by Guto Andrade

The seek for the full domain – Part VIII

          Motific Thought – Part 1

Before reading, download all the examples by clicking here

            Hey, folks, how are you doing? A great 2008 to you!

            Well, even with our throbbing heads because of the hang-over, lets recover today our series about improvisation.

            However, before we see this month’s theme I need to clear something up: some of our readers read and played the examples here presented and that’s very nice. However, the grilles of examples (where I write the chord and arpeggios) brought some doubts…

            Every time you see a grille as an example at my columns, notice that the graver string (the sixth Mi) is the bottom string in the grille!

            <<example 1>>

           
Thanks to the reader and observers! Keep reading and sending me e-mails!

            This part elucidated, lets talk about the Motific Thought.

            The motific thought is something you can see in many melodies. The motif is a movement which can be just rhythmic or rhythmic/melodic. With some creativity you can move the harmony, transpose the melody many times without changing the same rhythmic phrase.

An easy idea about what is a motif is: give a motif is the same as induce, stimulate, motivate a movement. So, to understand the motif it’s needed that you see it as something that conducts the composition from one place to another! There are entire melodies made with only one motif! See the examples below:  

            <<example 2>>

The motif is a powerful tool if it’s well used. You have to watch out so that it won’t be boring, it’s important to watch out the breath of the phrases; below, an example of a melodic motif that can become boring:

            <<example 3>>
           

The motif is something that maintains itself in our memories, hammering!!! Have you ever waken up with a tune in your head and kept singing or thinking about it all day? When it happens again, try to notice if it isn’t the same motif composing its melody!! Much of the stuff we know nowadays is motific! Those jingles, made for TV or radio advertisements are motific! Everything is motif!
           

           
Using motifs in improvisations

Write many rhythmic combinations that sound “musical”; if it’s possible, write a melody and then write the rhythmic part only and keep training the same phrase combining other melodies.

   <<Example 4>>

Make this many times until you can force a melodic idea simultaneously with the rhythmic phrase you are studying!

      
Next month we are going to check out other examples of the use of a motif in improvisations and the composition of your own motifs!

            The album Urubu, by Tom Jobim, was recorded in 1976! Listen to this record and you will have a clear idea of how Jobim makes use of the motific thought!

            A big hug for you all, much music, see you next month!

            Guto Andrade