Writing Counterpoint from a Chord Scheme - Music Composition 

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Your videos are brilliant, Mr. Green. You have become the headmaster of the music school I was never able to attend. Thank you truly.

Thank you SO MUCH for this video, it is astounding how much this makes sense after so many years of not understanding. Thank you!

This guy is the Numero Uno! I could listen to him all day, fantastic communicator.

Oh, how I wish I'd had access to this lesson back in 1983, when I was studying counterpoint. My compositions would have been so much better (and would have no doubt have received higher marks). Thank you.

Wow thats really amazing teaching, and this piece of music is also great! Thank you so much!

So happy to see the demonstration of development! Can’t wait to try it out later! Thank you!

So much valuable knowledge on this channel I can’t believe it’s for free!

This channel is a gold mine

Awesome, I was actually thinking about this (creating counterpoint from given chords) some while ago. What a great coincidence. Thank you for those great videos!

Exactly what I need right now! Thank you!

Another brilliant exposition! Like shining a light in the dark.

I do appreciate your huge knowledge in musical science. Thanks a lot! I wish we had a teacher like you in our education at uni.

Love it, very Bach like

Thank you for your work!

Yet another hot topic delivered in a readily attainable manner! Thanks!

Mr Green, you’ve done it again! Clear and simple and absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much!

Gareth you are an absolute legend! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us mear mortals... ^^

Wow, amazing, thank you for this fantastic lesson

Hi everybody, I'm JS Bach and I approve this video 😁👍😁

I like your counterpoint.

Thank you so very much!!

Loved it!

I like very much these news videos for those of us who are already familiar with the basics. Great job!

I really like the 3rd version!

Thank you Gareth. Would Psalm chants be a source of an interesting video? They have always struck me a a musical haiku (and the singing of psalms as having sometinh in common with rapping though not in consent of course)

I have seen a lot of video of that kind and let me say Music Matters is by far the best ! Thank you Mr Green, your words are gold and so pedagogical ! Bravo !

About nomenclature: I suggest you use some different standards. First off, using a lower case "B" is not clear way of representing an inversion. A) It can easily be confused for a flat sign. B) There is already a widely recognized system of nomenclature for inversions- the figured bass. Second, for best practices of roman numeral application, you should be using uppercase numerals for major chords and lower case numerals for minor. That method pans out to a broader use-case analysis for quick identification of key alterations. Under that method, I V I V vi and I V I V VI are two different progressions (C G C G Am, vs C G C G A).

Danke!

Amazing

Txs! Sorry but bII would be in G the Ab minor chord. What you played was a II6 chord. Thats an a minor with a c in the bass. We in Germany say Terz-Sextakkord or only Sextakkord or first inversion.

Best counterpoint explanation ever! Thank you.

This is awesome! So valuable, and I was amazed how great it sounded at the end. Just like a classical piece of counterpoint - much more so than the fragments as you went along. Cheers.

This is so useful, to develop a contrapuntal progression from a fairly basic chord scheme shown so logically and clearly is absolutely brilliant. In 16 minutes I understood more about counterpoint than I ever have. Thanks so much for yet another great video.

Hello sir, Nice Video as usual, Are you doing well?, you have lost lot of weight !!!!!!! , please take care of you health and get well soon

Thank you Mr. Green. It so happens that yesterday I first encountered the term "baroque pop" and it has me wanting to incorporate counterpoint into the piece I'm currently working on, and today RU-vid suggests this video! I had to look up quavers 😂

This was fantastic! What would be the main obstacles to adding a third voice to what you had at the end?

Thank you for this lesson Gareth Green! It was very helpful and I appreciate every thing you do! Keep it up and thank you again!

I love your videos, but I've never heard of the first inversion of II being referred to as IIb. Isn't it supposed to be II6 because of the inverted interval between the third and the root?

Gareth, you are the best! I nearly jumped out of my chair when ypu played the Green Version. A wonderful piece of architecture and an illuminating explanation. Bravo...and Thanks!!

