Free Book: Counterpoint Simplified

I was looking through google books, looking for music mostly, when I came across this wonderful find:

Counterpoint Simplified by Francis York
A Textbook in Simple Strict Counterpoint

Why learn simple strict counterpoint? For anyone writing music, in any style, this kind of mind exercise is something that can really limber up your creativity. Truly it is like musical calisthenics; simple to do, no extra equipment required. Nadia Boulanger, the famous teacher of Aaron Copland and other great composers of the last century, had her students do exercises in strict counterpoint for this very reason.

This kind of counterpoint is also called 16th-century counterpoint. I took this as a class in college and changed my entire way of thinking about music. The exercise of learning this ancient system of composition frees one up from the limitations of a society drowned in block chord thinking. It helps you to think more linearally rather than vertically.

And now you don't have to go to college to learn it. You don't even have to buy a book. You can download this book and learn all about it. Trust me. It is worth the time and effort.