3 ms·

Programming Steve Reich’s Piano Phase in SuperCollider

74 points by ezralafleur 6y ago

jkarni 6y ago
And here is a "Piano Phase" written in C with no libraries that fits in an (old-style, 140 character) tweet: main(){int l=999,i,j;int v[]={133,119,89,80,75,119,113,80,89,119,75,80};for(;;){putchar(250*(j++%v[i%12]&&(j+i)%v[i%12]==0));i+=(j%l)==0;}} Just compile and run that with "a.out | aplay". It's been a while since I wrote this, and I remeber cheating a bit somewhere, but not surprisingly I can't figure out what it's doing much less how it's cheating.
- Rochus 6y ago
  that's funny
daviddaviddavid 6y ago
For those not familiar with Steve Reich's music, it makes great programming music, in my opinion. Melodic, repetitive, propulsive and most pieces lack a foregrounded instrument vying for your attention. Some favorite pieces of mine are: - New York Counterpoint (esp the version with Evan Ziporyn on overdubbed clarinets) - Electric Counterpoint (esp the version with Pat Metheny on overdubbed guitars) - Different Trains - Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards - Tehillim (probably not good coding music) The 5 disc Nonesuch retrospective is a really great entry point / survey.
- Rochus 6y ago
  I would add Music for 18 Musicians. EDIT: here is my favorite recording of this masterpiece by ECM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILpCKQlDmhc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILpCKQlDmhc
  - sqlacid 6y ago
    and Drumming and Come Out Drumming is fascinating to watch players perform Come Out has amazing analog audio tape phasing
    - Rochus 6y ago
      It's all on the aforementioned Nonesuch Retrospective.
- JoeDaDude 6y ago
  And Clapping Music [1]. Clapping Music became a ipad app [2] for while and can be an entertaining party game by trying to "play" it with a few friends. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcFyl8amoEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcFyl8amoEE [2]] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/steve-reichs-clapping-music/id946487211 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/steve-reichs-clapping-music/id...
- minism 6y ago
  Absolutely agreed. Reich is featured quite a bit in mixes on musicforprogramming.net[1], which is a frequent go-to of mine. Definitely recommend it! [1] http://musicforprogramming.net/ http://musicforprogramming.net/
- jkqwzsoo 6y ago
  In addition to Mf18M and Drumming, which have been suggested by others, I'd also add Six Marimbas/Pianos, Four Organs, and in particular Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ, as Steve Reich pieces that I happen to enjoy more than the ones you enjoy :-) Mf18M and MfMIVO always put me in a very contemplative mood. And for anybody reading who might be interested in other pieces of minimalistic music, I might recommend - Hallelujah Junction - John Adams - Common Tones in Simple Time - John Adams - Harmonliehre - John Adams - Nixon in China - John Adams - The Dharma at Big Sur - John Adams - Music for Blocks of Wood - Steve Reich - I am Sitting in a Room - Alvin Lucier (particularly the extended version) - Glassworks - Phillip Glass - Music in Twelve Parts - Phillip Glass - Metamorphosis - Phillip Glass - Phillip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread - David Ives
leephillips 6y ago
I have a peculiar reaction to Reich’s music. Part of my brain thinks it’s silly, but another part is thrilled.
niccl 6y ago
Off topic, but possibly the people here might be able to help: Is there a name for the type of music where the theme evolves over time. Not (obviously) repeating, no echoing on another instrument, just progression. The bass line in Free's Mr Big (https://youtu.be/Azkef2lXW88?t=282 https://youtu.be/Azkef2lXW88?t=282) is the classic example for me. Is it a one-part fugue? or something with no name that just happens and has no name? I asked a musician theorist friend and he said Minimalism, but that doesn't seem quite right.
- ezralafleur 6y ago
  The classical term for what you describe as far as overall form is concerned would be through-composed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-composed_music https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-composed_music). For themes/melodies specifically I think they could either be repeated or not in any genre (think improvised sections vs. thematic sections). For a more all-encompassing take on music that evolves over time and where the tie-in to minimalism might be, Generative Music as originally conceived by Brian Eno (https://inmotionmagazine.com/eno1.html https://inmotionmagazine.com/eno1.html) is where it's at

