ostinato
3 tracksA pattern repeated persistently, often for a whole section, while other parts change above it. Minimal techno and much film music build tension from ostinatos.
Melody
arpeggio
1 track.
What it is
A chord played one note at a time instead of all at once, rising, falling or cycling in a steady rhythm. Synthesizers and sequencers can play arpeggios automatically, and the pulsing synth arpeggio became a signature of electronic disco and much dance music since the 1970s.
Read more on WikipediaRelated concepts
sequencer
3 tracksA device or program that records and plays back musical events in time, so a producer can program parts that repeat exactly.
synthesizer
38 tracksAn electronic instrument that generates sound from oscillators and shapes it with filters and envelopes. Synthesizers define the sound of electronic pop, house and techno.
Hear it in these tracks
Daft Punk
Giorgio by Moroder
Giorgio Moroder tells his own origin story over a click track, then Daft Punk unfold nine minutes of arpeggiated disco, live drums and strings into a time-travelling tribute to the sound he invented.