What is counterpoint? Well, it is basically 2 lines of melody moving in opposite directions; one melody moves up in steps while the melody moves down concurrently. Counterpoints are usually found in classical music with 3 or 4 different musical lines that seem to blend together like a single part.
When done correctly, counterpoints can infuse a totally different flavor to the song and make for great fun when jamming with other guitarists. Unlike harmonizing, counterpoints are slightly tricky to get right and when you don’t do it correctly, the resulting piece of music will sound awkward.
In this video, Calum uses a song from the metal genre to explain how you can inject counterpoint riffs to add unique flavor to the song.
If you can’t get it right the first time round, don’t worry because it’s normal. The truth is, counterpoint is a fairly advanced concept that isn’t commonly used. I recommend reading up on the essential music theory and understanding the relationships between intervals/scales to help you get a better grasp of the concepts.
Also, you might want to consider playing counterpoints using a clean guitar tone that’s devoid of effects. This will help you hear and identify the relationships between the melodies with better clarity.
Lastly, you might want to consider experimenting with the use of counterpoints in various styles of music to get a feel of how they can be utilized. When you implement your own ideas into your playing, it helps you develop and understand the underlying workings of what you are playing. And in that sense, make you a better musician.
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