Comments on: Keyboard + Monome = One Crazy DIY Instrument Hybrid by STS9’s David Phipps, Plus New Album/Tour

By: Mudo

Mudo — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:32:34 +0000

…
Beautyful

…

By: Kinahoop

Kinahoop — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:31:15 +0000

Thank you

By: phipps

phipps — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:40:57 +0000

thanks for the comments, and of course thanks peter for posting our album on the hallowed CDM.

@marc…i agree, i give myself a C- for aesthetic..kind of a proof of concept as i get more confident with the soldering iron and drillpress. i’d love to have a folded steel enclosure made…in the meantime laser-cut acrylic is a quick way to take a box of pots and move towards something that actually makes music. the next one i make, well….ha

ps. peaceblaster, the album is out now…and yes, it is my jam.

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:23:40 +0000

Hey, people are entitled to their personal musical tastes. STS9 has described *themselves* as a “5-piece electronic jam band fusing live instruments with “electronica”.” And I think that’s pretty apt. It’s clear they’re nothing like a traditional jam band, and a big part of their set is indeed often a straight set of songs. It’s a point of reference, like anything else, and of course you should go out and try to hear the music and decide for yourself.

By: Jalew

Jalew — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:35:46 +0000

J,
You have it wrong my friend. Your arguments against STS9 are dated. Even their most loyal fans will tell you that they are no longer a jamband. In fact, the didn’t even improvise at last night’s Rothbury Music Festival performance. Also, you are wrong on them “filling arenas”. They sell out HUGE venues, like Red Rocks, for multiple nights. I guess your hate for jambands has got you so cynical that you feel the need to hate on music you are unfamiliar with. That is unfortunate.

Cool article though!

By: Kimmy Gibbler

Kimmy Gibbler — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:24:06 +0000

So is a monome a monophonic keyboard? Good job.

By: David

David — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:29:15 +0000

It seems pretty minimalist to me.

By: marc

marc — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:49:16 +0000

hey peter, yeah i understand what he was trying to do, and it does make sense for touring and keeping all of your gear together.

but aesthetics are a huge part of what attracts people to devices and also effects how they interact with them. that’s all i was referencing.

By: J

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:03:34 +0000

Not to switch the topic, and I’m not really a fan of STS9 (I’ve enjoyed some of their stuff that I’ve heard, but I can’t over the fact that they’re a jam band, because I hate jam bands), but they’re living proof that record companies are increasingly irrelevant outside of a very narrow slice of “popular” music (and, in the USA, maybe country music). Think about it: a major label would have no clue to market them successfully, but these guys have built a solid career by working their butts off and playing concerts constantly to build up a solid, though not giant, base of loyal, like-minded fans. And now technology is at the point where they can self-release an album on their own terms, including a release that will please the hell out of their most dedicated fans. Will they ever be filling arenas or playing on American Idol? Clearly not, but who cares – they’re making a good living making the music they want to through hard work and dedication. Rock on, electro-hippies!

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:14:49 +0000

@marc: Well, design aesthetics aside, the thing is David’s a keyboardist. So his alternative is having to switch between interfaces onstage. Having it all in one unit could well be more convenient for actually playing.