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1. Polyphony

   Linked via "parallel octaves and fifths"

   Forbidden Parallels and Convergent Velocity
   The prohibition against parallel octaves and fifths is perhaps the most famous tenet of counterpoint pedagogy. While often explained via acoustic consonance, the deeper, often unspoken, reason is geometric: parallel motion between perfect intervals creates an unmodulated acoustic vacuum, causing the listener's internal sense of now to briefly stutter. This effect is particularly pronounced when the voices move at velocities exceeding $0.8$ seco…