A Request For Prog Fans

[MK_Ultra]

So, as part of a music course I'm doing a composition. My brief involves taking a short motif and developing it and I've chosen to write in a prog rock/metal style.

Obviously I'm looking through my library to find examples of pieces that use a motif that recurs, especially if that motif has been changed somewhat, and I was just wondering if anyone had any examples I may have missed or from bands I don't listen to.

'Motif' can be used quite loosely here as I'm looking for the general idea rather than going to quote directly, so the idea of reusing a chord progression (eg Bm-G-Em-D-A in Metropolis Part One verse/outro) is just as valid as putting the motif in a different key (eg The Funeral Portrait intro) or any similar variation.

Thanks in advance

[Cedar redaC]

Well, Metropolis Pt. 2 is full of them. Between the melodies and ideas in the overture to the reference to part one, there should be plenty to go around.

[carl320]

Well, Metropolis Pt. 2 is full of them. Between the melodies and ideas in the overture to the reference to part one, there should be plenty to go around.

I didn't even think of this one... even within the album there are motifs that are used to illustrate recurring themes. 

[Tyrias]

You might want to try a bit of a Post-rockish approach. The whole genre is basically about taking a theme and developing it. Try listening to "hardcore will never die, but you will" (the album) by mogwai, that's what came to my mind when I saw your OP.

[wolfking]

WASP - The Crimson Idol.

[MK_Ultra]

Thanks for the help so far everyone
@Tyrias: yeah I've actually decided to change style to post rock/minimalism, especially considering one of the conditions is 'no synthesised keyboard timbres'.

The songs I've got currently in post rock are:
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Rockets Fall On Rocket Falls
God Is An Astronaut - All Is Violent, All Is Bright
If These Trees Could Talk - From Roots To Needles
Mogwai - San Pedro
Explosions In The Sky - First Breath After Coma
This Will Destroy You - Threads

Will check that out wolf.

And as for Metropolis Part 2 I've got a few (eg the 5/4 riff changing to 12/8 in Beyond This Life) but it's far easier to explain things in the context of one song than one concept album that links back to a song on a different album.

[Lucidity]

I've got two great albums for this: Haken- Visions and An Endless Sporadic- An Endless Sporadic (self-titled)

[MK_Ultra]

Any particular songs/moments (timestamps and I love you forever) I should check out?

[Lucidity]

Hmm... For Visions, you could use the intro riff of Premonition (first song on the album) and the last 30(?) seconds of Deathless, which use the same motif.

For An Endless Sporadic, you could use Waking Hours, the first song, and Shell, and then the last song, Beyond the Horizon-- all are based around the same theme.