All courses > Instruments and Vocal > Saxophone and Clarinet ::

Creating Musical Phrases: Motifs, Space, and Simple Development

Capítulo 9

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Phrase First: How to Sound Like Music Quickly

Many early improvisations fail for one simple reason: they don’t sound like phrases. A phrase is a short musical sentence with a clear start, shape, and stop. You can create that “music quickly” feeling by using three habits: (1) play small ideas, (2) repeat them, (3) leave space so the listener can hear the idea and you can breathe.

In this chapter you’ll build phrases using motifs (tiny repeatable ideas), space (rests that lock into the groove), and simple development (changing one element at a time). You’ll also add dynamics and contour so each phrase has direction.

Motif-Based Improvisation: Build a “Motif Family”

A motif is a 1–2 beat idea. It can be as small as two or three notes, or even one note with a rhythm and articulation. The goal is not to play “more notes,” but to make one idea feel intentional.

The Motif Method (Repeat, Then Change One Thing)

Step 1: Create a 1–2 beat motif. Keep it short enough that you can remember it instantly.
Step 2: Repeat it. Repetition makes it sound like a choice, not an accident.
Step 3: Vary one element only. Choose exactly one: rhythm, ending note, direction, or articulation.
Step 4: Leave space. A rest after the idea is part of the phrase, not “dead air.”

Think of your motif as a “family name.” Each variation is a family member: clearly related, but not identical.

Four Simple Ways to Vary a Motif

Variation Type	What You Change	What Stays the Same	Quick Example (Conceptual)
Rhythm	Note placements/durations	Pitch shape or ending	Same notes, different rhythm
Ending note	Last pitch only	Rhythm + first part	Same start, new landing
Direction	Upward vs downward motion	Rhythm + length	Invert the contour
Articulation	Slur/tongue/accent pattern	Pitches + rhythm	Same notes, new “speech”

Space and Breath: Rests Are Part of the Groove

Space does two jobs at once: it makes your ideas readable to the listener, and it keeps your body relaxed by aligning phrase length with natural breathing. If you never stop, you remove the chance for your line to “swing” as a statement.

Continue in our app.

Listen to the audio with the screen off.
Earn a certificate upon completion.
Over 5000 courses for you to explore!

Or continue reading below...

Download the app

Phrase Lengths That Fit Breathing

Use these as practical defaults. You can break them later, but start here to build control.

1–2 beats: a motif (a word or two).
2–4 beats: a short phrase (a clear sentence fragment).
4–8 beats: a full phrase (a complete sentence).

After each phrase, plan a rest that feels like punctuation: a comma (short rest) or a period (longer rest). Your rests should still feel connected to time—your body continues to feel the pulse even when you’re silent.

Two “Space Rules” That Instantly Improve Phrasing

Rule A: Always stop. Every phrase must have a clear end (even if it ends on beat 2 or the “and” of 4).
Rule B: Rest on purpose. Decide the length of the rest (e.g., one beat, two beats) instead of “running out of ideas.”

Dynamics and Contour: Make Each Phrase Travel Somewhere

Even a simple motif becomes musical when it has a shape. Use a basic contour plan: soft beginning, louder peak, tapered ending. This creates direction without needing more notes.

Contour Template (Use This Often)

Start: slightly softer than your normal volume.
Peak: one note (or one beat) that is clearly the loudest point.
Release: taper the last note or last beat.

Important: dynamics are not random. Choose where the peak is before you play the phrase. If you can’t decide, make the peak the last note of the motif on the first time, then move the peak earlier on the variation.

Structured Activities: Build Control with Simple Limits

These activities are designed to force phrasing. Each one limits your options so you can focus on motif, space, and development. Use any comfortable tempo. Set a timer for 3–5 minutes per activity.

Activity 1: Improvise Using Only Two Rhythms

Choose two rhythms and use only those for the entire exercise. Keep pitches simple and familiar; the focus is rhythm, repetition, and space.

