Accompaniment

In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner. The accompaniment can be performed by a single performer — a pianist, organist, or guitarist — or it can be played by an entire ensemble, such as a symphony orchestra or string quartet (in the classical genre), a backing band or rhythm section (in popular music), or even a big band or organ trio (in jazz). It may be considered the background to the foreground melody.