motif

In music, a motif is a small collection of notes that captures the essence or idea of the piece. Motifs are similar to a 'riff', 'lick' or 'phrase' in music that features within the song or composition. These terms all refer to a memorable passage of music within a piece.

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen: the first and second line of each verse follows the same melody (a melodic motif). “Yesterday” by The Beatles: every line in the verses ends with a similar melody - the notes are different, but the rhythm is the same as the first Yesterday… (rhythmic motif).

1. : a usually recurring salient thematic element (as in the arts) especially : a dominant idea or central theme. Ms. Cisneros doesn't present too many nice guys here, and the perfidy of men is a motif in several of the stories.

main idea or theme Etymology. From French motif (1848), with the meaning of "main idea or theme". Doublet of motive.

It can relate to the theme, or it can be the dominant or central idea itself. Concepts like betrayal and forgiveness can be motifs, for example, but so can particular images and sounds, such as trees or bells. Motif is also commonly applied in design, where it typically refers to a single or repeated pattern or color.

Types Of Musical Motifs These short musical phrases are commonly broken into three categories: melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic motifs. Melodic motifs are most common, where there is usually a short yet recognizable succession of notes that a composer will add to the score when it feels appropriate.

A motif is a recurring idea or concept throughout a text. A symbol is an object that represents something it is not. A common example is that a heart is a symbol for love. A writer may use a symbol to reinforce motif.

Here are a few common types: Symbolic Motifs: These motifs take the form of symbols that represent a larger idea or theme. Conceptual Motifs: These motifs are built around a particular concept or idea that recurs in the story. Structural Motifs: These motifs are repeated patterns or structures in the story.

A motif thematically associated with a person, place, or idea is called a leitmotif. Occasionally such a motif is a musical cryptogram of the name involved. A head-motif (German: Kopfmotiv) is a musical idea at the opening of a set of movements which serves to unite those movements.

A motif is a repeated pattern - an image, sound, word, or symbol that comes back again and again within a particular story.

Motifs can be objects, colors, weather patterns, and even quotes. The things that they all have in common are that they repeat and that they carry important figurative information that should be clear to the reader. Novels, fairy tales, poems, films, and music all have their own examples of motifs.

Motif. Another term that usually refers to a piece of melody (although it can also refer to a rhythm or a chord progression) is "motif". A motif is a short musical idea - shorter than a phrase - that occurs often in a piece of music.