Quick Win #44

Use Strong Overtones as an Ostinato 1

Here's a quick summary of the main takeaways from this Quick Win!

  • start with scale tones 1 and 5 if you want to create an ostinato in the bass register
  • an ostinato can almost be treated like a pedal tone, meaning you can do whatever you want against it, as an ostinato becomes a powerful rhythmic element
  • a slowly-moving melody above an energetic ostinato (or vice versa) works best because it creates contrast and a dialogue between the elements

Advice

Work out the ostinato before you write your melody on top. You can still adjust minor things later, but you want to ensure your primary element is strong and serves you well.