Re: Steve Reich, phase changes etc.

[R & T Cummings <R_T_Cummings@compuserve.com>]

There is a cool way of doing this (gradual phase changes) with a drum 
machine and a looper. 
Connect the drum machine to the looper and MIDI sync them together with
the drum machine being the master. Record a loop of the drum machine 
groove and keep the drum machine groove on. Next there are two ways of
hearing a gradual phase change:

1) Disconnect the MIDI sync and one of the two machines will inevitable 
speed up or slow down
2) Disconnect the MIDI and increase or decrease the drum machine tempo 
by a very small amount (e.g. from 90 to 91 or whatever)

Last of all, sit back and listen to the phase changes - hate to admit it
but I've 
done this for hours - automatic minimal music!

BTW, this is more or less based on the technique used by Reich on the 
_It's Gonna Rain_

Talk to ya later, Rob


Jeff Duke Sr. wrote:
>Hey ya'll,
>R&T, or anybody, could you explain what gradual changes in phase means,I
am
>going to look for Reich.It sounds cool and I have been wanting to do some
>looping with real and analog drums.
>thanks much,Jeff

>R & T Cummings wrote:

>> Some interesting ideas with the minimal music approaches, I think.
>> One of favorite pieces is Steve Reich's _Drumming_ which at
>> 1 1/2 hours length involves "changes of phase position, pitch and
>> timbre" (liner notes). In this piece they start on tuned bongos and
>> gradually introduce voice, marimbas and glockenspiels while all
>> basically using the same rhythmic figure (with gradual changes of
>> relative phase). Another approach that he used on some pieces (e.g. _Six
>> Pianos), was changing phase in discrete steps of eigths etc. combined
>> with addition/ subtraction/ replacement of notes.