You are here: AJL Home --> Adam's music

A bit about the music and the recordings

I have composed and performed all the music listed on this page, except where otherwise noted. Sadly, I haven't written anything in at least eight years <sigh>... but hopefully I'll get off my ass and be musical again one of these days.

Do note that many of the clips are recorded from cassette tapes or third-generation copies, so sound quality isn't as nice as I'd like.

Anyway, enough pre-babble... let's get on with the show!

Listen to the music! :)

(relatively) Newer stuff

INSTRUMENTAL STUFF (recorded on my Ensoniq TS-12 Music Workstation synth)

Repeatedly Confused turKey
(November 21, 2001) -- An experimental piece, but not as bad as it sounds (so to speak). Some strange elements include the continually repeating 'C' key throughout (until the very last measure), overlapping meters and themes, and so on. Definitely a bit rough, but still interesting I think. Also, admittedly, a bit of distortion due to bad sound-level choices. Ack... sorry about that!
After Dinner
(1995) -- I wrote this long piece -- you guessed it -- literally after dinner. Despite the relatively formulaic chord structure and stereotypical ballad elements, it remains my most popular composition (though, admittedly, that's not saying much :P).
MBD
(1995) -- This is a short improv cut, written while I was trying to show a friend the beauty of track layering. Problem was... I couldn't think of anything to layer well on top of this, so it stayed as is. Incidentally, it's called MBD, because this futzing around took place on my birthday.
Coffee for Silke
(1997) -- Written for my friend Silke while hanging out with her in Mannheim, Germany. Yes, there's a slightly goofy (and intended) pulse shift... emulating the kick one gets after a bit o' coffee.
Heike In the Park
(1997) -- I had my friend Heike over for dinner, and as luck would have it, my cooking attempts fell flat. My only shot at redemption was writing a funny piecelet (a small music composition) for her, and I did so, in the happy likeness of "The Simpsons"... and under 15 minutes, too :)
Weather
(1996 - unfinished) -- Here's a chance to hear a work in progress (MusicIdea actually hatched way back in '92! -- see earlier incarnation below).
Silliness Untitled
(1998) -- Just what the title says. This was done in one-take, then speeded up.
Times Changing
Hmm... I actually don't remember when I wrote this thing, but I think the changing meters are fun. I used to drive novice musician buddies nuts by daring them to figure out the time signature :P.

Oldies but goodies

MY OLDER STUFF -- mostly done on my no-longer-owned Roland W-30 music workstation synthesizer

You'll notice that a lot o' these pieces have pretty short titles. That's because it was tedious typing in names via the music keyboard of the synth. Also, you'll note that many of the "pieces" listed below are pretty darn short. That's 'cause they're just "sketches," or "music ideas." If you particularly like a sketch, please let me know, so I'll be more inclined to flesh it out :).

All the stuff below was written/performed in 1993 or earlier.

New Age'ish / Ballad'y stuff

5-4-J
I originally wrote this song for a girl named Jen, but never played it for her. Long story. But anyway, the title is a play on the meter (5/4) and the intent (for "J").
Wind
Not much to say about this one other than it's sort of what you'd hear in a sad-film score.
Softly
Very short one! And sort of soft (imagine that).
Road
Another sad-mooded one. Middle/end parts are better than the opening :).
SOD
This is a rather short and weird, but still cool small ditty.

More upbeat stuff

First
I've played around with this a bunch (though I only have this version recorded).
BOB
Okay, this is just a plain silly one. And... see if you can guess what musical influence I was under when I improv'd this ditty. This piece (like "Silliness Untitled" above) was done in one take, then speeded up.
Dead
Okay, hardly what one would think of as an "upbeat" title, but it's definitely not mellow.
Jam
I stole the drum track, but the rest is mine.
Saxy Me!
I rather like this one, and am thinking about expanding it... but I'm not sure where.
S-SK
What does this title stand for? I haven't the slightest.
Harsh
Kinda what the title suggests.
Who Says There's Time?
(original draft) -- I was doing some writing for the school musical theme show (Northwestern's Waa-Mu yearly extravaganza)... and I wrote three pieces... two of them serious-type numbers, and this third one as a joke. Take a wild guess which one got picked, goofy lyrics and all. I was pretty embarrassed, but amused :-) Here's the original silly draft that I submitted, and below, you can hear how it came out.
Who Says There's Time?
(orchestra / performance version)
Another fella did the arrangement of this and I wasn't one of the guys performing this brilliant masterpiece.

Theme music I wrote for a friend's class project sitcom, called "The Good Life."
(mostly electric guitar, piano)

Main Theme
Okay, you'll note one main thing... that I am really lousy with synth percussion. I hope to get better at this soon, though.
Themelets: gl1 gl2 gl3 gl4 gl5 gl6 gl7 gl8 gl9 gl10 gl11 (missing or miscounted) gl12 gl13
Mini "pieces" on the main theme for interludes and scene changes.
Move It!
One of the larger themelets, and indeed, one of my favorites for whatever reason. Back in the days of answering machines, I once used this as the backdrop for my outgoing message :).

Music with guitar and flute

Bird
Written and arranged by me sometime around 1989... sappy ballad type :-)
Scarborough Fair
By Simon and Garfunkel, my arrangement and performance.
Men of Music
A re-arrangement of an original piece I wrote for a serenading men's chorus.
My Country 'Tis of Thee
The famous patriotic song... but arranged and performed in a more mellow fashion by me.
Meadow
Very short and upbeat interlude.
Weather
The beginnings of an original composition... hoping to actually work more on this one.

Choral Stuff (compsed by others, with me singing in the choir)

Kyrie
This and the next three songs are recordings from when I was in All-State Honor Choir back in 1988 in California. I got to sing with about 150 others from Southern California, and then our group joined the Northern Cal group for an awe-inspiring concert. While I don't have the recording of that final concert, I think these clips from our S. California performance are quite cool :-)
Come to Me, My Love
arranged and conducted by the well-renowned choral director William Hall.
Let Us Break Bread Together
Yes, all these pieces are a bit on the serious side, and I wish we had been able to do some more "fun" music in Honor Choir this year (as had been done in years past), but I still think this music is beautiful.
Ubi Caritas
Definitely one of my favorites! Oh, and in case you were curious, I'm singing tenor in this ensemble.
Six Chansons (by Hindemith)
Actually, the group I sang with at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts summer camp only sang four of them and (horrors!) in English instead of French, but for a bunch o' 15 and 16 year olds, I think we did pretty well. And besides, this is only Hindemith that I think sounds good :-) [edited to add later... okay, maybe not only, but have you heard Hindemith's stuff? :D]

Like what you hear? (or not?)