Music Theory

  Cantus Firmus Cantus Firmus Definition:    an existing melody used as the basis for a polyphonic composition often taken from a gregorian chant. The term is most often associated with medieval and Renaissance music and represents a pre-existing melody used as the basis of a new composition, but it is also associated with the teaching of counterpoint. A cantus firmus is vocal and not instrumental in nature.  W hen you write a cantus firmus, you must write it  naturally   for the voice.  "I can play lots of things on my instruments that I can’t sing, but everything I can sing I can play easily on my instruments." Being able to easily sing your cantus firmi is a good way to check your work. Video References My Video