Lessons · Techniques

Phasing & minimalism

Reich-style drift, additive process

% PHASING: one figure, two copies, lengths differing by a single
% unit. The cell draws its twelve notes from the five of the A minor
% pentatonic, so no drift can ever stack a half step.
 
bpm 105
instrument pluck
key a min
 
Cell ::= 1 5 '1 5 7 5 4 3 4 5 3 1
 
Cell *4
 
 
% Give the second copy ONE extra note and they run 12 units against
% 13: the follower loses a unit every turn, and the two meet again
% only at 156, thirteen turns of one against twelve of the other.
 
Phase ::= {Cell *13, {Cell 5} *12}
 
Phase
 
 
% Reich's drift adds no note: stretch one copy by 13/12 and the
% twelve notes stay twelve, only wider: sliding, not stepping.
 
Slow ::= Cell _13 /12
 
Slow
{Cell *13, Slow *12 @-12}
 
 
% ADDITIVE process on the same cell: the first note, then the first
% two, each stage twice: twelve stages, 156 units, the phase's span.
 
assert Cell[:12] == Cell
 
Cell[:1] *2 Cell[:2] *2 Cell[:3] *2 Cell[:4] *2
Cell[:5] *2 Cell[:6] *2 Cell[:7] *2 Cell[:8] *2
Cell[:9] *2 Cell[:10] *2 Cell[:11] *2 Cell *2
 
 
% A pedal changing every 13 units locks step for step with the longer
% copy, so the voice moving against the bass is the shorter one.
 
Ped ::= ..1 _13 ..5 _13 ..4 _13 ..5 _13
 
{Phase, Ped *3}
 
 
% All three rates over that pedal (12, 13 and 13/12), parting at the
% downbeat and landing together at 156, where one cell in unison
% confirms the lock.
 
{Phase, Slow *12 @-12, Ped *3}
{Cell, Cell @-12, ..1 _12}

% PHASING: one figure, two copies, lengths differing by a single
% unit. The cell draws its twelve notes from the five of the A minor
% pentatonic, so no drift can ever stack a half step.

bpm 105
instrument pluck
key a min

Cell ::= 1 5 '1 5 7 5 4 3 4 5 3 1

Cell *4

% Give the second copy ONE extra note and they run 12 units against
% 13: the follower loses a unit every turn, and the two meet again
% only at 156, thirteen turns of one against twelve of the other.

Phase ::= {Cell *13, {Cell 5} *12}

Phase

% Reich's drift adds no note: stretch one copy by 13/12 and the
% twelve notes stay twelve, only wider: sliding, not stepping.

Slow ::= Cell _13 /12

Slow
{Cell *13, Slow *12 @-12}

% ADDITIVE process on the same cell: the first note, then the first
% two, each stage twice: twelve stages, 156 units, the phase's span.

assert Cell[:12] == Cell

Cell[:1] *2 Cell[:2] *2 Cell[:3] *2 Cell[:4] *2
Cell[:5] *2 Cell[:6] *2 Cell[:7] *2 Cell[:8] *2
Cell[:9] *2 Cell[:10] *2 Cell[:11] *2 Cell *2

% A pedal changing every 13 units locks step for step with the longer
% copy, so the voice moving against the bass is the shorter one.

Ped ::= ..1 _13 ..5 _13 ..4 _13 ..5 _13

{Phase, Ped *3}

% All three rates over that pedal (12, 13 and 13/12), parting at the
% downbeat and landing together at 156, where one cell in unison
% confirms the lock.

{Phase, Slow *12 @-12, Ped *3}
{Cell, Cell @-12, ..1 _12}

running…edit it and it re-runs as you type

Phasing & minimalism · Techniques