#1

Interested in starting a thread about process music, nonlinear composition, text scores, etc. Anybody using this in their music who would care to share techniques/thoughts/philosophies?

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#3

I think Reich and earlier electronic music had great influence on one another. More chance and ‘process’ involved then. I still prefer that.

Reich obviously understood/understands compositional structures well. He did not offhandedly dismiss them. Just sought another way.

I gravitate toward tonal music, so use sequencers/sequences in music I create. The subtle process Reich refers to shows up in my music (I wouldn’t dare to state being on the same level with Reich) as randomly adding/removing a tone in a sequence, changing the length of a sequence against another, shifting key centers. Changes that don’t necessarily show up abruptly and require the listener to be in the music.

I’ve been experimenting with samplers recently. I end up tuning the mangled sound. :slightly_smiling_face:

#4

I really enjoy process driven music, and just recently performed a set with modular and guitar that used these concepts. Basically I had a Bb drone happening the whole time, with a random sequence in Bb happening, and on guitar I was improvising in keys that gradually got further and further away from Bb major over the course of 20 minutes. At the end it resolves in Bb. The audience seemed to dig it, and I didn’t explain anything about the piece because I don’t think you have to know that stuff to enjoy it, but I was definitely nervous about performing it—which I took as a good sign!

I love the idea of songs as these unfolding processes, and it’s an idea I definitely return to often when writing.

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