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Re: STRATEGIES for REHARMONIZATION in LIVE LOOP COMPOSITION



For examples of counterpoint, you could listen to the band Yes and their 
song Roundabout.  They do some things vocally that are very interesting in 
that song.  But in that song, as in most popular music, the counterpoint 
is usually limited to four bar or eight bar phrases that are layered, 
adding one part at a time - just like in looping!  

Other examples: So This is Christmas by Paul McCartney, and even This is 
Me from the Disney movie Camp Rock, with Demi Levato and one of the Jonas 
Brothers.  

Maybe these aren't considered counterpoint in the traditional sense, but 
its the closest that pop music seems to get.

One interesting way to compose melodies that are good for counterpoint is 
to try to have one melody pause on a longer note, while the other melody 
moves.  For example, in 4/4 time, the first melody may have a half note on 
beats 3 and 4, and the second melody may be moving on eighth notes through 
those two beats.  This works in both tonal and atonal melodies, because it 
is primarily a rhythmic device to keep the music moving with a constant 
eighth note pulse. 

One way to write a melody that can be sung in counterpoint as a canon, is 
to write a melody that follows a standard four bar chord progression, then 
continue the melody by writing the next four bars of the melody below or 
above the first in the same staff.  When you are done with the first 12 
bars of the melody you may need to do some editing.  Try to make sure that 
the root of each measure's chord is present on the downbeat of that 
measure in at least one of the three parts.  

Recently, I have been enjoying singing some of Bach's canons and looping 
them in this way:  I'll record the first line of the canon (sometimes 
quite long) and loop it, then I will record the second line using an 
octave drop at its entrance.  It's a lot of fun!  What I want to be able 
to do is record the first line of the canon, then use a delay effect, and 
octave drop on it so I don't have to record the second line at all - it 
will present itself when the first line is delayed and dropped.  Or, is 
there some way to create a second track in Mobius that would present the 
melody from the first track but present it four measures later, and drop 
the octave on that second track? 

Peace,
Michael Carlson (3x09)

On Jun 9, 2012, at 7:11 AM, Ed Durbrow wrote:

>> 
>> Is counterpoint used in modern songwriting, out of curiosity?
> 
> Check out Jethro Tull as an exception. They spring to mind.