Definition

Noun A musical phrase, pattern, or motif that is persistently repeated in the same musical voice, usually at the same pitch, throughout a section or the entirety of a composition. It serves as a foundational element, providing rhythmic, harmonic, or melodic consistency.

Usage

The term "ostinato" is used to describe a specific compositional technique in music. It is a singular noun, and its plural form is "ostinatos" or the Italian plural "ostinati." It is typically used in discussions of classical, film, jazz, and popular music to identify a repeating musical figure.

Examples

• The bass line in that piece is a driving ostinato.
• The composer built the entire movement around a simple four-note ostinato.
• A rhythmic ostinato in the percussion creates a sense of urgency.

Advanced Usage

• Ground Bass: A specific type of ostinato, particularly in Baroque music, where a bass line (the "ground") is repeated while the melodies and harmonies above it change.
• Ostinato as a Structural Device: In minimalist music, complex structures are often built from the gradual transformation of a simple ostinato.
• Vamp: In jazz and popular music, a repeating chord progression or rhythmic figure (a vamp) that serves as an ostinato for improvisation.

Variants and Related Words

• Ostinati (n): The plural form, often used in more formal or academic musical contexts.
• Riff (n): In jazz, rock, and popular music, a short, repeated melodic or rhythmic phrase, similar in function to an ostinato.
• Loop (n): In modern music production, a digitally repeated segment of sound, which is the technological equivalent of an ostinato.

Synonyms

• Motif
• Figure
• Pattern
• Repeated phrase

Antonyms

• Development
• Variation (in the sense of changing material)
• Through-composed (music without substantial repetition of sections)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ostinato rhythm: A rhythm that repeats persistently.
• Built on an ostinato: Describes a piece of music whose structure is derived from a repeating pattern.

Noun

1. a musical phrase repeated over and over during a composition