The Fringe Equation: new piano performance of THAT theme

2008-12-05

<a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/torley.bandcamp.com/track/piano-the-fringe-equation');" href="http://torley.bandcamp.com/track/piano-the-fringe-equation">[PIANO] The Fringe Equation by Torley</a>

"DAMNIT! Must you always be such a smartass?" -Walter Bishop

Sometimes, it’s necessary! Following a certain fun video, I had a few requests from the nice folks @ Fringe Forum to do a MP3 version. I figured this would be intense and focused, without my yammering (altho that’s nice on occasion too). Also, an opportunity to include the piano theme from "The Equation" which I hadn’t done previously. (Yes, the left-hand ostinatos are pure Philip Glass. :p)

This would would also give me an opportunity to learn how to make music on my Mac Pro a little better — I just installed Native Instruments Komplete 5 + Kore 2 (13 DVDs total!), and while you only hear a piano here, it’s a very nice piano, from the Akoustik virtual instrument. (If I didn’t tell you, would you know?) Have a listen to "The Fringe Equation"… la de dah…

And it gets all crazy Rachmaninoff stylee at the end.

I can relate to Dr. Walter Bishop in a number of ways. Not just the overall veneer of eccentricity, but my wife prompted me that she sometimes needs to ask me questions in certain ways to get an answer that makes sense.

MY HERO! I took this picture from a Hulu screengrab and marked on it with Skitch. Very, very fun.

Walter!

I’m still learning the Mac side of things, and final mastering of this piano performance was done on Sony Vegas in Windows, but I’m hoping to get to a workflow which is all- (or more-) Mac and works well for me. But… whatever tools work best, yes?

{ 88 comments… read them below or add one }

Alice 2009-05-13 at 10:02 AM UTC

I never comment on anything, but I felt the need to comment here. This is really brilliant. I would also like a mp3 version of the one in the video, but both are fantastic.

Torley 2009-05-15 at 10:53 AM UTC

OH WOW THANX FOR ALL THE NICE COMMENTS! I just checked back here today and totally don’t wanna seem negligent but I am absent-minded! Like a certain mad scientist!

SHEET MUSIC? Claudio provided them for the show theme @ http://torley.com/music-fringe-theme-sheet-music-notes but I don’t have notes for my variations, IF someone transcribes let me know, I’d be DELIGHTED!

Try http://vidtomp3.com/index.php to get an MP3 of my video version!

Yayzerama, 72,000 downloads so far. Do share with all your friends (don’t pass it out to ZFT) and I’m EXCITED for season 2!

Venessa Paech 2009-05-16 at 3:46 AM UTC

Hi Torley,

Such a delight to stumble onto your Fringe piece on YouTube, then find my way here. Exceptional talent, invention and sense of humour. Walter would be proud (I love him too :)

Keep on experimenting…

Venessa

Halil 2009-05-27 at 12:34 PM UTC

Really really good!!

ToniSkit 2009-06-09 at 9:55 PM UTC

Hi, I love your work (this includes all the other videos that I have had the privledge of appreciating) and well thank you very much for sharing with us. I too am excited for the next season of Fringe, though to watch it I will have to stream it online due to the fact that I am at the moment stationed outside of the USA. On another note what about LOST? Do you share any compasion to its misterious & twisted story line? One might even say it is as crazy as Walter…or maybe in approximation. Goodbye.

Nicolas Vilz 2009-06-13 at 4:28 PM UTC

you made my day (and actually my night, too…) not many people did that recently. I appreciate your work and that you share it with us. Go on, i will revisit your site more frequently now :)

Philip Hilario 2009-06-18 at 10:56 AM UTC

Man, you’re brilliant! I never figured that The Equation Piece was somewhat connected to the Fringe theme. It’s fantastic work! Thanks!

Zoltan Molnar 2009-06-23 at 1:33 PM UTC

Thank you!

keksberg 2009-07-13 at 11:45 AM UTC

wouldn’t it be possible to extract a midi file out of your steinway or native instruments software?
i like your version of the fringe theme very much and want to play it, too, but i prefer playing piano with sheet music.
greetz

yopsp 2009-07-15 at 5:04 PM UTC

Hello,
I’m a french, and i don’t speak english very well!!
I like your melody. It’s really cool!!
But, who is the interpreter?
Thank you and see you…

Dicky 2009-07-17 at 1:58 AM UTC

Hi torley,
Fringe is just finished season1 in Hong Kong,
I’m now listening your song in my office, it’s excellent!
it make me recall the memories of fringe ~!
I’m so excited for season2 ~

cheers
Dicky

jim76 2009-08-06 at 12:55 PM UTC

yes, that is a good way to distribute content, but if you want to upload the video to youtube, then people can download the mp3 using youtube to mp3

Muriel 2009-08-19 at 11:42 AM UTC

This is a really beautiful piece of music! And by the way thanks for the music sheet you did of the opening melody of Fringe! I’m learning it and it is so much fun… Fringe is a great series! :)

bleda 2009-08-20 at 3:16 PM UTC

does the music sheet include the part from “the equation” if not please add a new music sheet with the part from “the equation” included.

great job, your fringe p3 is at the top of my playlist :D

Hanna 2009-09-16 at 5:56 AM UTC

your so good playing piano <3
i really hope that one day i can play as good as you:]
thanks fro the sheets by the way :]
good luck man!
i support you!!
<3

ByPassing 2009-09-26 at 7:07 PM UTC

Nice~Thanks for the download.
Ya, from the vid ver on youtube, you kind of talk like Walter Bishop…haha~

LonelyPianist64 2009-10-09 at 12:27 AM UTC

Hey Torley… I really enjoy “The Equation” and I would do anything for the sheet music… I can play all the Fringe-Theme related parts, could you tell me what the other parts are from? ^_^ Thanks

-64

LonelyPianist64 2009-10-09 at 12:48 AM UTC

D: Me again.. I just commented but… Do you know of a midi version of the song floating about anywhere? I just found a program to turn midi files into sheet music but I cant find the whole song as a midi :(

-64

Jillian 2009-11-03 at 1:17 PM UTC

very nice! thanks for sharing.

