Music
I make electronic and orchestral music, mostly with Ableton Live, hardware Eurorack modular synthesizers, and semi-modular synthesizers. Below is a sampling of my songs from over the years.
Through 2021, all my songs were made entirely on a computer. Then I took a break and spent a few years building my own hardware modular synthesizer. It was a good way to stay occupied during a pandemic. In 2023 and 2024, all songs were made with that hardware. I completely changed my approach: instead of meticulously editing and tweaking things on the computer for far too long, I recorded my hardware in typically a single take, edited it down to the good part, spent minimal time polishing things (often only adjusting the relative levels of a multi-track recording), and called it "done" rather quickly. The focus was on improvisation and performance rather than composition. Imperfection was deemed ok and even welcomed. I published a lot more songs in these years.
In 2025, I'm getting back into software-based music, and I want to keep using my hardware too. I'm on another break from producing songs while I explore how to deeply integrate my software and hardware. I added an AudioFuse 16Rig interface with 16 channels of ADAT (pristine digital audio over fiber optics cables) connected to a pair of Expert Sleepers ES-10 modules in the Eurorack hardware. It's ridiculously powerful and has broken down all barriers between my hardware and Ableton Live. Now I need to figure out what to do with all of this and impose new creative constraints on myself (I'm seriously unable to finish anything right now because I'm overwhelmed by possibilities).
You can also find me on SoundCloud: @adamodular (hardware modular-focused recordings) and @adamj. All of the songs on SoundCloud can be found here too:
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Open Resident #1
2024This is a cleaner studio recording of the piece I performed at an open mic night in San Francisco. Here is the hardware setup. I forgot to enable some cool modulations and FX at different points in this recording though. I was a little burnt out on the patch by the time I got around to recording this. But it's still better quality than the YouTube video.
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Capturing the Moment
2024This track doesn't really have a beginning or an end, but I really like the vibe and sound of it.
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Failing Farmers
2024A track with too repetitive of a bassline, but I like some of the other stuff going on in this track so I decided to share it.
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Crash and Burn
2024A track that gets a little messy and goes on for too long in the first half, but the second half has some magical moment that I really like.
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Bleariously
2024 -
Synths Away
2024 -
Buttononica
2024This is the first thing I'd actually call a "song" that I've made with an OXI One sequencer + my modular synthesizer. Lots of button pressing was involved, so I give you: "Buttononica".
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Driive II
2024I made this modular track less repetitive than usual by composing a bunch of patterns ahead of time on a KeyStep Pro controller and changing between them during the performance. Most of the other sequencing is handled by Metropolix. This song has a music video made with generative AI. This track was made with this rack and a KeyStep Pro.
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A Tale Of Two Sequencers
2024A single take with very little editing. I pre-recorded the melodic line with a CV looper (Tetrapad + Tete). The song title is a lie: I am using at least three sequencers.
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See the Stars
2024 -
Folded Plates
2024 -
Not a Flute
2024 -
Trying for It Again
2024 -
Keep On Keepin' On
2024 -
Enter Q
2023An exploration of my (at the time) recently acquired Qu-Bit modules: Surface, Nautilus, and Data Bender.
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Calming Influence
2023 -
Ambilicious
2023I started with a basic 4-step sequence and things evolved from there. This piece features delay FX I coded myself as custom firmware for an Electrosmith patch.Init() module.
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Z8000 Chords
2023Playing around with an 8-chord progression on my modular synth. A Z8000 sequencer provides the main chords over some simple beats and Metropolix sequences a wavefolded melody/arp voice. I was having problems with my analog oscillators not staying in tune and I had to return on the fly a few times!
This song marks a new era for me where all songs in 2023 and 2024 were recorded entirely on Eurorack modular hardware synthesizers and I learned to start accepting "mistakes".
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Whetherville
2021"Whetherville" is a pandemic song that took entirely too long to finish. As usual for my music it's a mix of synthesizers and acoustic instruments (played via samplers, not live) with no premade loops. The main constraint for this song was to use multiple time signatures. It switches between 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, and 7/4. The main A and B sections are 3/4 and 4/4 respectively, with the other time signatures used to bridge between them.
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On the Cusp
2019 -
Veridic Sight
2019 -
Late to Rise
2018 -
Canicula
2018A pseudo-orchestral piece meant to invoke the feeling of going on a journey to distant lands. This is one of my favorites!
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Transitory
2017 -
FMAH
2017 -
Tense City
2017 -
The Ziz
2016 -
January 13th
2016 -
Nous Peluchons
2015 -
Phrygid
2015 -
Epoch
2015 -
Embark
2015 -
Primer
2014 -
Hollow Headed
2014 -
Transience
2014 -
También
2014 -
Nawlt
2013 -
Unchunked
2011 -
Stride - Decohmpression Mix
2010 -
Best Frenemies
2009 -
Ergs of Titan
2009 -
Scattering
2008 -
The Mirror
2008 -
Revival of the Ancients
2008 -
Mind and Heart
2007 -
Waking Dream
2003 -
Two Headed Monsters
2002 -
Side Effects May Include
2002 -
The Hidden People
2001 -
Voeculliezayshun
2000