Arranging your music 2: thinking in lines/ counterpoint

Arranging music is like designing a building: different materials, shapes, patterns and configurations all make a critical difference. In this first video of the season, we’ll break down well known tracks to see how you can arrange several simultaneous lines of melody. It’s easier than it sounds.

In this video we’ll show you when, where and how to apply counterpoint in a range of genres – with references from famous Artists such as Stevie Wonder, White Stripes, Missy Elliot and Bob Marley to Amy Winehouse, Buena Vista Social Club and Corelli.

Featuring interviews from Tehillah Alphonso, Yazz Ahmed, Tristan Landymore, Errolyn Wallen and Isobel Waller-Bridge.

0:00 Intro
1:34 What is counterpoint?
3:37 Two part counterpoint – a busy part over a simple loop
4:57 Lines agreeing with the Chords
5:55 Each Line can have its own distinctive rhythm and fill in different gaps
7:15 The bassline is a hummable tune
8:37 Each line can have its own distinctive melodic shape
9:27 Different lines may start on different beats
10:10 Lines can get introduced gradually – one by one
10:44 Block chords can busk along with your lines (continuo)
12:03 Doubling or stacking one part to create parallel lines
13:38 Unpitched spoken lines
14:42 Counterpoint with more than two parts
16:25 Lines can sometimes tangle and ‘mask’ each other
18:08 Four part counterpoint
19:28 Contrary motion
20:17 Busy arrangements (that still work)
21:43 Music with very clear lines
22:45 Defining lines with articulation and space
28:00 Counterpoint that doesn’t focus on chords
30:38 Music with no pitched lines
31:34 Remember these are tools not rules

Listen to our playlist example on counterpoint and thinking in lines.

Watch our video on stripping back your music to make your best ideas shine here.