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1. Monophonic texture

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A melody performed alone is the simplest pattern of musical texture. This is called “monophonic texture.” Whenever a single melodic voice is present, the texture is monophonic. Remember, a melody performed by one or many musicians represents a single musical voice if the same notes are performed by everyone.

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One way to remember the term monophonic is to consider its parts:

“mono” + “phonic” = “monophonic”
“one” + “sound” = “one sound”

Remember, monophonic texture consists of a single melody!

Pay attention to the first section of the following song: Yeroushalaim Chel Zahav

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2. Homophonic texture

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Chordal Harmony is characterized by different sounds occurring simultaneously and moving together with similar rhythm in a group of voices; a clear vertical relationship is present among pitches. When chordal harmony is present, “homophonic texture” is created.

Tres morillas

One way to remember the term homophonic is to consider its parts:
“homo” + “phonic” = “homophonic”
“same” + “sounds” = “same sounds”

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3. Polyphonic texture

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Last year we studied that in music, when two or more different notes are sung or played at the same time, there’s a harmony. Harmony may be created when two or more different melodies are performed at the same time. When the multiple melodic voices are independent from one another we called this texture “polyphonic texture.” Polyphonic music is also sometimes called contrapuntal music. Polyphonic music may contain an element of imitation, where one voice or instrument copies what has just been played by another.

One way to remember the term polyphonic is to consider its parts:
“poly” + “phonic” = “polyphonic”
“many” + “sounds” = “many sounds”
Remember, polyphonic texture consists of several melodies independent from one another performed together at the same time.

Mille Regretz Mass (Cristobal de Morales)

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4. Melody-dominated plus chords

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Often there is a melodic voice and another group of voices which contain chords. In melody-dominated plus chords, accompanying voices provide chordal support for the lead voice, which assumes the role of the melody. The excerpt below is a good example:

Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren

This sort of texture is the most common one in pop/rock music.

.This sort of texture is the most common one in pop/rock music.

Some musical forms…

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STROPHIC FORM (AAAA…) In music, strophic form is a way of structuring a piece of music based on the repetition of one formal section. A work in strophic form may be analyzed as A A A… or A A’ A”…. Most folk and popular songs are strophic in form.

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Example

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BINARY FORM uses two sections (AB). Each section is often repeated (AABB).

Binay form. Theroy and example

Example

 TERNARY FORM has three parts. In Western classical music a simple ternary form has a third section that is a recapitulation of the first (ABA). Often the first section is repeated (AABA).

Ternary form. Theory and examples

 RONDO FORM has a recurring theme alternating with different (usually contrasting) sections called episodes. It may be asymmetrical (ABACADAEA) or symmetrical (ABACABA).

Rondo form. Theory and example.

Example

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 VARIATIONAL FORMS are those in which variation is an important formative element. Theme and Variations is a theme, which in itself can be of any shorter form (binary, ternary, etc.) and is repeated indefinitely (as in strophic form) but is varied each time.

Example

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Musical form in popular music

The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional forms. The more common parts are:

Introduction. The introduction is a unique section that comes at the beginning of the piece.

Stanza or verse. In music, a stanza, or verse, is a poem set with a recurring pattern of both rhyme and meter. Normally verses have the same structure but different lyrics.

 Pre-chorus. It’s a transition section that prepares the entrance of the chorus. The dynamics become more intense and the texture denser.

Chorus is used to mean the refrain of a song, which often sharply contrasts the verse melodically, rhythmically, and harmonically, and assumes a higher level of dynamics and activity, often with added instrumentation. Normally a chorus will repeat the music and lyrics.

 Bridge. A bridge is an interlude that connects two parts of that song, building a harmonic connection between those parts.

Instrumental Solo. A solo is a section of reduced instrumentality designed to feature a single performer.

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