One of the most commonplace musical devices used in commercial production is the use of a synth sound with lead-like potential, performing an arpeggiated sequence or pattern which repeats throughout the entirety of a track.
The idea goes back to when early sequencers only had capacity to sequence a small number of notes, such as eight or 16; this motivic concept quickly caught on, initially within more experimental electronic music, before the idea infiltrated commercial music avenues. Think of synth bands from the ’80s such as Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, or even artists like Howard Jones, and their catchy, hook-driven pop classics are littered with repeating sequences.
