The Thumping Guide to New York City

September 2, 2009 8:36 PM

The Thumping Guide to New York City
I'm making a map of all the publicly-accessible objects in NYC that make exceptionally cool sounds when you thump on them with your fists. Or at least some of them. I've just started the collection, and hope to receive a lot of user contributions to fill out the map.
posted by moonmilk (13 comments total)

This project was posted to MetaFilter by Lutoslawski on September 29, 2009: The Thumping Guide to New York City

It would be awesome if these thumps were made available as CC licensed samples.
posted by bigmusic at 5:02 AM on September 3, 2009

Ooh, that's a good idea, bigmusic. I'll mark all my videos CC, and encourage other contributors to do the same. For now, at least, I'll have to leave it to someone else to extract the audio and trim the samples.
posted by moonmilk at 4:14 PM on September 3, 2009

This is the best thing I've seen on MeFi in a long time. I'll try to contribute when I upgrade to an iPhone 3GS.
posted by grumblebee at 2:05 PM on September 4, 2009

When this gets bigger, it absolutely needs to be a FPP.

Very awesome.
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:05 PM on September 4, 2009

This is what the internet is for.
posted by The Whelk at 5:36 PM on September 5, 2009

Seconding Lutoslawski, excellent project, let me know when you want some PDX material.
posted by idiopath at 4:28 PM on September 7, 2009

I'm getting a lot of enthusiasm but virtually no actual submissions! Any suggestions as to how to drum up [heh heh] some contributions?
posted by moonmilk at 8:07 PM on September 7, 2009

Since this is a localized project, why not paper fliers or stickers? Classified or IsawU ads even?
posted by idiopath at 8:51 PM on September 7, 2009

Yeah, seconding idiopath on making some stickers (like ProjectThump!) or something. New Yorkers love this kind of thing. Post things around schools like the New School, NYU, Pratt etc...those kids like to do things like this, and they have the time.

If I were still living in New York, I would be all over this.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:13 AM on September 8, 2009

I've always wanted to play that ugly, Tetris-looking wall piece in the Port Authority. You should definitely check it out!
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:38 AM on September 11, 2009

Regarding contributions: at least one of the reasons you're probably getting few contributions is that it isn't clear from your main page that contributing is an option! Place a short (one sentence) description of how to contribute in the sidebar near the top of the page, and you'll probably see an increase in submissions.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:49 AM on September 16, 2009

Some teenagers near my apartment (in prospect heights) like to dance/drum on one of those "venty boxes" (or something similar) - you need more than one person banging on different sides to truly get a good effect, including a guy tap dancing on top. I'll try to take some video footage next time they do it.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 11:27 AM on September 16, 2009

Good suggestion, ocherdraco - I put a nice fat HOW TO CONTRIBUTE link up there.

Thanks, idiopath and Lutoslawski - I've made up a bunch of fliers for the Conflux City event this weekend. (Gonna try to get people together this Sunday and send them out with an assignment: THUMP. See the site if you're interested. Or mefimail me your address if you just want a flier for the heck of it.)

The Great Big Mulp - I've been trying for a week to go find that thing, and I still haven't had time to check it out! It might have to wait until after my vacation.

cristinacristinacristina, I'd love to see that!
posted by moonmilk at 10:05 PM on September 17, 2009