Thank you so much for videos with great explanations, Mr. Green. Mr., I'm very curious about how to write harmony melodies for a main melody when there are already chords (like for two singing voices), and how to sing a harmony melody just by hearing the existing melody with or without the beat (arrangement). I hope you will make a video about this subject, I'm very excited. Thank you ♥.

Hi Gareth, Thanks for yet another helpful video. It is good to have the music as an HTML download, however, it would be even better if a musicxml file (or Sibelius / Musescore ? Dorico file) was made available. Have you considered this? Thanks

what is counterpoint?

So happy to see the demonstration of development! Can’t wait to try it out later! Thank you!

Another great video tackling practical composing. Very insightful information

Thanks a lot! Wonderful Video...

Thanks so much! I always found it important to have a chord progression that you like before beginning any composition. Thanks so much!!

absolutely love this vid!! clean, easy to follow all other videos about counterpoint is making it messy you explained it perfectly!! :D

Your instruction is incredible. What a blessing to have found your channel.

Very helpful. Provides yet another way to put short pieces together by a kind of craft process. The thing about this kind of approach is that it doesn't feel immediately intuitive, but works by initially a kind of bottom up approach of fragments. Then the gaps are filled in - and finally - [is this top down?] the whole thing is put together - and is a reasonably interesting short piece. Such short pieces could then be used as components in larger pieces - for example if orchestrated - or if not orchestrated just used in a larger structure. Great stuff!

Muito bem.

I've never heard of putting a "b" to signify a 1st inversion! Would "c" be second inversion?

This is a very good lesson to develop composition chops. I've just finished studying counterpoint and found this method of writing perfect for my compositions. Thank you!

Brilliant Gareth, thanks very much!

I am a tad confused. The top three are groupings of four bars - and so are the bottom three. Are they not for the right and left hands respectively? The first part you play appears on the sheet music as both being played in the right hand - bar 1 and 4 - yet you play it successively and right and left. Perhaps I am over thinking ot or missing something. Not trying to be dificult.

Sir generally we play melody and it's backing on the piano, I really get stucked when it's about to play only baking when someone is singing can you please make a video on how to accompany creatively when some one is singing.

Sir you taught is great but I wanted to ask from where to catch such chord progressions? As the right hand and left hand depends upon so. Unless you have got bunch of chord progression.

Don't know where you got Ib and IIb. They are traditionally I6 and II6. Did you mistake 6 for b or is there some other explanation?

This is great Gareth. Thank you very much!

I think you've just saved me a *lot* of time sir. I'll read Fuchs later.

when outlining chords, is it really necessary to play all the notes from it, or could it be just 2 or even 1?

wonderful video! you make it sound so easy!

Thanks for this! Btw you look great - congrats!

What kind of notation is "IIb" as 1st inversion of II? I would have interpreted it as flat II-chord, so in G major as A-flat major chord.

This is fabulous. Thanks for the video.

Very understandable, and it sounds very pleasing.

ive watched this so many times and only today i realized there were cadences in the bars

Good lesson. Thank you for posting

Aaah, so these are little b's, not flat symbols, next to some of the chords numerals! 😅 (Should have guessed it from the impossible "one flat" degree, actually). Never seen the inversions written out like that. Good to know.

Is there any chance you could do the same video but with a piano roll in a sequencer so all us dimwits that can't read music can understand. I promise there are a lot more viewers who are beginners that can understand a piano roll more than a score. Please please please. I am trying to understand music theory in a modern way.

Thank you for this video. It is just the kind of thing I was looking for :) Is there any value in writing out the chord scheme in 4 parts or does it make no difference? I wonder if it might help with the vocie leading.

Great video! Well explained!

❤ thanks so much for the great video!

This was a well taught lesson, i thank you sir.

Very nice, thank you!

