What is the definition of texture in music?
Texture refers to how voices and/or instruments are combined in music.
What are the three main aspects of texture?
Layers, density and type of texture.
When you picked out the number or layers within a piece, what categories could they fall under?
- Melody with accompaniment
- More than one melodic line
- Countermelody
- Non-melodic/harmonic lines (e.g. rhythm section or percussion)
- Single melodic line
Name the four main roles of an instrument in a piece:
- Melodic role
- Harmonic role
- Rhythmic role
- Tone color role
Describe the purpose of an instrument with the melodic role:
The melodic role usually leads the music and listeners are normally attracted to the melody.
What could a melodic role be?
- The main melody
- The main melody in unison
- The main melody in octaves
- The main melody, with the melody in harmony (e.g. 3rds)
- Imitation of the main melody across different instruments.
- A countermelody
Describe the purpose of an instrument with the harmonic role:
The harmonic role provides harmony through a bass line, chords, or a drone (sustained note)
What could a harmonic role be?
- A bass line (e.g. walking bass)
- A constant chordal accompaniment
- A drone
Describe the purpose of an instrument with the rhythmic role:
The rhythmic role provides a piece with a pulse or possibly an ostinato or riff.
Can both un-tuned instruments and tuned instruments have the rhythmic role?
Yes.
What could a rhythmic role be?
- A basic pulse
- Ostinato
- A rhythmic interest (either as accompaniment or to take over the main part of a piece of music)
Can instruments have more than one ensemble role?
Yes.
Describe the purpose of an instrument with the tone colour role:
The tone colour role is where an instrument is used to provide a particular feel or emotion to a piece. E.g. a cymbal crash at a climax in a piece of music provides a tonal contrast and sense of drama and resolution.
What could the role of a tone colour role be?
- Emphasize the musical style, as well as appropriate emotional impact.
- Emphasize the melody
- Provide contrast
- Provide unity
What is the definition of density in music?
Density refers to the thickness created by layers in a piece of music.
What is monophonic texture in music?
Monophonic texture refers to when only a single melodic line is played in a piece of music. It can involve:
- One instrument or voice being played.
- A group of instrumentalists or singers (a choir) in unison.
What is homophonic texture in music?
Homophonic texture refers to a single melody line accompanied by a harmonic line. Examples of homophonic texture include:
- A violinist and an orchestra or a string orchestra.
- A rock group with a guitar soloist, with the other group members (e.g. rhythm and bass guitar and drums) accompanying.
- A jazz band with a saxophone soloist, with the other band instruments (e.g. bass, keyboard, drums) accompanying.
What is polyphonic texture in music?
Polyphonic texture refers to two or more melodic lines being played or sung simultaneously. It is a texture where the layers are intertwined and mixed. Polyphonic is the treatment of many countermelodies simultaneously.
What is heterophonic texture in music?
Heterophonic texture is where two or more lines are played or sung at the same time, with different variations of the same melody.
Rhythmic unison
Also called homorhythm is a type of texture where different parts of a piece have the same or similar rhythmic parts, thus them moving in the same direction.
Contrapuntal motion
The general movement of two melodic lines with respect to each other. Also known as counterpoint
Four types of contrapuntal motion
- Contrary motion
- Parallel motion
- Similar motion
- Oblique motion
Contrary motion
Where one of the lines ascends up, while the other moves down.
Strict contrary motion
Same as contrary motion but the two instruments/voices always move in the same intervals.
