Heterophonic

/ˌhɛt.ə.roʊˈfɒn.ɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characterized by heterophony; featuring two or more melodies or sound sources played simultaneously in different variations.

Etymology

From Greek hetero- (different) + -phon (sound) + -ic (relating to). Used in music theory since the early 20th century to describe a type of musical texture.

Kelly Says

Heterophonic music is when you have different variations of the same melody happening at once—like in Indonesian gamelan or when a jazz musician improvises over a standard while others play it straight!

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