The Thumping Guide to New York City

September 29, 2009 11:56 AM

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.

posted by Lutoslawski (27 comments total)

I am impressed.
posted by I-baLL at 12:09 PM on September 29, 2009

Is Mayor Bloomberg's skull first on the list?
posted by spicynuts at 12:12 PM on September 29, 2009

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
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:14 PM on September 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

This fucking owns.
posted by Damn That Television at 12:16 PM on September 29, 2009

Is a ham sandwich on the list?
posted by spicynuts at 12:21 PM on September 29, 2009

(fist-thumps Lutoslawski)
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:22 PM on September 29, 2009

(in the good, way-to-go way, I mean)
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:22 PM on September 29, 2009

(fist-thumps Lutoslawski)

Lutoslawski makes most incredible sound ever.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:34 PM on September 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is really creative and great!
posted by Brainy at 12:37 PM on September 29, 2009

This reminds me that on my way home I need to place a thing on top of another thing.
posted by BrotherFeldspar at 1:13 PM on September 29, 2009 [4 favorites]

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.
posted by jocelmeow at 1:25 PM on September 29, 2009

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

That would make 23, then.
posted by stargell at 1:28 PM on September 29, 2009

the whole thing's a bit silly.
posted by stargell at 1:31 PM on September 29, 2009

Thumpers like to thump.
posted by brevator at 2:14 PM on September 29, 2009

More awesomeness from moonmilk for those who may have missed it. Do not miss his Instrument-a-Day set.
posted by lekvar at 2:24 PM on September 29, 2009

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?
posted by Dr. Send at 2:51 PM on September 29, 2009

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?"
posted by yeti at 2:52 PM on September 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

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.
posted by smackfu at 2:59 PM on September 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

Do not miss his Instrument-a-Day set.

Or the produce scans.
posted by kenko at 3:29 PM on September 29, 2009

Would be a lot better if the sound were recorded on proper field recording gear.
posted by unmake at 3:41 PM on September 29, 2009

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.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:33 PM on September 29, 2009

Wow.

Dear Moonmilk,

Thank you for being so damn cool.

Love,
Lutoslawski
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:40 PM on September 29, 2009

Have we finally documented and mapped everything there is to document and map in New York City? really: have we?
posted by emjaybee at 7:22 PM on September 29, 2009

Shave and a haircut, two bits.
posted by not_on_display at 10:27 PM on September 29, 2009

not_on_display, could you geotag that, please?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:07 PM on September 29, 2009

I'm visiting New York in November, and now I am inspired. Thump-athon 09!
posted by tiny crocodile at 5:02 AM on September 30, 2009

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.
posted by 235w103 at 9:23 AM on September 30, 2009