Motive

Definition

A motive is a short melodic or rhythmic idea that serves as a building block for creating larger musical phrases, themes, or compositions. It often carries expressive or thematic significance within a piece of music.

Analogy

Think of motives as musical Lego bricks. Just like how you can combine different Lego pieces to build various structures, composers use motives to construct melodies and harmonies in their compositions.

Related terms

Phrase: A phrase is a musical unit consisting of multiple measures that form a complete musical thought. Motives are often combined to create phrases.

Melody: Melody refers to a sequence of pitches played one after another, forming the main tune or theme of a piece. Motives contribute to the overall melody.

Rhythm: Rhythm refers to the pattern of durations and accents in music. Motives can have distinct rhythmic patterns that help define their character and impact within a composition.