Comments on: The Thumping Guide to New York City

The Thumping Guide to New York City

Lutoslawski — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:56:35 -0800

The Thumping Guide to New York City [via mefi projects] documents things in New York City that make cool sounds when you thump them with your fist.

I've been following this for a while wondering when would be a good time to put this on the blue. I finally decided that the front page should wait no longer to see the coolness that is this project.

By: I-baLL

I-baLL — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:09:19 -0800

I am impressed.

By: spicynuts

spicynuts — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:12:09 -0800

Is Mayor Bloomberg's skull first on the list?

By: CynicalKnight

CynicalKnight — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:14:50 -0800

This list is incomplete. Stock market day traders, paparazzi and cabbies who don't signal are also things in New York City that make cool sounds when you thump them with your fist

By: Damn That Television

Damn That Television — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:16:20 -0800

This fucking owns.

By: spicynuts

spicynuts — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:21:56 -0800

Is a ham sandwich on the list?

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:22:17 -0800

(fist-thumps Lutoslawski)

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:22:59 -0800

(in the good, way-to-go way, I mean)

By: Lutoslawski

Lutoslawski — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:34:16 -0800

(fist-thumps Lutoslawski) Lutoslawski makes most incredible sound ever.

By: Brainy

Brainy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:37:59 -0800

This is really creative and great!

By: BrotherFeldspar

BrotherFeldspar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:13:10 -0800

This reminds me that on my way home I need to place a thing on top of another thing.

By: jocelmeow

jocelmeow — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:25:42 -0800

Not being gamblers, knocking on things to see if they are hollow has long been one of my husband's and my favorite sideline amusements in Vegas. There are a great many hollow things in Vegas, but our knocking was, in comparison to moonmilk's thumping, clearly totally undisciplined. I'm impressed with such a rigorous approach.

By: stargell

stargell — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:28:08 -0800

This reminds me that on my way home I need to place a thing on top of another thing. That would make 23, then.

By: stargell

stargell — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:31:17 -0800

the whole thing's a bit silly.

By: brevator

brevator — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:14:35 -0800

Thumpers like to thump.

By: lekvar

lekvar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:24:50 -0800

More awesomeness from moonmilk for those who may have missed it. Do not miss his Instrument-a-Day set.

By: Dr. Send

Dr. Send — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:51:09 -0800

I like it, but I think the standard for how cool things sound is set too low. The traffic cone, for instance, sounds pretty much how you'd expect a traffic cone to sound, pretty mundane. I have a railing in my elevator, on the other hand, that sounds totally crazy because it's a bit loose, even though the identical railing in the other elevator sounds totally boring. Aren't there some really crazy sounding things in NY, other than plain old poles and crap that anyone can hit with their fist in any city?

By: yeti

yeti — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:52:34 -0800

I need to touch everything when I walk down the street or through public spaces. Railings in front of brownstones are my favorite along with gliding the backs of my fingernails across the ridges of subway tiles. My girlfriend can't stand that I do this. I see a WET PAINT sign, and the only thing I can think of is, "Well, how wet?"

By: smackfu

smackfu — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:59:47 -0800

He's doing it wrong! You have to hit railings / bannisters from the side, not from on top. From the side, they act like tuning forks.

By: kenko

kenko — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:29:59 -0800

Do not miss his Instrument-a-Day set. Or the produce scans.

By: unmake

unmake — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:41:29 -0800

Would be a lot better if the sound were recorded on proper field recording gear.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:33:36 -0800

Thanks, lekvar, for linking to that post I'd done on moonmilk. I'd actually forgotten about that particular one! I'd like to add one more, my FPP on his thumpbot.

By: Lutoslawski

Lutoslawski — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:40:11 -0800

Wow. Dear Moonmilk, Thank you for being so damn cool. Love, Lutoslawski

By: emjaybee

emjaybee — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:22:43 -0800

Have we finally documented and mapped everything there is to document and map in New York City? really: have we?

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:27:30 -0800

Shave and a haircut, two bits.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:07:03 -0800

not_on_display, could you geotag that, please?

By: tiny crocodile

tiny crocodile — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:02:44 -0800

I'm visiting New York in November, and now I am inspired. Thump-athon 09!

By: 235w103

235w103 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:40 -0800

Oh man! There are a series of those thick, circular metal posts- the ones that block any errant automobiles- outside of a Jewish center on the Upper West Side, in the 70s. One day, my brother and I found that they have actually been tuned, and probably play some sort of melody if you hit them with the right timing. They are AWESOME things to thump.