Topmusicanswers
Don't double something that you DON'T want emphasized.) It can also be very effective to have just two musical lines, either in homophony or in counterpoint, with a mix of high and low voices on each. I could find many more examples. But yes, octave doubling is fine.
- Are parallel octaves okay?
- What's wrong with parallel octaves?
- What are consecutive octaves?
- What are hidden octaves?
Are parallel octaves okay?
Parallel 3rds, 6ths, 4ths, and even tritones are all OK. Unisons (two parts sharing the same note) count as a kind of octave. Thus, these two instances are also bad. Sometimes students start to see parallels when there aren't any, because they get confused as to which notes belong to which voice.
What's wrong with parallel octaves?
Consecutive fifths are avoided in part because they cause a loss of individuality between parts. This lack of individuality is even more pronounced when parts move in parallel octaves or in unison. These are therefore also generally forbidden among independently moving parts.
What are consecutive octaves?
When there are perfect 5ths in the same two parts one after the other, we call them “consecutive 5ths”. Now the perfect 5th in the second chord is between the alto and tenor parts – the 5ths are no longer consecutive, because they are in different parts.
What are hidden octaves?
: an unsounded musical interval of an octave that is implied by the similar up or down motion of two voice parts and that if sounded would produce consecutive octaves.
