Minimalism

Minimalism -

- A western art music developed in the 1960/70's

- Simpler Expressionist

- Made up of loops which are short and simple

- Usually has no tune

- Harmonies are made by layering patterns, which take time to change

- Main composers: Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Terry Riley

Additive/Subtractive melody - adding/taking away notes

Metamorphosis - notes of the pattern change over time

Phase Shifting - 2 performers starting with the same pattern, on the repeat a note/rest is added/taken away from 1 part. Brings out of sync, then back in.

Layering - Similar to phase shifting, loops of different lengths played at the same time, the patterns move apart, then back together.

- Music technology always used a lot of electronic devices to put music together

- repeated loops were played using tape recorders

- loops were made by cutting a tape so they had the bit they wanted and stuck them together

- loops were made by running it out of the tape player around something smooth

- they made recordings of words, like sampling

- loops were put together by multitrack recording, one on top of the other.

- Live performances had recording backing tracks, with the live instruments

Rhythm is more important then tune - LIke west African music

Polyrhythm - west African uses cross-rhythms

Layering - Gamelan uses layered parts

Slowly changing harmonies - Gamelan has no harmony, raga drone has same harmony throughout

Long hypnotic pieces - some Indian and Gamelan pieces go on for days

Looping - most non western music is based on looping