science

STEIM

STEIM is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand STEIM rather than just read about it. In short: STEIM (STudio for Electro Instrumental Music) was a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beginning in the 1970's, STEIM became known as a pioneering center for electronic music, where the specific context of electronic music was always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician.

Key takeaways

STEIM belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect STEIM to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of STEIM from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

STEIM (STudio for Electro Instrumental Music) was a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beginning in the 1970's, STEIM became known as a pioneering center for electronic music, where the specific context of electronic music was always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician. In this tradition, STEIM supported artists in residence such as composers and performers, but also multimedia and video artists, helping them to develop setups which allowed for bespoke improvisation and performance with individually designed technology.

Background STEIM existed since 1969. It was founded by Misha Mengelberg, Louis Andriessen, Peter Schat, Dick Raaymakers, Jan van Vlijmen, Reinbert de Leeuw, and Konrad Boehmer. This group of Dutch composers had fought for the reformation of Amsterdam's feudal music structures; they insisted on Bruno Maderna's appointment as musical director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and enforced the first public fundings for experimental and improvised electronic music in the Netherlands.

They were offered a budget for their collective multimedia opera "Reconstruction" which was premiered in the Holland Festival in 1969.

The technology used in this opera was then taken to Amsterdam's Prinseneiland which was STEIM's first location. Soon, in 1971, the studio moved to the Groenburgwal in the city center, where there was more space for workshops and concerts. From 1986-2015, STEIM was located at the Achtergracht in the city center's southern area in a building containing including three studios, a concert hall, hard and software workshops, offices, and a guesthouse. Under the direction of Michel Waisvisz (1949-2008, artistic director since 1981), the STEIM residency program attracted international artists to develop individual instruments and interfaces for the performance of electronic music. After moving to a smaller location near the Lelylaan station in 2015, STEIM officially ceased to exist as an organization at the end of 2020 due primarily to cuts within the Dutch national cultural funding system.

Selected STEIM instruments

Hardware

Black Box System (Zwarte Dozen), by Rob van de Poel (1972) Eemnes Machines, by Victor Wentink (1975–79) Crackle Box (Kraakdoos), Crackle Synth, by Michel Waisvisz, Geert Hamelberg, Peter Beyls and Nico Bes (1975) The Hands, by Michel Waisvisz (since 1984). One of the world's first gestural MIDI controllers. Two wooden frames for the hands with switches, potentiometers, tilt sensors, and ultrasound. Hyperstring Project, by Jon Rose. Extending a Violin Bow with Sensors. (since 1985) STEIM Sensor-Lab. Portable Mini-Computer which translates analogue Sensor data into MIDI Code. (1989) The Web, by Michel Waisvisz (1990) The Sweatstick, by Ray Edgar (1990) The Lady's Glove, by Laetitia Sonami (1991) Nic Collins: Midi Concertina (1992) Chromasone, by Walter Fabeck (1994) Mutantrumpet, by Ben Neill (2008) Stone with Nails, by Reyes Oteo (2009)

Software Lick Machine, by Frank Baldé (1989-1995). MIDI Macro-Controlling Software LiSa, by Michel Waisvisz and Frank Baldé. Realtime software instrument for live sampling and realtime audio manipulation (since 1995) LiSa info Big Eye, by Tom Demeyer. Video to MIDI converter (1995-2001) Image/ine, by Steina Vasulka and Tom Demeyer. Software instrument for realtime video manipulation (1996-2001) MIDI Joy, by Frank Baldé. Mapping game controllers to MIDI Code (1997-2002) JunXion, by Michel Waisvisz and Frank Baldé. Mapping game controllers, audio, video and sensor data to MIDI and OSC (since 2003) junXion info

STEIM touch philosophy As a headline for most of STEIM's instrumental developments it can apply that "Touch is crucial in communicating with the new electronic performance art technologies". As in traditional musical instruments, it is believed here that also in contemporary developments the physical touch of a musician contains essential aesthetic factors. These qualities tend to get lost in the non-realtime use of studio technology, in which the process of music production gets rather rational but bodily involved. The Touch philosophy — which can be considered as STEIM's interpretation of the widely used term interactivity — theoretically subsumes several stages of STEIM's developments, from the analogue touchable "Crackle" surfaces in the 1970s to today's experimental Gestural MIDI Interfaces.

Structure and people STEIM was a foundation whose primary financial support came from the Dutch ministry of Culture. It invited international artists in residence of all different musical and artistic styles and scenes. Aside from offering support in theoretic and practical development of contemporary musical instruments, STEIM also hosted in-house concerts, exhibitions and workshops. The work in progress of supported artists was presented during open studio events.

Artistic/managing directors Peter Schat, 1971-1973 Working group: Misha Mengelberg, Louis Andriessen, Michel Waisvisz, Victor Wentinck, Gilius van Bergeijk, Huib Emmer, Dick Raaijmakers 1973-1981 Michel Waisvisz, 1981-2008 Dick Rijken, 2009-2020

Artistic guest directors George E. Lewis; Joel Ryan; Clarence Barlow, 1985 - ca. 1990 Nicolas Collins, 1992-1995 Steina Vasulka, 1996-1997 Sally Jane Norman, 1998-2000 Daniel Schorno; Netochka Nezvanova, 2001-2003 Daniel Schorno, 2003-2004 Jan St. Werner, 2004-2006 Mazen Kerbaj; Atau Tanaka, 2006-2008 Tarek Atoui; Tina Blaine, 2008 Takuro Mizuta Lippit; 2008-2013

Artistic residency Kasia Glowicka (2011) Mark Trayle (2010) Henry Vega (2009/10) John Richards (2007) Andi Otto (2005-2010) Marko Ciciliani (2006/2007) Benton C Bainbridge (1999) Peter Cusack (1996) Art Clay (1993) Carlos Sandoval (1994-2007) Tom Cora (1992) Dominic Alldis (1988)

Technicians, studio staff Jan Herrmann Verpoorten (1969-1971) Nico Bes (1971-2021) Rob van de Poel (1971-1980) Wim Wansink (1971-1972) Robert Huiskens (1975) Johan den Biggelaar (1972-1986) Paul Godschalk (ca. 1981-1984) Paul Hogeweg (ca. 1981-1984) Hans Venmans (ca. 1984-1987) Hayo Den Boeft (1983–92) Aad te Bokkel (ca. 1980-83) Paul Spaanderman (1983-1991) Peter Cost (1987-1992) Bob van Baarda (1992-1995) Rob Keijzer (1993) Ray Edgar (1994-1997) Jorgen Brinkman (1995-2008) Daniel Schorno (1997-2007) René Wassenburg (2001-2007) Byung-Jun Kwon (2006-2010) Marije Baalman (2010-2016) Nicolo Merendino (2013-2016) Sybren Danz (2013-2018)

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with STEIM

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what STEIM claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to STEIM before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about STEIM ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of STEIM

In research: STEIM appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses STEIM in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: STEIM is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Inventors of musical instruments, Music of the Netherlands, Music organisations based in the Netherlands, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for STEIM outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study STEIM in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what STEIM means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain STEIM out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is STEIM in simple terms?

Why does STEIM matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study STEIM?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on STEIM.