Texture
- Monophonic: a single melody line with no accompaniment, which may be played in unison or octaves.
- Homophonic: a melody with chordal accompaniment, or parts moving together in chords.
- Polyphonic (contrapuntal): two or more independent melodies at the same time.
- Imitation: one part copies another; a canon is strict imitation throughout.
- Heterophonic: several players play different versions of the same melody at the same time.
- Textures can be thin (few parts) or thick (many layers).
Structure (form)
- Binary form: AB. Ternary form: ABA, where the first section returns.
- Rondo form: ABACA, with a main theme returning between contrasting episodes.
- Theme and variations: a theme, then changed versions of it.
- Strophic: the same music for each verse; through-composed: new music throughout.
- Verse–chorus form is common in pop; other pop sections include intro, bridge, middle 8 and outro.
- The 12-bar blues is a chord pattern using chords I, IV and V.
- Call and response: a phrase answered by another phrase or group.
Sonata form
- Used in Classical symphony first movements: exposition (two themes in contrasting keys), development (the themes are changed and moved through keys), and recapitulation (the themes return in the home key).
Key terms
- Monophonic
- A single melody line with no accompaniment.
- Homophonic
- A melody with chordal accompaniment.
- Polyphonic
- Two or more independent melodies at once.
- Canon
- Strict imitation where one part copies another exactly.
- Ternary form
- A structure in three sections: ABA.
- Rondo form
- A structure where the main theme returns: ABACA.
- Strophic
- The same music for every verse.
- Sonata form
- A structure of exposition, development and recapitulation.