Option Set A (very clear):

Rhythm 1: two eighth notes
Rhythm 2: one quarter note

Option Set B (more space):

Rhythm 1: one quarter note
Rhythm 2: quarter rest

Step-by-step:

Pick your two rhythms and write them on paper as a reminder.
Create a 1–2 beat motif using only those rhythms.
Repeat the motif exactly.
Vary one element (ending note is easiest here) while keeping the rhythm identical.
Insert a planned rest (at least one beat) after each phrase.

Self-check: If someone listened without seeing you, could they clap your motif back after hearing it twice?

Activity 2: Improvise Using Only Three Pitches

Now limit pitch instead of rhythm. Choose three nearby notes that feel comfortable under your fingers (for example, three adjacent notes). Keep your rhythm free, but keep phrases short and leave space.

Step-by-step:

Select three pitches and commit to them for the whole exercise.
Create a 1–2 beat motif using those pitches.
Repeat it, then vary only the rhythm (keep the pitch order similar).
Next, keep the rhythm the same and vary only the direction (if it went up, make it go down).
After every phrase, rest long enough to feel like punctuation.

Self-check: Do your phrases still sound different even though the pitch set is tiny? If not, exaggerate rhythm contrast and dynamics.

Activity 3: Combine the Limits (Two Rhythms + Three Pitches)

This is the “motif laboratory.” With only two rhythms and three pitches, you’ll be forced to develop ideas instead of searching for new material.

Step-by-step:

Choose your two rhythms and three pitches.
Create a motif (1–2 beats) and repeat it twice.
Create Variation 1: change only the ending note.
Create Variation 2: change only the articulation (e.g., more connected vs more separated) while keeping pitches and rhythm.
Create Variation 3: change only the rhythm while keeping the same pitch contour.
Between each statement, insert a rest (at least one beat). Keep the rests consistent for a few phrases so the listener hears structure.

The “Four Tools” Checklist for Every Phrase

Before you play a phrase, quickly decide these four items. This prevents wandering and makes your line sound composed.

Start note: What note begins the phrase? (Choose it on purpose.)
Rhythm: What rhythm is the identity of the phrase? (Even one rhythm can be enough.)
Articulation: How will it speak? (Connected, separated, accented peak, etc.)
Ending: Where does it stop, and what is the final note? (A confident ending is more important than a fancy middle.)

Practice saying the checklist quickly in your head: start • rhythm • articulation • ending. If you can’t decide one of them, simplify: pick a shorter rhythm, fewer notes, and a clearer stop.

Performance-Ready Exercise: 16 Bars with One Motif Family

This is a complete, stage-usable assignment: one chorus (16 bars) built from a single motif family. The goal is clarity: obvious repetition, clear starts/stops, intentional space, and a confident final note.

Setup

Choose a 16-bar form you’re practicing (any 16-bar section works).
Pick one 1–2 beat motif.
Decide your default rest length after each phrase (start with 1 beat).
Decide your dynamic contour plan: soft starts, one peak per 4 bars, tapered endings.

16-Bar Plan (Structured, But Musical)

Bars	Task	What to Listen For
1–4	State the motif clearly, repeat it, then make one small variation.	Listener can recognize the motif immediately.
5–8	Develop with one change at a time (e.g., change ending note, then change rhythm).	Still sounds like the same “family,” not new material.
9–12	Increase intensity using dynamics and slightly longer phrases (but keep rests).	Clear peak moment; groove stays steady during rests.
13–16	Return to a simpler version of the motif; set up a final statement and stop confidently.	Strong final note, clean cutoff, no trailing uncertainty.

Rules (Do Not Skip)

One motif family only: everything must be a repeat or a one-change variation.
Clear starts/stops: every phrase must end with a deliberate rest.
Confident final note: choose it ahead of time and commit to it with a clean release.

Practice Loop

Play the 16 bars once with maximum simplicity.
Play it again, keeping the same motif, but move the dynamic peak to a different bar.
Play it a third time, keeping the same motif, but change only articulation across the chorus (e.g., more connected early, more separated later).

Now answer the exercise about the content:

When developing a short improvisation motif, what approach best helps the phrase sound intentional and musical?

You are right! Congratulations, now go to the next page

You missed! Try again.

Intentional phrasing comes from a small motif that is repeated, then developed by changing only one element (rhythm, ending note, direction, or articulation) while adding planned space so the idea and groove stay clear.