Ostinato

General

– Ostinato = “Stubborn” or Obstinate” (Hartnäckig, Stur, Eigensinnig, Trotzig, Unnachgiebig)

– Similar to a Drone or Pedal, Often in the Bass Register but Not Sustained

– Typically a Repeating Phrase or Motif and Needs to be Repeated by the Same Musical Voice

– a Recurring Motif that just Keeps Repeating Over and Over throughout

– Kind a Repetitive Landscape Over which Melodies and Harmonies can Function

– an Ostinato is a Motif or a Phrase that is Repeated in a Very Persistent Manner

– an Ostinato in the Bass is a “Bass Ostinato”

– when a Pattern is Repeated very Persistent in each Measure, it is Considered as “Ostinato” (and Not simply a Motif that reoccurred a Couple of Times)

– builds “Looped” Landscapes to which over Melodies and Harmonies Function

– usually Repeated by the same Musical Voice (often by a “Warm” Instrument)

– Usually a Ostinato Works through Out the Composition, Do Not Abandon its Pulse

– but a Ostinato can also be Changed at some point 

– Use Ostinatos in the Background to easy create accompaniments & “Bind” Places  (give the Journey “One Vibe” with a Repetitive Motif that gets bored in your Head until you won’t Notice it anymore) 

– Let the Ostinato play maximal 3 Notes in a Pentatonic Scale or 5 Notes in any Western Scale

– Use Closer or Wider Related Notes in Register for a different Effect in Ostinato

– Glass Reich Build “Ostinatos” with Repetitive Motifs of Triplets at Around 100 Bpm

– Scherer uses often “Shy-Notes” in Motifs (Ostinatos with Harps or Keys), which have a more Open Sound and Stop from Telling a Clear Interval 

– Stravinsky used a Lot of “Tritone Ostinatos” that Produce Tension

Basic Ostinato Workflow 

1) Choose a Foundation Instrument

– i.e. Define the Color of the Ostinato also by a Dedicated Instrument (e.g. Acoustic Guitar Harmonics)

2) Create a Basic Pattern

– e.g. in 12/8 

– Add Notes of a Certain Chord Upwards and then a Variation

3) Spice Up the Pitches for Forward Moving

– i.e. Play with Unstable Notes, Vary Stability Over Downbeat vs Upbeats

– Add Tension but be Sure to Maintain the Sense of the Ostinato in Key 

– if to Messy, Put Fundamental Note on Downbeat 

4) Copy the Ostinato

– i.e. Put 1 Version to the Left Speaker and 1 Version to the Right Speaker

– Strip Away Notes so Left & Right Neve Plays the Same Notes

5) Spice Up the Overall Sound

– use Effects or Personality

6) Now Use the Ostinato as a Basic Building Block

– e.g. Create a Basic Chord Progression, Use the Basic Ostinato Outline and Adjust the Pitches Slightly Over the Chord Progression