Editing Violin Phase (section)

==Structure==
''Violin Phase'' is an example of Reich's [[Phasing (music)|phasing]] technique, previously used in ''[[It's Gonna Rain]]'',  ''[[Come Out (Reich)|Come Out]]'', ''[[Reed Phase]]'', and ''[[Piano Phase]]'', in which the music itself is created not by the instruments but by interactions of temporal variations on an original [[melody]]. Music of this kind is generally referred to as [[process music]]. It is the third in a series of instrumental compositions (together with ''Reed Phase'' and ''Piano Phase'') in which Reich explored the possibility of phasing in music for a live player with tape accompaniment or, in the case of ''Piano Phase'', for just two players {{harv|Potter|2000|loc=180}}.

In ''Violin Phase'', two violins are recorded and played back, together at first. They are then made to go slowly out of sync by adding silence to one of the tapes. A new melody is formed by the interaction of the two out of sync instruments and is then accented by a third violin. This process is repeated with variations throughout the rest of the piece.{{Vague|date=January 2013}}<!--This sounds as if this is actually a tape composition, whereas some sources say a live violinist is involved.-->

The most conspicuous difference between a "live" process piece like ''Violin Phase'' and Reich's tape pieces is that the latter consist of "pure phasing", with a slow and regular rate of change, whereas the live pieces are "stepped", alternating sections of gradual dephasing with sections of temporary rhythmic stability {{harv|Warburton|1988|loc=144}}.

Reich also arranged the piece for electric guitar and tape (or four electric guitars). In this form the work was recorded as ''Electric Guitar Phase'' by [[Pat Metheny]] (1987) and [[Dominic Frasca]] (2001).{{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}