Chapter 4
Texture
Table of contents
Texture: layers of sound, thin texture, thick texture 40
Types of texture: monophonic, homophonic, 41
polyphonic, unison, doubling, imitation, call and response.
Graphic notation (Student activity) 42
Lines and layers: similar motion, contrary motion 43
(Student activity)
Texture match up (Student activity) 44
Texture checklist (Student listening activity) 45
Texture question template (Student listening activity) 46
Texture answer template (Student listening activity) 47
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Texture refers to the layers of sound in a composition.
This is a complex concept to understand. Imagine that you are listening to a soloist
singing a Gregorian chant. There is one melodic line, one voice, and one layer. Even if a
full choir of a hundred voices sings the melody in unison, there is still one layer only.
Now imagine that you are listening to a duet played by saxophone and clarinet. There
are two melodic lines and two layers of sound. On the piano, a Bach Two Part invention
has two layers, with the left hand playing one melody and the right hand playing
another. Now imagine you are listening to a jazz quintet. With five players, there are at
least five layers of sound and five melodic lines. There may be even more than five
layers if the piano plays several lines. When the full orchestra plays, there are dozens of
melodic lines, and many layers of sound.
When one instrument or melodic line plays, it is called a thin texture.
When several instruments or melodic lines play, it is called a thick texture.
It is tempting to think that many instruments equals a thick texture and one or two
instruments equal a thin texture. This is often the case, however there are exceptions,
such as when all instruments are playing a melody in unison, or where a single
instrument plays more than one layer, such as a melody and counter melody.
flute solo Thin texture
unaccompanied vocal
duet
guitar duet
trumpet trio fanfare
string quartet
4 part choir
rock group with singer
jazz quintet
percussion ensemble
Thick
orchestral tutti texture
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Texture can be represented graphically, with each layer drawn as a line or bar on a
graph. You should practise drawing graphic notation of texture to use in the HSC
examination. Here are two examples of simple graphs explaining the texture in the
piece. Answer the questions next to each graph.
How many sections are in the piece? __________
flute How many instruments play? _________________
Which section has the thinnest texture? _______
clarinet Which section has the thickest texture? _______
Which instrument plays throughout the entire
saxophone piece? _______________________________________
Which instruments play in only one section?
violin ______________________________________________
In Section A, how many layers of sound are
there? _______________________________________
piano
In Section B, how many layers of sound are
voice there? _______________________________________
In Section C, how many layers of sound are
there? _______________________________________
Section A Section B Section C
+ How many sections are in the piece? _________
choir How many instruments play? ________________
keyboard
Which section has the thinnest texture? ______
+ Which section has the thickest texture? ______
bass guitar Which instruments play throughout the entire
distorted
electric piece? ______________________________________
+
guitar Which instruments play in only one section?
vocals _____________________________________________
In the Intro, how many layers of sound are
claves there? ______________________________________
snare
fingerclick In Section A, how many layers of sound are
there? ______________________________________
In Section B, how many layers of sound are
there? ______________________________________
Intro Section A Section B Section C In Section C, how many layers of sound are
there? ______________________________________
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When talking about the texture of an excerpt, it’s not enough to simply say that the
texture is thin or thick, and to draw a graph. You also have to explain the relationship
between the layers and lines. There are several ways that lines work together. You can
use your knowledge of pitch and melody to describe texture. As you will soon realise,
musical concepts are all related and it is impossible to discuss one without mentioning
others.
Monophonic texture a single layer, one melodic line, unison (same pitch)
MONO comes from the Greek word
4
4
“monos” which means “alone”.
PHONIC comes from the Greek word
“phone” meaning sound.
Homophonic texture a melody line with a chordal accompaniment.
4
4 HOMO means “same”. In
homophonic texture, all of the lines
are playing along with the same
melody, often with the same rhythm.
4
4
Polyphonic texture many melodic lines playing at the same time, complex
melodies and counter melodies.
I
4
4
II
etc.
