phasing

steve reich: music as a gradual process

minimalist composer steve reich uses phasing in his music to achieve gradual movement from one idea to another. phasing takes place in several different ways. some examples are:

1. having two or more players playing the same loop and having one of them intentionally speed up or slow down. (piano phase, electric counterpoint, violin phase)
2. taking the same loop of tape and playing it through two different players, one on the right channel and one on the left. (come out, it's gonna rain)
3. giving woodwind players certain phrases to play for the duration of one breath. (music for 18 musicians) these are not the only types of phasing nor are they the only pieces to incorporate it. the just happen to be ones that i can think of off the top of my head.


phasing appeals to me because it is concrete enough to notate yet it still contains a strong element of indeterminacy. i would like to take the idea of gradual movement from one idea to another and apply it to something other than musical phrases.