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87Therefore, each of the participating singers has their axis, a specific pitch, and theperformer improvises within a fifth up or down from this axis, using the “exchangeable”notes (third or fifth from the main axis) on the strong beats. If you have a look at themelodic development of individual parts of the Gurian working song “Naduri”, and thenhave a look at their vertical coordination, you will understand what I mean:Fig. 4. Separate parts from “Naduri” codaI dedicated a special publication to the relationship of scale steps in Georgiantraditional polyphony (Jordania, 1983). According to this publication, melodic andharmonic notes can easily exchange with notes a third or a fifth above or lower.The final element of the western Georgian polyphonic style that we are going tomention here might already be evident to some readers – unlike European professionalpolyphony, Georgian polyphony does not use the principle of imitation. Each part ofwestern Georgian counterpoint polyphony uses melodic phrases from the existingmelodic and rhythmic “vocabulary” of their own parts. As a matter of fact, most of thetraditional polyphonic cultures do not use the principle of imitation. So, except for theexclusively rare element of imitation, Georgian polyphony is mostly based on three orfour contrasting parts.As in the case of eastern Georgian polyphonic singing, there are many morepolyphonic songs and simpler styles in western Georgia than this very complex traditionof counterpoint polyphony. In simpler songs much more drone is used (predominantly therhythmic drone), as well as ostinato formulae in the base. In these “simpler” songs noindividual bass, no yodel, and fewer improvisation are used as well. Many features unitethese two (complex and simpler) styles as well: use of the antiphonal alternation of twochoirs, overlapping cadences, simple metre (almost the whole Gurian and most ofwestern Georgian singing is based on the 4/4 metre), simple non-ornamented melodiclines, dissonant chords, cadences into unisons or fifths.