Accompaniment
Musical support for a leading or solo voice provided by other voices or instruments.
What it means
Accompaniment refers to the musical support given to a leading or solo voice by other voices or instruments. It typically supplies the harmonic foundation and a rhythmic framework while remaining secondary in prominence to the leading melody.
Accompaniment can be provided by a single instrument, such as a guitar or piano behind a song, or by a whole ensemble, such as an orchestra behind a solo concerto.
Musical use
Typical accompaniment patterns include the broken chord in piano accompaniment, the steady strumming pattern of guitar accompaniment, or the homophonic texture of a choir supporting a solo voice. The Baroque figured bass, too, was essentially an accompaniment to the leading melodic voice.
It should be distinguished from independent, equal-voiced counterpoint, in which no voice is clearly subordinate, and from an unaccompanied solo performance, such as unaccompanied solo singing or playing.
Performance practice
When accompanying a solo voice, match your volume and tempo to the leading voice and listen attentively to its breathing and phrasing. Good accompaniment supports and carries without drawing attention away from the leading part.