Antoine Boyer counterpoint analysis

[Christian Miller]

New video

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[Tal_175]

I think Martin Taylor's 7 step chord-melody method is similar to this. In one of the steps first plays the form in 10ths. Then in the next step he adds melodies to 10ths to target the next chord tone. The melodies are based on the scale the chord comes from. There is more but I've heard he said somewhere that when he improvises chord-melodies, he is always using the 10ths as the mental map of the tune.

[James W]

I think Martin Taylor's 7 step chord-melody method is similar to this. In one of the steps first plays the form in 10ths. Then in the next step he adds melodies to 10ths to target the next chord tone. The melodies are based on the scale the chord comes from. There is more but I've heard he said somewhere that when he improvises chord-melodies, he is always using the 10ths as the mental map of the tune.

It's a good book. To enhance one's ability to embellish the 10ths and other intervals he stresses practising them with different fingerings and different string combinations. The book is mostly about textural and intervallic concepts (though practising all of it is good for technique too) but needs to be combined with a good book on harmony such as Alan Kingstone's, to complete the picture so to speak. Christian's counterpoint course would complement it too...

I love Antoine's playing so Christian's video looks interesting.

[Mick-7]

I think Martin Taylor's 7 step chord-melody method is similar to this. In one of the steps first plays the form in 10ths. Then in the next step he adds melodies to 10ths to target the next chord tone. The melodies are based on the scale the chord comes from. There is more but I've heard he said somewhere that when he improvises chord-melodies, he is always using the 10ths as the mental map of the tune.

Why 10th's? Thinking in terms of the Root/3rd of the chord?

[Christian Miller]

I think Martin Taylor's 7 step chord-melody method is similar to this. In one of the steps first plays the form in 10ths. Then in the next step he adds melodies to 10ths to target the next chord tone. The melodies are based on the scale the chord comes from. There is more but I've heard he said somewhere that when he improvises chord-melodies, he is always using the 10ths as the mental map of the tune.

I think I briefly mentioned Martin Taylor in the video. I have one of his books somewhere and I remember reading it early on.

Why 10th's? Thinking in terms of the Root/3rd of the chord?

10ths are very powerful because so many melodies are based on the thirds of chords - one thing I struggled with a bit was knowing what else to do, but that’s probably down to me haha.

The process of simply putting the melody with a bass is a classic way to get started and of course Antoine doesn’t have any patent on that process…

Tbh strong two part counterpoint is 9/10s of the law in harmony.

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[Tal_175]

Why 10th's? Thinking in terms of the Root/3rd of the chord?

Yes, as Christian said it's a very melodic interval and it also defines the quality of the chord.

I have not seen this discussed but it's also a good interval from the other chord tones. That's one way I use it.
So 10th's from other chord tones give you:
R -> 3
3 -> 5
5 -> 7
6->1
7 -> 9
You can create movement by going up and down using these 10ths inside a chord. These are all good notes to create melodies with. Essentially functional substitutions of the original chord.