MT106 – Basic Music Theory 6 – Texture

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Texture

The overall sound quality created by the combination of the different elements in a music piece.

How the music or sound is organized; how many layers a piece of music has; how many voices or instruments are playing at once.

Factors that affect Texture

• Tempo
• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Timbre

Describing Texture

Just like a piece of clothing material, soil or skin, the texture of music can be described in various ways.

• Thick: a lot of melodies and harmonies played or sung at the same time.
• Thin: only one or two melodies or harmonies at the same time
• Open / Wide / Spacious: a large gap between highest and lowest notes.
• Closed / Tight / Compact: notes played or sung are all close to each other

Types of Texture

Monophonic Texture

Mono- one: Only one melody sung or played by one person.

This is the simplest form or texture.

E.g. Happy birthday song

Homophonic Texture

Homo- same / similar: multiple notes played or sung around the same melody.

Most commonly used in Gospel

Polyphonic Texture

Poly- many / multiple: multiple notes played or sung independently.

Two or more vocal parts doing their own thing.

Two other textures will be dealt in higher classes:

• Imitative
• Antiphonal (used in rap and funk)