What is an ostinato?

An ostinato is a repeated pattern of notes. It can be either rhythmic, melodic, or both. You can also augment/ diminish an ostinato which is especially common in minimalist music.

AJ
Answered by Alice J. Music tutor

9447 Views

See similar Music GCSE tutors

Related Music GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What are the differences between the four types of cadence?


Is this piece in a major or minor key?


What was the Romantic period and how could a Romantic piece of music be easily identified?


How am I able to recognise what kind of genre an excerpt of sacred vocal music may be from


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning