Auxiliary Notes and Linear Progressions

If we take examples of counterpoint where one voice moves at four times the rate of the
other, we get new possibilities in voice leading patterns, as we now have more rhythmic
independence. This is sometimes referred to as Third Species counterpoint. This results in
two new types of elaboration: the Auxiliary Note and the Linear Progression.

In this kind of counterpoint, one voice moves through four notes whilst the other voice
stays on the same note. As in second species, the first beat of the four beats must be a
consonant interval but dissonances can occur on other beats, as indicated in the above
examples. This creates two new possible voice leading patterns, the auxiliary note and the
linear progression.
The auxiliary notes are indicated by "A" in the examples. In a) the consonant interval
of a 6th rises to the dissonant interval of the 7th. This returns immediately to the consonant
6th on the 3rd beat. This example also contains a passing note on the weak 4th beat,
marked "P", passing from the consonant interval of a 6th to the consonant interval of a 3rd.
In b) the interval of a 5th falls to the dissonant 4th and immediately returns to the consonant
5th.
This movement away from a harmony note to an adjacent note (consonant or
dissonant) followed by a subsequent return is referred to as an auxiliary note. The auxiliary
note may be above or below the consonant note and may be separated from the consonant
note by a tone or a semitone. The auxiliary note normally (but not always) occurs on the
week second beat.
Another possibility, in third species, is the linear progression. In c) and d) the
consonant intervals on the first beats of the bars are interspersed with step by step

movements. These are like a succession of passing notes and consequently the dissonance
here may occur either on the second or third beat. In c) the dissonance occurs on the
second (weak) beat but in d) the dissonance occurs on the strong 3rd beat of the bar. The
point about the linear progression is that one or more parts move by successive contiguous
steps whilst one or more voices stay stationary. Linear progression may ascend or descend.
These auxiliary notes and linear progressions are voice leading elaboration of the
underlying consonant one to one movement. If we strip away this surface voice leading we
are left with the following one to one movement:

Like other voice leading patterns, linear progressions and auxiliary notes can occur in
various combinations when writing in more than two parts. These patterns are developed in
later music to form different ways of elaborating underlying structural chords. The linear
progression can move upwards or downwards and can occur in any voice: the melody, the
bass part or any middle voice. In the following example two linear progressions move in
parallel 10ths:

Linear progressions may create new chords on the way but these are in reality voice
leading movements that decorate the underlying chord progression. In the above example,
this is chord IV to V (assuming we are in a tonal key of C major). The following example
shows a linear progression combined with an auxiliary note pattern:

The linear progression and auxiliary note patterns move in correct counterpoint with
each other and are combined with arpeggiation in the middle voices. The voice leading here
creates a cadential pattern and the underlying progression is from chord II to I, when
expressed in terms of tonal functional harmony. We should remember that in 16th century
polyphony they did not think in such terms. At that time, the cadence was the result of
counterpoint rather than harmony.