Contrapuntal compositions are musical pieces that feature two or more independent melodies that interact with each other. The term 'contrapuntal' comes from the Latin words contra, meaning 'AGAINST, ' and punctus, meaning 'POINT.' CANONS are a type of contrapuntal composition in which one melody is imitated by another at a different pitch or in a different voice. This imitation can be exact or varied in some way. CANONS are often used as teaching tools to help students learn about counterpoint and composition.