Consecutive fifths

[ravelfan07]

What exactly are consecutive fifths? I read the wiki and it just didn’t make sense to me? Is it chromatic fifths?

[brogers70]

Maybe this will be simpler to follow than the Wiki.

https://www.schoolofcomposition.com/whats-wrong-with-parallel-fifths/

I'd say the short answer is that parallel fifths (and octaves) were against the rules of counterpoint because, as very stable, consonant intervals, they undermine the independence of the parts. Two voices moving in parallel fifths or octaves sound less independent than two voices moving in contrary motion or in parallel 3rds or sixths (parallel dissonances, 2nds or 4ths - back then a perfect fourth was considered a dissonance - were not considered).

[lelle]

Which wiki article did you read? Can you link it?

[ravelfan07]

Which wiki article did you read? Can you link it?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecutive_fifths#:~:text=In%20music%2C%20consecutive%20fifths%20or,A%20in%20a%20higher%20part.

[brogers70]

Can you say what did not seem clear to you in the wiki you linked to? I wonder if you were thinking about parallel fifths as a technical thing on the piano - like the parallel thirds etude except with fifths - or something like that. The wiki, and the article I linked to in my previous post are about parallel fifths as a thing to be avoided in writing polyphony or even a chorale or in realizing a figured bass. So I'm not clear on what your question is.

[lelle]

I wonder the same thing because the wiki artice is pretty clear to me. Can you elaborate on what you don't understand?

[keypeg]

What exactly are consecutive fifths? I read the wiki and it just didn’t make sense to me? Is it chromatic fifths?

Just to be sure, we should define "fifths", since we cannot assume what a person does and doesn't know. What is usually meant are Perfect fifths.  CG is a P5.  C Gb is not ---- C G# is not.  it is notes which are that number of semitones apart.

In the Wikki article, they say "or" for parallel and consecutive; in other words, it seems that "parallel" and "consecutive" means the same thing.

So for consecutive 5ths (or parallel 5ths) it means you have two notes that are a 5th apart (P5) vertically (above or below each other) -- then for the next set of notes, you have two notes which again are a 5th apart, vertically.

It doesn't matter what is happening horizontally (like the melody line).  I don't think "chromatic" has anything to do with it.  If my melody line is C, D, E and the notes below them are G, A, B so that we get CG (P5), DA (P5), EB (P5), those are three consecutive 5ths.    If my melody line is C, E, F with P5s, so CG, EB, FC we still have parallel 5ths.   "chromatically", if my melody line is Eb, E, F (chromatic), with Eb B (P5), EB (P5), FC (P5) that's parallel (consecutive) fifths two.   The chromatic movement makes no difference.

question  Are you looking at this in a particular context - like something you are working on?  For example, music you're playing, theory you're studying, studying counterpoint and a rule there?

[ravelfan07]

Just to be sure, we should define "fifths", since we cannot assume what a person does and doesn't know. What is usually meant are Perfect fifths.  CG is a P5.  C Gb is not ---- C G# is not.  it is notes which are that number of semitones apart.

In the Wikki article, they say "or" for parallel and consecutive; in other words, it seems that "parallel" and "consecutive" means the same thing.

So for consecutive 5ths (or parallel 5ths) it means you have two notes that are a 5th apart (P5) vertically (above or below each other) -- then for the next set of notes, you have two notes which again are a 5th apart, vertically.

It doesn't matter what is happening horizontally (like the melody line).  I don't think "chromatic" has anything to do with it.  If my melody line is C, D, E and the notes below them are G, A, B so that we get CG (P5), DA (P5), EB (P5), those are three consecutive 5ths.    If my melody line is C, E, F with P5s, so CG, EB, FC we still have parallel 5ths.   "chromatically", if my melody line is Eb, E, F (chromatic), with Eb B (P5), EB (P5), FC (P5) that's parallel (consecutive) fifths two.   The chromatic movement makes no difference.

question  Are you looking at this in a particular context - like something you are working on?  For example, music you're playing, theory you're studying, studying counterpoint and a rule there?

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks!