In
music,
homophony (;
Greek: ὁμόφωνος,
homóphōnos, from ὁμός,
homós, "same" and φωνή,
phōnē, "sound, tone") is a
texture in which a primary
part is supported by one or more additional strands that flesh out the
harmony and often provide rhythmic contrast. This differentiation of roles contrasts with equal-voice
polyphony (in which similar lines move with rhythmic and melodic independence to form an even texture) and
monophony (in which all parts move in unison or octaves). Historically, homophony and its differentiated roles for parts emerged in tandem with
tonality, which gave distinct harmonic functions to the soprano, bass and inner voices.