polyphonic
From the Greek for "many sounded", two or more melodic lines combined
into a multivoiced texture, as distinct from monophonic
("one-sounding") and homophonic ("like-sounding").
The multiple musical lines may sound simultaneously, either in strict imitation
of each other, or move in more independent fashion weaving in and out of
each other. In the case of a musical instrument, polyphonic means the ability
to play more than one note simultaneously. For example, a six-string guitar
has a maximum of 6-note polyphony. Counterpoint
is almost synonymous with polyphony, but it usually refers to specific practices
that were codified during the Baroque period – for example, the fugue.
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