Re: Kundun (and Steve Reich)

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

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.

This latter technique seems to me to be simpler and maybe a more 
feasible way of getting started (Although, I personally have not 
really tried this to any depth). Any of you have some ideas on these 
sorts of techniques, as applied to machine-aided looping.
Machine-aided looping (especially the 95% echo feedback type 
of looping) basically uses similar concepts, doesn't it?

Thanks for the posts in this direction - this induces some new (well, 
actually old - let's say recycled) ideas!