* One melodic line, no harmony
* Often accompanied by a drone or ostinato
* Gregorian chant is a type of monophonic music
Polyphony
* Two or more melodic lines played simultaneously
* Organum is a type of polyphonic music in which one voice sings a melody while another voice sings a parallel melody at a different pitch
* Discant is a type of polyphonic music in which two or more voices sing different melodies that are independent of each other
Rhythm
* Medieval music was often written in a free rhythm, meaning that the notes were not played at a strict tempo
* Some types of medieval music, such as dance music, were written in a more regular rhythm
Melody
* Medieval melodies were often based on scales that were different from the scales that are used in Western music today
* Medieval melodies were often ornamented with melismas, which are groups of notes that are sung on a single syllable
Instrumentation
* A wide variety of instruments were used in medieval music, including:
* Voices
* String instruments, such as the fiddle and the lute
* Wind instruments, such as the flute and the trumpet
* Percussion instruments, such as the drum and the cymbals