The Magic of Motifs

A motif or riff is a musical idea that is repeated throughout a composition. It defines the composition and is often used in riff rock and heavy metal. Songs can be built on a few riffs or motifs. For example, Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” is built on motifs:




The A riff is a common blues riff used as the basis for the motif. It is centered around the open A5 chord, the riff includes the C#(the third degree in the key of A) and G(the flat 7th in the key of A) in passing . The inclusion of the C# and G notes gives the impression of a full A7 chord built on the notes A, the root, C# the third, E the fifth, and G the flat seventh. The D riff, which is the 4th degree in the key of A, repeats the same riff on the guitar but centered around the open D chord. Again the riff includes F# and C, which are the third and seventh degrees of the D7 chord. The E riff, the 5th degree, again repeats the same riff around the E5 chord with G# and D, the 3rd and seventh degrees respectively. These riffs are the intro to the song and the connection between the verses.

Consequently the verse riffs are also motifs:




The first part of the verse alternates between picking the G note on the 6th guitar string and striking an A5 chord. It is followed by picking the C note on the 5th string and striking a D5 chord. The last part of verse follows the A, D, E pattern but is in E and changes by shuffling on the E5 chord from B to C# and ending again on the D chord.

Another example of motifs, is Rush’s “Limelight.” The first two bars of the intro are played in different variations throughout the song:




The first bar begins in 4/4 time on the open E string simulating an E chord with the first degree E and G# the third. A full A chord is arpeggiated and resolves to the B chord in the second bar, taking the guitar player through an entire 1, 4, 5 progression within the first two bars of the song. The riff ends on the A chord, this riff(the first two bars) is repeated three times. The first bar of the intro is repeated and transitions into a riff similar to the second bar in the time signature of 6/4. The last bar of the intro carries the B note throughout the chords and ends in a similar manner as the first riff by simulating an A chord with the notes A and C#(the first and third degrees of an A chord.)

The above mentioned motifs are repeated in variations throughout the song connecting the verse to the chorus and the chorus back to the verse. The verse is written in the key of B.




The verse stays in 6/4 time and begins with a Bsus4 chord then reversing the progression(E, F#, G#) in the second motif of the intro into G#, F#, E. The verse modulates between E and F# and resolves back to the Bsus4 chord. Tension is built by jamming on the G#7sus4 and releasing into F#5 which is the fifth degree in the key of B.




The connecting riff resolves into the B5 chord and keeps the B note constant until the progression builds into E, F#, G# and ends on A. Again extending the idea that was introduced in the last bar of the intro. The above riff is repeated twice between the first and the second verse and once before the chorus.




The chorus is a half step down from A and begins on G#7sus4, G# is the relative minor to the key of B major. The chorus changes to 3/4 time and begins with G#, E, F# which is another variation of E, F#, G# progression first played in the intro.




When the time signature changes back to 4/4 in the chorus, the progression E, F#, G is repeated until the arpeggiation in 3/4 time that mirrors the opening part of the chorus accept that the F# chords ends of A# and walks right into B in the next riff.




The riff connecting the chorus back to the verse is in 7/4 time and is a slight variation of the ending riff in the intro, and the riff that connects the first and second verses and the third and fourth verses. Again the B note kept constant throughout the chords and the end of the riff simulates an A chord.

The outro is an extension of the second part of the chorus in 4/4 time. It is repeated in different rhythm structures until the song ends on the G#7sus4 chord. This song is heavily structured and reinforces how slight variations in musical ideas are interesting to the ear.

In conclusion, songs can be built on an idea or two. To test this theory, take a riff and record it, then vary the riff and record the variation. Compare the two riffs and continue to build on your ideas. Add some chords into the riffs and define your time signatures. In this manner, musical motifs are the building blocks of composition.



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