What are Music Textures? (Analysis of the 4 different types) (2023)

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• What is Music Texture?
• What Are the Different Types of Musical Textures?
• Learn how to create more dynamic scenarios with these tips.
  

One of the biggest things I see aspiring producers struggle with is creating a complete and dynamic setup. There's too little or too much, and the songs don't feel like they've taken you on a journey anyway.

If you're having trouble creating dynamic environments, you're not alone. It's taken me years to figure this out and I'd like to help you get there faster. The most important step in arranging the arrangements you hear in popular music is understandingtextura-musical.

What is Music Texture?

First, this is separate from the sonic texture (thinkhot tube ampsjtape-sims), but the musical and sound structures are inspired by similar ideas.

Just as we can describe the texture of a surface as smooth, rough or tacky, musical texture can be described as the way music 'feels' and influences the impression it makes on us.

Think of two different versions of the same song, such as a U2 anthem versus a stripped down acoustic version of the same song. You actually listen to the same piece of music both times, but the texture has changed a lot. For the sake of this article, we're not focusing on how the singer's voice sounds different from Bono's.

Instead, we focus on how the musical texture changes by simplifying your arrangement.acoustic guitarand a vocalist, removing bass, drums, and other accompanying musical elements (such as harmonies) in the process.

By understanding the different types of texture in music, you can increase the emotional impact of your music on the listener and create arrangements that take people on a sonic journey.

The four types of musical texture

Music has four main types of texture:solo,polyphony,unanimity,jheterofonie.

We take a closer look at each of these scenarios and how they can be applied and combined in your productions to create interesting scenarios.

we will be soonmusical theoryhere, but even if your knowledge of the theory is limited (like mine), you will still be able to understand these concepts!

Solo

The first three types of musical texture belong together and are common in most modern western music. we will start withsolo.

A monophonic texture consists of a single melody line. This is probably the easiest texture to choose when listening to music.

A good example of unison is someone singing "The Star-Spangled Banner." The singer often sings one melody line at a time without additional vocal accompaniment. Other examples of unison are a leadguitar riffor a synthetic lead component.

These textures are used to create "hooks", the most memorable parts of a song that stick in our heads.

For example, listen to 'Day Tripper' by the Beatles. The monophonic texture of the guitar riff immediately grabs your attention and sticks in your mind.

In your productions, creating these monophonic hooks will make your songs stand out and become more memorable to the listener. We often think of creating hooks with the vocal melody line in the chorus, but most modern versions also have at least one instrumental guitar hook,piano, or without.

(Check out our collection for the best free piano soundsTop 6 Free Piano VSTs That Sound Great)

Polyphony

Apolyphonic structureconsists of two or more independent melodies that coincide.

Polyphonic texture gets a bit confusing in the industry as the term is also used in conjunction with a type of synth (polyphonic synths). The use of polyphony in the case of synthesizers is broader and refers to the machine's ability to play several notes at once. Therefore, you might think that polyphony includes chords, which is inconsistent with how we describe polyphony in musical structures.

Modern recordings often use polyphony on vocals. One of my favorite tricks often used during the 'pop-punk/emo' era of the 2000s was to have two or more vocal melodies appear at the same time, creating a rich vocal sound at the end of a song . Here's an example:

Polyphonic textures are also often used as background or rhythmic instruments in an arrangement. In a rock band there is often a rhythm guitarist and the rhythm guitarist adds polyphonic texture to the music.

In other genres of music, this can be accomplished with a piano or synthesizer. This creates a full, rich sound that supports the monophonic texture created by each lead guitar part, synths, etc.

Combination of monophony and polyphony

Most instrumental arrangements are combinations of monophonic and polyphonic textures. This combination is known asfuneral song. Adding or removing these different textures or instruments at different times during a piece of music is a big part of what creates the dynamics in an arrangement.

When we talk about dynamics in music, we are essentially talking about different levels of "power" throughout the song. Some sections will want to be quieter, others louder, and changing these textures can help create that contrast.

Unanimity

Ahomophonic structureit consists of a central melodic line with additional voices or parts acting simultaneously as harmonic accompaniment. A good example of this in pop songs is a vocal melody with added harmonies.

Each part sings the same lyrics and has the same rhythm, but each part has a slightly different melody. These pieces are then combined to create a harmonically rich vocal sound.

Listen to "Driver's License" by Olivia Rodrigo. During the bridge, different harmonies are layered to create a rich vocal texture.

• Check out their full breakdownWhat is homophonic texture in music?.

Using unanimity to build momentum

Using unison is something I see a lot of new producers skimp on in their music, and I get it, I definitely do. It's understandable, because when we listen to music, we often don't select all the harmonies because those parts do their job.

They are meant to add texture to the vocals without being overly noticeable. But especially if you're producing pop or electronic music, a homophonic texture is crucial to get the rich vocal sound you hear in those genres.

Adding or removing homophonic textures to your vocal arrangement can create stronger dynamics in all your music, as can adding or removing instruments.

To go back to the "Driver's License" example, the first half of the song is softer and more intimate as we only hear the lead vocal.As the dynamics of the instruments increase during the bridgeHowever, these extra harmonies are added to make the vocals feel more dynamic.

In many pop songs, it can be common to keep the verses sparse but add harmonies to the choruses, especially the final chorus to create a dynamic contrast between sections and make the chorus feel huge.

When you combine these changes in vocal dynamics with changes in instrument dynamics, you have some very powerful arrangements on your hands!

(If you'd like more information on how to put sounds into your music, check outThis articleI wrote!)

heterofonie

So far we have discussed the typical musical textures of western music (also known as more modern music). The last musical structure to discuss is found by studying the history of music.

This texture, known asheterofonie, is commonly used in traditional folk music of European, Asian, or Middle Eastern origin. A heterophonic texture is created when multiple instruments play similar melodies, but the melody may differ slightly between players.

This duo is a good example of that. You hear the two parts sound related to each other, and both seem to follow the chord changes in the piece. However, if you listen carefully, the melodies played differ slightly from each other.

While this texture may not be typical of Western music, that certainly doesn't mean you can't find creative ways to use it in your music.Maybe you could add a section to your song where two synth melodies are played together like this, with each melody line slightly different from the other!

Having unique qualities in your music will set you apart from other producers, and perhaps your good use of heterophony is that unique quality for you! Don't be afraid to experiment with this texture in future productions!

Involving it

Congratulations, you made it all the way! No more music theory terms!

Whether you know nothing or everything about music theory, you can see how understanding the use of texture in music is an important part of creating dynamic and exciting productions.

Each of the four different texture types plays a unique role in a piece of music. By combining them in different ways in each section of the song, you can create just the amount of dynamics you want in your productions.

I've provided several examples of music textures here, but I encourage you to listen to your favorite music and look at the types of textures that are used.Notice how they are added and removed throughout the song to create a sense of dynamics.

I can guarantee that when you start looking at a musical texture like this it will give you lots of new ideas to try in your music and bring you closer to the full, dynamic sound you want in your productions. Have fun producing!