How is heterophony different from true polyphonic counterpoint?

Heterophony and true polyphonic counterpoint are distinct musical textures. While both involve multiple simultaneous sounds, they differ fundamentally in the independence of their melodic lines.

Heterophony is defined as the simultaneous performance of melodic variants of the same basic tune. In this texture, different performers—such as a singer and an accompanying instrument—play the same melody but with individual differences in decoration, rhythm, or detail. Because these parts are essentially duplications of a single underlying melody, they lack the distinct, separate voice parts required for true polyphony.1234

True polyphonic counterpoint, by contrast, involves the combination of two or more distinct and independent melodic lines. Effective counterpoint requires:34
* Independence: The individual lines maintain their own melodic identity.3
* Harmonious Relationship: There is a meaningful vertical relationship between the lines, governed by the rules of harmony and the treatment of consonances and dissonances.3

While some ethnomusicologists may use the term "counterpoint" loosely to describe heterophonic variations, this is technically inaccurate because heterophony lacks the structural separation of voices found in Western contrapuntal traditions.34