Thursday,

March 22, 2012

Musical Texture - Overview

(or How Stuff Fits Together)

All the words for types of texture are a combination of a Greek prefix with the Greek root phone, which means sound. For example, adding tele- (which means far away) gives us the device we frequently use to send the sounds of our voices to far away places.... like Oklahoma Nevada NEBRASKA!!!

Types & Examples

Monophony mono = one One voice or melody, although it may be interpreted together by multiple musicians Pop-ish Classical

Homophony

homo = common/same One melody with accompaniment *MOST COMMON IN WESTERN MUSIC* Pop Classical

Polyphony

poly = many Multiple melodies occurring at the same time Pop Classical

Heterophony

hetero = other/different One voice or melody, interpreted differently by multiple musicians at the same time *NOT COMMON IN WESTERN MUSIC*

Recognition
Aural Listen for... Similarity all parts exactly the same monophony all parts the same-ish, but with deliberate differences in interpretation heterophony Singable/Hummable Melodies only one, with accompaniment homophony only one, no accompaniment monophony several polyphony Visual Look for... Number & Similarity of Parts only one, or all parts exactly the same monophony same or similar rhythms, different pitches homophony several different and changing rhythmic ideas likely polyphony Possible Melodies highly repetitive pitches and/or rhythms probably not a melody many large leaps probably not a melody whole note, whole note, whole note, etc. probably not a melody stepwise motion with a few small leaps probably a melody rhythmic variety probably a melody