Bill Troxler
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Fragmentation

Two types of fragmentation may be used to develop a phrase or motive:  subtractive fragmentation and motivic fragmentation.  The techniques and their effects are completely unrelated
Motivic fragmentation can define the entire structure of a melody.  Here are the steps. 

1. State the motive or phrase
2. Repeat the motive or phrase
3. Extract a fragment from the motive or phrase 
4. Sequence this fragment three times

​Now the motive or phrase has been fragmented.

If the original motive or phrase is two measures long, these four steps will create an eight-measure structure.  Eight bar melodies are very common in traditional and pop music.   Motivic fragmentation was very popular with Classical and Baroque composers.  
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Subtractive fragmentation is simply a matter of replacing notes with rests.  The effect is that the fragmented phrase can become syncopated.
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