texture

the character of the different layers of the horizontal and vertical sound

The density and range of the simultaneous sounds forming harmonies in music. It can be contrapuntal (polyphonic) or homophonic (chordal). The typical texture of Renaissance music is a polyphony of independent voices, whereas, the texture in Baroque music can be described as continuo homophony: a firm bass and a florid treble held together by unobtrusive harmony. The texture became the tune and accompaniment type in the Classical era.