diff --git a/bin/curvecalc b/bin/curvecalc
--- a/bin/curvecalc
+++ b/bin/curvecalc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from light9.curvecalc import curveview
 from light9.curvecalc.musicaccess import Music, currentlyPlayingSong
 from light9.wavelength import wavelength
 from light9.namespaces import L9
-from light9.curvecalc.subterm import savekey, graphPathForSubterms
+from light9.curvecalc.subterm import savekey, graphPathForSubterms, Subterm
 from light9.curvecalc.subtermview import add_one_subterm
 from light9.curvecalc.output import Output
 from light9.gtkpyconsole import togglePyConsole
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ class SubtermExists(ValueError):
     pass
 
 class Main(object):
-    def __init__(self, graph, opts, session, curveset, subterms, music):
+    def __init__(self, graph, opts, session, curveset, music):
         self.graph, self.opts, self.session = graph, opts, session
-        self.curveset, self.subterms, self.music = curveset, subterms, music
+        self.curveset, self.music = curveset, music
         self.lastSeenInputTime = 0
 
         wtree = self.wtree = gtk.Builder()
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class Main(object):
         ec.show()
         
         wtree.get_object("subterms").connect("add", self.onSubtermChildAdded)
-        graph.addHandler(self.add_subterms_for_song)
+        graph.addHandler(self.set_subterms_from_graph)
         self.refreshCurveView()       
         
         self.makeStatusLines(wtree.get_object("status"))
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ class Main(object):
         # that's not enough- deeper windows don't accept the
         # event. 
         mainwin.forall(connect) # not very effective
+
+        # this probably isn't rerunning often enough to catch new data
         connect(wtree.get_object("subterms")) # works for that area
 
         # may not work
@@ -166,10 +168,7 @@ class Main(object):
         return self.currentSong()
 
     def makeSubterm(self, newname, withCurve=False, expr=None):
-        uri = L9['sub/%s' % newname]
-        with self.graph.currentState() as current:
-            if (uri, RDF.type, L9.Subterm) in current:
-                raise SubtermExists("already have a subterm named %r" % newname)
+        uri = self.currentSong() + "/sub/%f" % time.time()
 
         ctx = self.songSubtermsContext()
         self.graph.patch(Patch(addQuads=[
@@ -181,20 +180,18 @@ class Main(object):
         if withCurve:
             self.curveset.new_curve(newname)
 
-    def add_subterms_for_song(self):
+    def set_subterms_from_graph(self):
         master = self.wtree.get_object("subterms")
+        log.info("removing subterm widgets")
         [master.remove(c) for c in master.get_children()]
 
         song = self.graph.value(self.session, L9['currentSong'])
         
-        for st in self.graph.objects(song, L9['subterm']):
+        for st in set(self.graph.objects(song, L9['subterm'])):
             log.info("song %s has subterm %s", song, st)
-            add_one_subterm(self.graph,
-                            self.graph.value(st, L9['sub']),
-                            self.curveset,
-                            self.subterms,
-                            master,
-                            self.graph.value(st, L9['expression']))
+            #term = Subterm(self.graph, st, self.songSubtermsContext())
+            #add_one_subterm(term, self.curveset, master)
+
         master.show_all()
 
     def refreshTheme(self):
@@ -246,7 +243,7 @@ class Main(object):
     def onSave(self, *args):
         with self.graph.currentState() as g:
             savekey(g.value(self.session, L9['currentSong']),
-                    self.subterms, self.curveset)
+                    self.curveset)
 
     def makeStatusLines(self, master):
         """various labels that listen for dispatcher signals"""
@@ -348,7 +345,6 @@ def launch(args, graph, session, opts, s
         pass
 
     curveset = Curveset(sliders=opts.sliders)
-    subterms = []
 
     def curvesetReload():
         # not sure if this clears right or not yet
@@ -362,12 +358,12 @@ def launch(args, graph, session, opts, s
     graph.addHandler(curvesetReload)
         
     log.debug("startup: output %s", time.time() - startTime)
-    out = Output(subterms, music)
+    out = Output(music)
 
     mt = MaxTime(graph, session)
     dispatcher.connect(lambda: mt.get(), "get max time", weak=False)
 
-    start = Main(graph, opts, session, curveset, subterms, music)
+    start = Main(graph, opts, session, curveset, music)
 
     dispatcher.send("show all")
         
@@ -410,7 +406,6 @@ def main():
     clientsession.add_option(parser)
     opts, args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    logging.basicConfig(format="%(asctime)s %(levelname)-5s %(name)s %(filename)s:%(lineno)d: %(message)s")
     log.setLevel(logging.DEBUG if opts.debug else logging.INFO)
 
     log.debug("startup: music %s", time.time() - startTime)