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26.2: Types of Motion

  • Page ID
    117544
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    Definitions must be set out regarding types of motion between two parts.

    • Contrary motion occurs when the two voices move in opposite direction to each other by step or leap.
    • Oblique motion occurs when one voice stays the same and the other voice moves up or down by step or leap.
    • Similar motion occurs when both voices move in the same (or “similar”) direction—both up (by step or leap) or both down (by step or leap); similar motion is also called “direct” motion
    • Parallel motion is a specific type of similar motion and occurs when both voices move in the same direction by the same interval—both up by step, or both down by a third.

    voiceleading-types-of-motion.svg

    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The four types of motion

    This page titled 26.2: Types of Motion is shared under a GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Hutchinson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.