POLY is a prefix used in many
English words. It is from the Greek
word “polloi” which means “many”.
Polyphonic writing refers to several
independent lines. This style is also
4
4
III
called counterpoint.
Unison means when two or more instruments play the same note at the same pitch.
Doubling occurs when the same melody is played by more than one instrument an
octave apart (for example, on high C and low C).
Imitation occurs when a melody or melodic fragment is copied by another
instrument (see section on Pitch).
Call and response texture occurs when a solo instrument makes a melodic
statement or “call” and a larger group replies with a different statement. (See the section
on Pitch).
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There are several technical musical words that you can use to describe how the melodic
layers work against each other.
Similar motion occurs when the melodic contour of two melodies is the same. If
one ascends, they both ascend, and if one descends, they both do.
Contrary motion means that melodies move in opposite directions. If one
ascends, the other descends. The two lines are like a mirror of each other.
3 3
4 4
similar contrary
3
4 3
4
Now it’s your turn to write some musical lines.
1. Add a second layer in similar motion.
4
4
4
4
2. Add a second layer in contrary motion.
3
4
3
4
3. Add a second layer using imitation.
4
4
4
4
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Below you will find several drawings and music notation excerpts. Choose a word from
the box that describes the type of texture and write it on the line provided. Then draw
the melodic contour of each example in the space provided.
similar motion contrary motion call and response
monophonic homophonic
polyphonic doubling imitation canon
Answer Draw the melodic contour here.
4
1.
4
2
2. 4
3
3 4
4
4
4
4
5 4
2
6
4
6
7 8
3
8 4
3
9 4
3
4
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Your teacher will play four musical excerpts for you. Draw a tick in the column if the aspect of texture
occurs in the music you hear.
ASPECTS OF TEXTURE PRESENT IN THE EXCERPT 1 2 3 4
Texture is mostly thin
Texture is mostly thick
Texture is of moderate thickness
There are sudden changes in texture during the
excerpt
There is a gradual build up of layers in the texture
Lines move in similar motion
Lines move in contrary motion
Lines are doubled
Call and response
Imitation occurs
Canon
Polyphonic texture
Monophonic texture
Homophonic texture
How many layers of sound can you hear in each
section?
Intro
Section A
Section B
Section C
How many bars are there in each section of the
excerpt?
Intro
Section A
Section B
Section C
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Listen to a short musical excerpt. Write responses in point form to the questions and
prompts below.
OVERALL DENSITY Describe the use of texture overall. Is the texture the same all the way
AND LAYERS through? Does the texture build up gradually, or does it contrast thick and thin
textures?
TEXTURE CHANGES Describe any sudden changes in texture. Where do they occur?
What is the effect of texture changes in this piece? Surprise, building
excitement and tension, climax etc.
FOR EACH SECTION OF THE EXCERPT, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTION How many bars in this section?
How many layers?
What instruments play each layer?
What kind of texture is operating here (polyphonic, monophonic etc)?
Describe the function of each layer (melody, accompaniment etc)
How do the layers interact with each other (similar motion, contrary motion,
question and answer, imitation, call and response, canon)
SECTION A How many bars in this section?
How many layers?
What instruments play each layer?
What kind of texture is operating here (polyphonic, monophonic etc)?
Describe the function of each layer (melody, accompaniment etc)
How do the layers interact with each other (similar motion, contrary motion,
question and answer, imitation, call and response, canon)
DRAW A DIAGRAM
OF THE TEXTURE
IN THE PIECE
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Listen to a short musical excerpt. Write responses in point form. No questions have
been provided so that you can test your understanding of the texture concept.
OVERALL DENSITY
AND LAYERS
TEXTURE CHANGES
FOR EACH SECTION OF THE EXCERPT, DESCRIBE THE TEXTURE
INTRODUCTION
SECTION A
SECTION B
SECTION C
DRAW A DIAGRAM
OF THE TEXTURE
IN THE PIECE
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