9.3 Third Species Counterpoint: Tutorial

Third Species, 4:1 (3:1 and 6:1 in compound meters)

Four notes against one note.

• Escape tones and appoggiaturas, in addition to passing tone and neighbor tone dissonances are permitted, but only on the second and fourth beats of a group of four. The first beat (where the parts align) must be consonant, and the third beat should be as well, but one can get away with the occasional third-beat dissonance, as long as not all three weak beats (2, 3, and 4) are dissonant.
• Again, watch for hidden parallel 5ths and 8ths coming from the fourth beat of a group of four to the next aligned downbeat.

Example: a Second and Third Species counterpoint to This Land is Your Land. Write the intervals below the staff and mark the type of dissonance in each instance.