What Is Your Motif?
September 26, 2011 No CommentsI learned recently that every musician should have an answer to that question when he or she is invited to play a solo part, or just to improvise during a performance.
The question came up when violinist Dave Binanay joined me at Chip Shearin’s recording studio to play a solo part to a song that I’m including in the album.
Well, here is how webster’s describes the word:
mo·tif
/moʊˈtif/ 
Show Spelled[moh-teef]
noun
a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work.
I learrned that every musician should have a “motif” around every song.. that he or she should always know the melody.. and that when called on to perform a solo or improvise… that motif should be easily within mental reach.
It was explained that the Motif serves as a starting point for a musician… a point from which.. he or she can then go anywhere interpreting a musical piece.
Get this: Chip said it could be part of a nursery rhyme… the first few notes of … saying.. Mary had a little lamb or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Ain’t that a hoot?
Well given those instructions.. my man Dave went to work! He put his motif to work at the beginning part of his solo in “Get Here”. After that, the rest just seemed to flow so much easier for him.
Dave would later tell me he learned so much from Chip Shearin that day… even though he was only in the studio for a couple of hours.
That got me thinking.. wondering if a vocalist should have some kind of motif when beginning a song.. or taking on the “bridge” of a song.
I am not so sure. I do know that I sing better when I can “feel” the intention of the songwriter. Sometimes, rather than sing a song, I will just voice the words, and wrap my head around the story of the song. That makes sense to me. I believe it helps.
Moreover, I have gone into each of the songs I have written, motivated and inspired by the mission behind the music project. That is, as I’ve mentioned before… to honor the military.
Over the weekend, — About 200 soldiers with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade stationed at Fort Bragg deployed to Afghanistan. Many of them were so young. I saw one young man with his father. The solider was just 21 and on his first deployment to a region where there has been heavy fighting.
My hope is always that they come home safe and whole.
I am not sure if I have my motif, but I have my motive 100 percent!
Onward + Upward!!!
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