Caesar 2009-11-19 at 6:31 AM UTC

Hey what’s up Torley
I just wanted to drop you a line and say how impressed I am.
Great work man!

JamesC 2009-11-20 at 1:40 PM UTC

Love the X-files theme homage at 4:09

Aerielz 2009-12-04 at 11:27 AM UTC

maaaan, I just love your version… I could listen it all day =D

Jason 2009-12-05 at 6:34 PM UTC

Beautiful. But I think your performance is less spooky than the original. Just my opinion.

ottoos 2009-12-15 at 2:09 PM UTC

hi its amazing relly nice never let go other side of show its perfect i think you have sheets 4 play in te piano ok if u can send me my email its ottoos@hotmail.com

Jonathan 2010-02-21 at 8:13 PM UTC

At Last! I found a good quality version of this AMAZING interpretation, I had an MP3 128kps xD
But now I can be delighted listening in FLAC.
Thanks for this Torley.

Nefeste 2010-03-16 at 11:27 PM UTC

So… Anybody found sheet notes? Or midi equivalent of this 6-min-long interpretation?.. Its hard to believe that someone played this without any preparation or notes or something like that.. ) is this impromptu?..

Mike Redlum 2010-04-09 at 5:36 AM UTC

its really outstanding, its like a classical piece made by one of the masters..thank u really man.

Inunah 2010-04-16 at 4:02 PM UTC

This is about the best thing I’ve heard since I used to watch Xena. It’s a great take on the Fringe theme, and it puts me into that Fringe mood that I always get into. I can easily say this is my most favorite song. It’s an awesome piece of music. Seriously. If I could play piano, I would play this all the time, even though there’s no piano in my house.

Great job, keep up the good work, all that jazz…

Zafada 2010-04-27 at 10:51 AM UTC

Hey there. I’ve been ripping my hair out trying to make a midi version. Going through everything and plugging in the notes would take forever. Are you able to record a midi version? If you don’t know how, you can use Widi or Fruityloops while just plugging in your synth to your midi controller. Anyway, I have no idea how to play the piano but one of my goals is to learn only one song, and this is it. Basically, I want the improvised aspects. I could easily get the sheet music, but that’s definitely boring compared to this. Thanks…email me if you come up with any results.

Hyun 2010-04-28 at 3:00 AM UTC

Hello~! I’m from Korea. Fringe is one of my favorites. My best friend recommend this drama! I love it. So, I found ‘Fringe theme’ song at Youtube and I came across your performance. And now I am listening your ‘piece’…via my iPhone~;)
Thank You~:D

mj watson 2010-05-13 at 8:40 AM UTC

Hi,

Im from the Netherlands and I just heard about this series. I’ve been watching it and when i got to ep 8 i heard this song. It’s a great tune and your version of it, the long 6 minute version is great. It seems that no one but you has the sheet music for the long version. Be a sport and give us the sheet Torley? Please e-mail them to me at msvechta@science.ru.nl or just put them up on your site. The intro is nice but your interpretation, the long interpretation is soooooo much better.

thanks in advance

MJ

Douglas Sabo 2010-05-22 at 1:00 AM UTC

I concur with “2009-05-15 at 10:53 AM UTC”. Either sheet music or a pure midi file. I neeeeeeed to learn how to play this. I only learn how to play one song per instrument I love, so I’ll need it. I’ve been trying to hook this up for a while and it still sounds junky. Thanks Torley. BTW, my girlfriend thinks you’re hilarious. You should be a piano comedian.

Douglas Sabo 2010-05-22 at 1:03 AM UTC

@Torley

I bet you love the most recent episodes, huh…There are definitely some worthless eps like in the x-files, but the ones that form continuity in the series are always amazing.

hercircumstance 2010-05-29 at 7:25 PM UTC

This is really awesome! Thanks for sharing with us.

Susan 2010-06-27 at 7:24 PM UTC

WOW! Love Fringe, and your talent is truly awesome!

Destiny 2010-06-28 at 3:39 PM UTC

This is amazing! I’m new to piano and I’ve been trying to learn the theme song but my left hand just won’t cooperate. This completely blows my mind how someone can be that talented. Keep up the good work!

Joshua 2010-08-10 at 4:53 PM UTC

Torley oh my gosh. I am just astounded by this piece. I have a piano recital coming up this year. I am trying to pick a good song and i would love it if you coudl some how come up with a sheet music version. Is there any way you can take the computer version and make it make some sheet music. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE SOME SHEET MUSIC. I AM BEGGING YOU.

leah 2010-08-31 at 6:24 PM UTC

Thank you soooo much for the music Torley!!! LOVE the show and I just started watching it about a week ago!

Leave a Comment

{ 2 trackbacks }