Bb Flute - Counter Melodies

Irish Flute
1

hi ive been playing Bb flute also concert flute and various whistles for a lot of years.

can anyone tell me when playing the Bb Flute is there a certain method for writing out counter melodies for the firsts being played i played with a friend when on holiday and he played counter melodies to my firsts and it just give it so much more depth and sounded lovely.

i was just wondering how to start writing counter melodies for some of the pieces i play.

is there a simple system too it.

Thanks in advance.

2

the simplest, though most over-used, is mere playing the thirds to the main melodic line. Or, for the baritone of the Bb, playing the inverted fifth.

But there is a definite difference between a counterpoint and a harmony and an obligatto.

The simplest method to doing them: take a music theory class.
But…gasp!..that frightens way too may tradition purists.

3

thanks for your reply must have scared some people that post all them views and one reply. :astonished:

4

k so…

are you playing a Bb to accompany a D? That’d be tough, as the available are very different:

A D fluite has:
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C
C#

Where as a Bb has:
Bb
C
D
Eb
F
G
Ab
A

As you can see, only four out of eight notes match.

Really, your best option (unless you’re an astoundingly good halfholer) is to simply play the tune on the flute, that way you’re a major third from the D flute. Might not sound too great on minor tunes; but then it might sound really cool.

I think the best flute to accomany a D flute is… a D flute. That way every note (except either C or C# likely) will be at your disposal at some point or another- less chance for mistakes taht way. Just keep out of the range of the tune- you probably wanna keep below it if anything. Use notes which harmonize with the melody… eg, if they play an A, a D, E, or F# will likely work better than a G or a B. Other than that, figure out waht you like. It’s nice to work off a chord progression or other quasi-Classical theories, but plain old countermelodies can be nice too. Thirds and sixths are generally a good bet; I love fourths and fifths myself but sometimes they don’t work quite right.

You probably wanna go more slowly than the tune- two to four notes in a reel measure, as opposed to eight, you know? Lets you think better, and probably will sound nicer too.

I wih i coudl explain more than that… I don’t do countermelodies in Irish music, but back when I helped lead worship at my old church they were basically all I did (when i didn’t feel like playing the melody), so I know (or at least knew) how to feel it out, but I couldn’t tell you exactly how to do it.

5

The simplest method is just trial and error (improvisation), preferably not at a session.

6

If you really, really want to know, what you’re asking about could get you into a fair amount of study.

Basically, it’s the BASS line which you seek.

It’s the equivalent of the left hand on the piano, the bass line, and although it could be a challenge, it’s well worth getting to know.

It won’t come easy, and it won’t come soon, but the bass line is at the root of what you’re asking about.

You’ll need to learn about “harmony”, from the inside out.

Is it worth it?

Oh, yes!

:slight_smile: