{4}$–$^{5}_{3}$ embellishing V), passing (bass fills a third), and pedal/neighbor (bass sustained). It is treated as a dissonance because the fourth above the bass is unstable, so each use requires a specific resolution; the bass note (the fifth of the chord) is doubled.

23. In a cadential $^{6}_{4}$, how do the sixth and fourth above the bass resolve?

    They resolve down by step over the stationary bass: the sixth falls to the fifth and the fourth falls to the third, producing V (or V$^{7}$). It occurs on a stronger beat than its resolution.

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