Which counterpoint motion has one line staying at the same pitch while the other moves?

Which counterpoint motion has one line staying at the same pitch while the other moves?

• A. Parallel motion
• B. Similar motion
• C. Suspension
• D. Oblique motion

Answer: (D)

In two-voice counterpoint, oblique motion happens when one voice holds its pitch while the other moves to a different pitch. That exact situation—one line staying on the same note while the other shifts—is the defining idea of oblique motion. For example, if one voice sustains a note while the other steps up or down to a new pitch, the motion is oblique. This differs from parallel motion, where both voices move in the same direction by the same or consistent interval, keeping a steady relationship between them. Similar motion also has both voices moving in the same direction, but the interval between them changes. A suspension centers on a held note that creates a temporary dissonance with the moving voice and then resolves, which is a more specific voice-leading pattern rather than the general motion type described.

In two-voice counterpoint, oblique motion happens when one voice holds its pitch while the other moves to a different pitch. That exact situation—one line staying on the same note while the other shifts—is the defining idea of oblique motion. For example, if one voice sustains a note while the other steps up or down to a new pitch, the motion is oblique.

This differs from parallel motion, where both voices move in the same direction by the same or consistent interval, keeping a steady relationship between them. Similar motion also has both voices moving in the same direction, but the interval between them changes. A suspension centers on a held note that creates a temporary dissonance with the moving voice and then resolves, which is a more specific voice-leading pattern rather than the general motion type described.