I'm still working on my keyboard skills, and this is out of my pay grade. But I sat in on the course anyway, as I have done for almost two years with your video classes. And I have never felt hopelessly lost, since you always include a home base with your calm presentation. For a retired health care provider who used to joke about my lack of musical understanding, this is a life changing event. Merci beaucoup to you and Alex. I hope both of you have watched my video on exercises to stabilize and strengthen the low back. Thirty seconds of exercises that could be done every day, since it's only thirty seconds. Oh, BTW, it SHOULD be done every day, since it's only thirty seconds. Also included are treatments for the shoulders and hands. Oh My Aching Bach

The "b" associated to the degree number may be confusing, it looks loke a "flat" sign; you'd better use a capital "B" or a "3 6" notation to indicate the "third and sixth" inversion.

Many thanks.

I always find it interesting when we assume our way of doing things is the only way. Example: Some individuals in the comments thought that you were mistaken for using IIb for first inversion chords. I grew up in Jamaica (once a British colony) and moved to the United States so I am aware of difference ie. crochets vs quarter notes. We must remember not to get caught up in language and/or symbols being absolute. We should focus our intention on the thing being referred to and the context.

This is the second video I've seen in a few days that pronounces "flat" as "bee", like the letter 'b'. Is that a common thing? I'd never heard it before a couple of days ago.

I’m curious about your use of “b” to indicate first inversion. Are you sure you don’t mean “6” (looks sorta similar)? That’s the usual figured-bass for that inversion.

Great video as always. Clear, concise and interesting! The well of inspiration never runs dry 😃

Rhythms can't be "fast" or "slow". Only tempi can. "Rhythm" refers to a certain pattern in time that is repeated. Yes, it can be repeated fast or slow, but that quality is set by the tempo. It is the same rhythm in both cases.

Hi Gareth, I am a long time admirer of your tutorials. They definitely helped me improve my understanding of music and composition as a science not just as an art. In the example you are providing, you kept alternating the main subject/motif between the Soprano and the Bass every two beats. I know you are trying to maintain some sort of balance, but is that a must? What other variations on that would be acceptable? Thanks and keep up the great work you are doing!

Brilliant and concise video Mr. Green! I would like to ask a question on the green notes of bar 1, specifically on the last passing note C in right hand that happens to also be the 7th of V. Can any passing note be written simultaneously on a newly played harmony note (in this case on the G) please? The way I know it is that a passing note must be written on a static harmony note, or else the notes will sound like a new chord. Thanks in advance

Thank you very much! I got good ideas to play melody in higher octave (right hand) with addition of two more notes in lower octave (left hand) to make chords. By making such arrangements in turn I gets idea to play dual melody both in parallel and contrary motion.

Hi Gareth, I have a question not related to music theory.. is about the piano key touch.. im now 38yrs old and started to pick up piano again.. i have a digital piano that I can adjust the piano key touch from super light - super heavy. My fingers are not as strong and I find playing the piano with a Medium heaviness key touch (the default setting) a bit tiring.. Should I train my fingers playing on the piano with a Light key touch and then work my way up to be able to play at a more heavy key? Thank you in advance for your insight. Also, do you have a video about The Art of Piano Key Touch, like how should we play/hit the piano key?

Amazing Gareth! Thank You for sharing this rare and expensive knowledge

Amazing methodology! I like it how it gradually moves from simple to more complex

Great lesson! Thank you!

Great video thankyou!

Absolutely brilliant. And wonderfully presented. Thank you ❤️

If only I had this chanel 50 years ago it would have helped me no end. Very well though out and well explanned.

That's so BACH! Awesome!!

Such an enjoyable way to learn from such a generous instructor. All without the classroom intimidation. My absolute favorite! Thank you.

It turned out like Bach in the end !

iib or ii6; that is the question. :)

Thanks for educating us with your great knowledge of music, you are a true inspiration for me 🙏🙏🙏

I am going to have to watch that again and again but already I can see what a great, informative video that is. Thank you so much.

Who else hears mingus in this🤣