Bioacoustics & Ecoacoustics Glossary

motive

https://glossary.acousti.cloud/motive

en

"(music, preferable to motif): a figure, group of figures, or a phrase which has significance or is otherwise characteristic of a section, phrase, sentence or period. During the succession of the latter, a motive recurs, varied or unvaried, and therefore can give the whole succession - song - a cyclic impression (Sotavalta).

Armstrong uses the term to describe the acoustic individuality of one, or perhaps two or more phrases. Thorpe uses it but little.

The differences are of degree, and not substantial at that." [1]

Reference: [1] Broughton WB. Glossarial Index. In: Acoustic Behavior of Animals. Elsevier; 1963.

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