polyphonic

Polyphony (/pəˈlɪfəni/ pə-LIH-fə-nee) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice (monophony) or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).

Rounds, canons, and fugues are all polyphonic. (Even if there is only one melody, if different people are singing or playing it at different times, the parts sound independent.)

Polyphonic texture: Music with two or more independent melodies sounding at the same time. The most intricate types of polyphonic texture - canon and fugue - may introduce three, four, five or more independent melodies simultaneously! This manner of writing is called COUNTERPOINT.

The word homophonic comes from the Greek words homo (meaning same or similar) and phonic (meaning sound or voice). Homophonic music refers to music that has one sound or line of melody being played by multiple instruments at the same time. One instrument plays one note, and a second instrument plays a note in harmony.

Polyphony is characterized by multiple voices with separate melodic lines and rhythms. In other words, each voice has its own independent melodic line, and the independent voices blend together to create harmonies.

Definition of 'polyphony' 1. multiplicity of sounds, as in an echo. 2. Music. a combining of a number of independent but harmonizing melodies, as in a fugue or canon; counterpoint.

Polyphony may be likened to a dialogue, a discussion, or even an argument between two or more speakers, all talking concurrently. As a result, polyphony may be judged as the most complex of all the musical textures, since it challenges a listener to concentrate on several, equally important layers of sound.

Texture in music refers to the effect of the different layers of sound in a piece of music, and the relationship between them. Layers of sound are the different things which are happening at the same time in a piece of music. There could be a guitar playing, a voice singing, drums playing and a piano too.

Like timbre, musical texture is often described qualitatively with terms like thick or thin, transparent, heavy, busy, solo, and so on. Each of these terms is useful in so far as it describes a salient feature of the music. Musicians sometimes use a set of technical terms to identify common textures.

Homophony is characterized by multiple voices harmonically moving together at the same pace. Polyphony is characterized by multiple voices with separate melodic lines and rhythms. Most music does not conform to a single texture; rather, it can move between them.

Monophonic texture includes only a single melody line. If more than one musician plays the same melody together, this is called playing in unison. Polyphonic texture consists of two or more independent melody lines: Homophonic texture consist of a primary melody line with accompaniment.

Polyphonic sounds are diverse, but with practice, they can be consistently distinguished from all other types of sounds. Most often, they sound either distinctively metallic or distinctively whiny.