What are the texture of music?

The texture of music consists of horizontal and vertical elements which come together to add depth or substance to a musical composition. The texture of musical work can be determined by how many or few instruments or voices are being heard or sounded at the same time.

The following are the texture of music:

Monophonic Texture
A melody performed alone is the simplest pattern of musical texture. This is called "monophonic texture". Whenever a single melodic voice is present alone, 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. One way to remember the term monophonic is to consider its parts.

"mono" + "phonic" = "monophonic"
"one" + "sound" = "one sound"

Monophonic Texture consists of a single melody alone.

Examples of Monophonic Texture:

• children singing the melody of a song together without any instruments
• a solo trumpet playing a fanfare
• a family singing the melody of "Happy Birthday"

Homophonic Texture
When chordal harmony is present, "homophonic texture" is created. Often in homophonic texture, there is a melodic voice and other voice or group of voices which contain chords. Whenever there is a melody plus chords, the texture is homophonic texture.

One way to remember the term homophonic is to consider its parts

"homo" + "phonic" = "homophonic"
"same" + "sounds" = "same sounds"

Homophonic Texture consists of a melody with chordal accompaniment or chordal harmony alone.

Polyphonic Texture
One of the many ways harmony may be created is when two or more different melodies are performed at the same time in different musical voices. This type of harmony is called "polyphonic texture."

One way to remember the term polyphonic is to consider its parts.

"poly" + "phonic" = "polyphonic"
"many" + "sounds" = "many sounds"

Polyphonic Texture consists of several melodies performed together at the same time, resulting in harmony.