How to Come Up With a Motif - Music Composition

How to come up with a motif. Motifs need a musical identity, which is created through melodic design, rhythmic character, and articulation. All the notes within the motif need to be either harmony notes or inessential notes. The process of construction is unpacked during this music composition lesson and you will soon be writing effective motifs and recognising them in the music you play. This music composition lesson explains how to come up with a musical motif and how to ensure it fits with the prevailing harmony.

🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to motifs
1:47 - Thinking about chords, harmony notes and inessential notes
6:41 - Examples of how to write a motif
13:31 - The golden rules

🎓 Learn Music Online with Music Matters
Learn music theory, aural tests, composition, sight reading, orchestration and more! Prepare and practice for music exams and diplomas with Music Matters Courses. Whether you're just getting started with learning music, or you're an experienced musician looking to expand your abilities - we have something for you in our course library. With hours of step-by-step training, our courses will truly help you elevate your musicianship skills to the next level.

👥 Social Media

🔗 Affiliate Links

#MusicComposition #MelodyWriting #TheAllRoundMusician

[MusicMattersGB]

Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here!

[allooutrick]

As music seems to be getting simpler, it's nice to see someone still teaching the intricacies.

[mybook]

Your teachings mean a lot to me. I’m standing on the shoulders of a giant! Thank you!

[Dominique]

This is the best video of Composing on YouTube, you go deeply into details which is very useful, thank you

[joshlevi]

Thank you so much for these videos. I've watched countless videos trying to explain melody and motif composition from music producers and it never made any sense. You explain everything perfectly and intricately and it has been so helpful. Really appreciate your work!

[HamsterVormFenster]

I'm not a composer. I don't even consider myself a musician, I dabble occasionally but I can't even read sheet music, I just click the boxes in the midi sequencer. I also didn't sleep at all last night so my brain is running on half power. Yet, the way you explained it, I understood almost all of it. The only thing I'll have to look up is which chords contain which notes as I do not know it by heart. That is how good of a teacher you are, thank you so, so much!

[CharlesAustin]

All your videos are addictive.. one doesn’t want to miss anything.. Very relevant and enjoyable !!

[Visualsbysheem]

Thank you so much really from the bottom of my heart. With every video of yours that i watch you answer questions that have been holding me back in music production for years. I couldnt have made it without you!

[dualityy]

I really enjoyed this video. I really like that I can now use this to analyze some pieces better and understand what is happening in the melody!

[CardCaptor]

Thank you. Your videos have really opened my eyes.

[karivierimaa]

Great lesson! Easy to understand and very informative!

[guizacura]

You are a most wonderful music teacher! Thank you so much for everything you do!

[bonbonpony]

00:47 Thanks, now I know how "Happy Birthday" sounds like when played upside down :J

[pandapirateyearsago]

Wow, when you played the f major motive you made up, I immediately heard how the melody continues. It's amazing, thank you!

[TheMatrixofMeaning]

The way I write music is to improvise and noodle around until I find a motif that I like and I develop it using call and response and develop a complex structure across different starting notes, modes, and modulations until it creates a whole story with counterpoint and longer phrases. This sound is more pleasing with all the different permutations interacting than how most people seem to use their knowledge of theory in a more scientific abd logical way. I can really improvise a whole piano sonata doing this with no mistakes.

[bach]

Thank you very much! It would be useful a video on how to build a sonata.

[Defendr]

Thanks Gareth for another really helpful video. I am very interested in composing leitmotifs for storytelling in particular and this advice will definitely help me a lot in continuing to do that. I appreciate your teaching and generosity very much. Thanks again!

[alejandrosalmonfranco]

I am actually studying jazz piano and I wanted to know more about motif development and I don't if this was intended but that motif composed in the min 7:30 sounds quite a lot like the first bar of the jazz standard of Au Privave by Charlie Parker. Nice video, thank you very much!

[Rainersclarinet]

Your teaching is very good presented and easily to understand. Thank you!

[dtwdvne]

Hi, this is useful. I am actually writing a musical at present.