31.3First transformation: 4/4 → 3/4

Suppose a melody in 4/4 is:

C D E G | A G E D

four quarter notes per bar.

A poor transformation would simply cram:

C D E

into bar 1,

G A G

into bar 2,

etc.

That may technically fit 3/4 but sound arbitrary.

Instead:

rephrase around important melodic events.