Texture

Question 1

What is the definition of texture in music?

Answer 1

Texture refers to how voices and/or instruments are combined in music.

Question 2

What are the three main aspects of texture?

Answer 2

Layers, density and type of texture.

Question 3

When you picked out the number or layers within a piece, what categories could they fall under?

Answer 3

1. Melody with accompaniment
2. More than one melodic line
3. Countermelody
4. Non-melodic/harmonic lines (e.g. rhythm section or percussion)
5. Single melodic line

Question 4

Name the four main roles of an instrument in a piece:

Answer 4

1. Melodic role
2. Harmonic role
3. Rhythmic role
4. Tone color role

Question 5

Describe the purpose of an instrument with the melodic role:

Answer 5

The melodic role usually leads the music and listeners are normally attracted to the melody.

Question 6

What could a melodic role be?

Answer 6

1. The main melody
2. The main melody in unison
3. The main melody in octaves
4. The main melody, with the melody in harmony (e.g. 3rds)
5. Imitation of the main melody across different instruments.
6. A countermelody

Question 7

Describe the purpose of an instrument with the harmonic role:

Answer 7

The harmonic role provides harmony through a bass line, chords, or a drone (sustained note)

Question 8

What could a harmonic role be?

Answer 8

1. A bass line (e.g. walking bass)
2. A constant chordal accompaniment
3. A drone

Question 9

Describe the purpose of an instrument with the rhythmic role:

Answer 9

The rhythmic role provides a piece with a pulse or possibly an ostinato or riff.

Question 10

Can both un-tuned instruments and tuned instruments have the rhythmic role?

Answer 10

Yes.

Question 11

What could a rhythmic role be?

Answer 11

1. A basic pulse
2. Ostinato
3. A rhythmic interest (either as accompaniment or to take over the main part of a piece of music)

Question 12

Can instruments have more than one ensemble role?

Answer 12

Yes.

Question 13

Describe the purpose of an instrument with the tone colour role:

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

What could the role of a tone colour role be?

Answer 14

1. Emphasize the musical style, as well as appropriate emotional impact.
2. Emphasize the melody
3. Provide contrast
4. Provide unity

Question 15

What is the definition of density in music?

Answer 15

Density refers to the thickness created by layers in a piece of music.

Question 16

What is monophonic texture in music?

Answer 16

Monophonic texture refers to when only a single melodic line is played in a piece of music. It can involve:

1. One instrument or voice being played.
2. A group of instrumentalists or singers (a choir) in unison.

Question 17

What is homophonic texture in music?

Answer 17

Homophonic texture refers to a single melody line accompanied by a harmonic line. Examples of homophonic texture include:

1. A violinist and an orchestra or a string orchestra.
2. A rock group with a guitar soloist, with the other group members (e.g. rhythm and bass guitar and drums) accompanying.
3. A jazz band with a saxophone soloist, with the other band instruments (e.g. bass, keyboard, drums) accompanying.

Question 18

What is polyphonic texture in music?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

What is heterophonic texture in music?

Answer 19

Heterophonic texture is where two or more lines are played or sung at the same time, with different variations of the same melody.

Question 20

Rhythmic unison

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Contrapuntal motion

Answer 21

The general movement of two melodic lines with respect to each other. Also known as counterpoint

Question 22

Four types of contrapuntal motion

Answer 22

1. Contrary motion
2. Parallel motion
3. Similar motion
4. Oblique motion

Question 23

Contrary motion

Answer 23

Where one of the lines ascends up, while the other moves down.

Question 24

Strict contrary motion

Answer 24

Same as contrary motion but the two instruments/voices always move in the same intervals.

Question 25

Parallel motion

Answer 25

Where two or more lines move in the same direction. Parallel motions at an interval of a perfect fifth is known as consecutive fifths, and at an interval of an octave is known as consecutive octaves.

Question 26

Similar motion

Answer 26

Where two or more lines move in the same direction, but with the interval between them changing.

Question 27

Oblique motion

Answer 27

Where one melodic lines is in motion while the other remains at the same pitch. The same pitch can be considered a drone if it is sustained for enough time.

Question 28

Parallel harmonies

Answer 28

The parallel movement of two or more melodic lines that preserve the same interval. E.g. if you play notes F and C (7 semitones apart) and then you play E and B (also 7 semitones apart), that is parallel harmony.