74 points by ezralafleur 6y ago

And here is a "Piano Phase" written in C with no libraries that fits in an (old-style, 140 character) tweet: main(){int l=999,i,j;int v[]={133,119,89,80,75,119,113,80,89,119,75,80};for(;;){putchar(250*(j++%v[i%12]&&(j+i)%v[i%12]==0));i+=(j%l)==0;}} Just compile and run that with "a.out | aplay". It's been a while since I wrote this, and I remeber cheating a bit somewhere, but not surprisingly I can't figure out what it's doing much less how it's cheating.

Rochus 6y ago
that's funny

daviddaviddavid 6y ago

For those not familiar with Steve Reich's music, it makes great programming music, in my opinion. Melodic, repetitive, propulsive and most pieces lack a foregrounded instrument vying for your attention. Some favorite pieces of mine are: - New York Counterpoint (esp the version with Evan Ziporyn on overdubbed clarinets) - Electric Counterpoint (esp the version with Pat Metheny on overdubbed guitars) - Different Trains - Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards - Tehillim (probably not good coding music) The 5 disc Nonesuch retrospective is a really great entry point / survey.

Rochus 6y ago
I would add Music for 18 Musicians. EDIT: here is my favorite recording of this masterpiece by ECM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILpCKQlDmhc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILpCKQlDmhc
- sqlacid 6y ago
  and Drumming and Come Out Drumming is fascinating to watch players perform Come Out has amazing analog audio tape phasing
  - Rochus 6y ago
    It's all on the aforementioned Nonesuch Retrospective.
JoeDaDude 6y ago
And Clapping Music [1]. Clapping Music became a ipad app [2] for while and can be an entertaining party game by trying to "play" it with a few friends. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcFyl8amoEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcFyl8amoEE [2]] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/steve-reichs-clapping-music/id946487211 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/steve-reichs-clapping-music/id...
minism 6y ago
Absolutely agreed. Reich is featured quite a bit in mixes on musicforprogramming.net[1], which is a frequent go-to of mine. Definitely recommend it! [1] http://musicforprogramming.net/ http://musicforprogramming.net/
jkqwzsoo 6y ago
In addition to Mf18M and Drumming, which have been suggested by others, I'd also add Six Marimbas/Pianos, Four Organs, and in particular Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ, as Steve Reich pieces that I happen to enjoy more than the ones you enjoy :-) Mf18M and MfMIVO always put me in a very contemplative mood. And for anybody reading who might be interested in other pieces of minimalistic music, I might recommend - Hallelujah Junction - John Adams - Common Tones in Simple Time - John Adams - Harmonliehre - John Adams - Nixon in China - John Adams - The Dharma at Big Sur - John Adams - Music for Blocks of Wood - Steve Reich - I am Sitting in a Room - Alvin Lucier (particularly the extended version) - Glassworks - Phillip Glass - Music in Twelve Parts - Phillip Glass - Metamorphosis - Phillip Glass - Phillip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread - David Ives

leephillips 6y ago

I have a peculiar reaction to Reich’s music. Part of my brain thinks it’s silly, but another part is thrilled.

niccl 6y ago

Off topic, but possibly the people here might be able to help: Is there a name for the type of music where the theme evolves over time. Not (obviously) repeating, no echoing on another instrument, just progression. The bass line in Free's Mr Big (https://youtu.be/Azkef2lXW88?t=282 https://youtu.be/Azkef2lXW88?t=282) is the classic example for me. Is it a one-part fugue? or something with no name that just happens and has no name? I asked a musician theorist friend and he said Minimalism, but that doesn't seem quite right.

ezralafleur 6y ago
The classical term for what you describe as far as overall form is concerned would be through-composed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-composed_music https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-composed_music). For themes/melodies specifically I think they could either be repeated or not in any genre (think improvised sections vs. thematic sections). For a more all-encompassing take on music that evolves over time and where the tie-in to minimalism might be, Generative Music as originally conceived by Brian Eno (https://inmotionmagazine.com/eno1.html https://inmotionmagazine.com/eno1.html) is where it's at