Editing Accompaniment (section)

{{short description|Part of a musical composition}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2018}}
[[File:Accompainment Waltz.png|thumb|right|200px|A [[waltz]] melody, which is usually in triple meter, is often supported by an "oom-pah-pah"-style accompaniment, which consists of a bass note in beat one followed by a chord that is played twice in beats two and three. {{audio|Accompaniment Walzer.mid|Play}}]]
[[File:Walking bass.PNG|thumb|right|250px|"[[Walking bass]]lines", so-named because they rise and fall in a regular pattern, are a widely used style of accompaniment [[bassline]] in [[jazz]], [[blues]] and [[rockabilly]]. {{audio|Walking bass quarter notes in C.mid|Play}}]]
[[File:Gitarre continuo.JPG|thumb|right|200px|A [[guitar]]ist playing the [[basso continuo]] accompaniment part for [[Baroque music]] composer [[Antonio Vivaldi]]'s Cello concerto in 2008.]]
'''Accompaniment''' is the [[part (music)|musical part]] which provides the [[rhythm]]ic and/or [[harmony (music)|harmonic]] support for the [[melody]] or main themes of a [[song]] or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles of music. In [[homophony|homophonic music]], the main accompaniment approach used in [[popular music]], a clear vocal melody is supported by subordinate [[chord (music)|chord]]s. In [[popular music]] and [[traditional music]], the accompaniment parts typically provide the "beat" for the music and outline the [[chord progression]] of the song or instrumental piece.

The accompaniment for a vocal melody or instrumental solo can be played by a single musician playing an instrument such as [[piano]], [[pipe organ]], or [[guitar]]. While any instrument can in theory be used as an accompaniment instrument, keyboard and guitar-family instruments tend to be used if there is only a single instrument, as these instruments can play chords and [[bassline]]s simultaneously (chords and a bassline are easier to play simultaneously on keyboard instruments, but a [[fingerpicking]] guitarist can play chords and a bassline simultaneously on guitar). A solo singer can accompany themself by playing guitar or piano while they sing, and in some rare cases, a solo singer can even accompany themself just using their voice and body (e.g., [[Bobby McFerrin]]).

Alternatively, the accompaniment to a vocal melody or instrumental solo can be provided by a [[musical ensemble]], ranging in size from a [[Musical duo|duo]] (e.g., cello and piano; guitar and double bass; [[synthesizer]] and percussion); a trio (e.g., a rock [[power trio]] of [[electric guitar]], [[electric bass]] and [[drum kit]]; an [[organ trio]]); a quartet (e.g., a [[string quartet]] in [[Classical music]] can accompany a solo [[singer]]; a [[rock band]] or [[rhythm section]] in rock and pop; a [[jazz quartet]] in jazz); all the way to larger ensembles, such as [[concert band]]s, [[Big Band]]s (in jazz), [[pit orchestra]]s in [[musical theatre]]; and [[orchestra]]s, which, in addition to playing [[symphony|symphonies]], can also provide accompaniment to a [[concerto]] solo instrumentalist or to solo singers in [[opera]]. With [[choral music]], the accompaniment to a vocal solo can be provided by other singers in the [[choir]], who sing [[harmony part]]s or [[countermelody|countermelodies]].

Accompaniment parts range from so simple that a beginner can play them (e.g., simple three-note [[triad (music)|triad]] chords in a traditional folk song) to so complex that only an advanced player or singer can perform them (e.g., the piano parts in [[Schubert]]'s [[Lieder]] [[art song]]s from the 19th century or vocal parts from a [[Renaissance music]] [[motet]]).