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

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.

By: marc

marc — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:06:04 +0000

so much for minimalist interfaces i guess.

it kind of reminds me of glueing an ipod to the front of one of those big 80’s boomboxes with way too many knobs and graphic EQs for each channel.
it’s just does not sit right.