Texture is how many layers the music has.
TL;DR (Overview)
- Texture is how many layers the music has.
- Texture can be thick or thin.
- Three basic types of texture are:
- When everybody is singing the same thing together, with no harmony, it’s called singing in unison.
Go to the extras to test yourself!


Monophony
Music is called monophonic when only one instrument or singer is performing a single melody, or when all of the instrumentalists or singers are playing or singing one melody together – this is called singing or playing in unison.
If you hear someone singing a solo all alone, with no instruments and no other people singing, that’s monophony.
If you hear a choir singing all together with no harmony, that’s monophony.
If you hear someone playing a solo on a clarinet, with no accompaniment, that’s monophony.
“Mono” = alone, single, one
Polyphony

Homophony
Homophonic music is music where a main melody is accompanied by chords, or harmony, all singing or playing together in the same rhythm at the same time.
A singer accompanying herself on the guitar is homophony.
Most pop music is homophonic – a singer is accompanied by other instruments, and the instruments provide harmony to the melody.
Choir / vocal music that is homophonic includes hymns and barbershop music. Barbershop music was born in the U.S. in the late 1800’s, and was originally only sung by men. The first Barbershop singers were African American, and they harmonized popular songs from the time, as well as traditional spirituals.
“Homo” = same
Listen to these recordings of Barbershop quartets.
The first one is of a group singing in the traditional Barbershop style: solid chords, all are (usually) singing the same rhythm. It’s a very “blocky” style, and quite difficult for singers to perfect.
Interestingly, in Barbershop music, the melody is usually sung by the second tenor (second line from the top.)
More modern groups are less homophonic sometimes, as they take on the characteristics of college a cappella groups, where there are moments when the supporting singers imitate an instrumental accompaniment, which is not the case with traditional Barbershop music. The second video illustrates this. It’s a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and you’ll see that it’s not entirely homophonic, but it’s fun. 🙂
A note: Barbershop music is also usually “homorhythmic”, as the singers sing the same rhythms at the same time. Think of this as you listen to the first video.

Extras!

Download this graphic to help you remember the different elements of musical texture.
Texture - monophonic (mono = alone, single, one; melody), polyphonic (poly = many; melodies), homophonic (homo = same: melody + same rhythm in accompaniment) / Phonic = sound / Thin texture, thick texture / Harmony - Unison