8 ms·

Sisters with Transistors

152 points by zeristor 6y ago

ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
I think that Delia Derbyshire has been discussed here previously. But women have played a huge role in all types of tech, since the early days (can you say "Grace Hopper"? I knew you could!). In the old days of "big iron," the people that actually touched the computers tended to be women. The men did their work with pads of paper. I started programming in the waning days of "big iron," and the roles had started changing. I think that a majority of the staff at Bletchley Park were women.
jpm_sd 6y ago
Looks like it's streamable online with a $5/mo membership. Special Q&A with the director tonight (4/24) https://metrograph.com/live-screenings/sisters-with-transistors-live-with-director-qa/ https://metrograph.com/live-screenings/sisters-with-transist...
- brylie 6y ago
  Unfortunately, only in the U.S.
  - duquedeturing 6y ago
    Found it (for rent) on Vimeo for other countries.
    - lstamour 6y ago
      https://sisterswithtransistors.com/watch https://sisterswithtransistors.com/watch lists where to watch it for the US, UK and elsewhere (Vimeo) but the Vimeo excludes the following countries: France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Austria, Russia, Poland and Israel. I can confirm as a Canadian that I'm having a hard time watching it without (presumably) a VPN.
      - ChrisArchitect 6y ago
        https://www.doxafestival.ca/program/2021 https://www.doxafestival.ca/program/2021
- stonesweep 6y ago
  It seems like this website is trying to convert to local timezone in browser, the ICS places it at 8pm on 4/24 New York time: DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210424T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210424T212400 If you're a frontend developer on HN reading this, please don't do what this website does - please list an absolute date/time stamp of your event in plain text on the page(s) in question. Thanks in advance.
grenoire 6y ago
Slightly off-topic; I can't read this article without scrambling my brain. Whatever review is hidden inside here is behind a wall of obscure references that only the niche target audience can understand, and as I try to navigate around all of these, I'm able to find a couple sentences which actually convey what's going on in the documentary and what the author thinks about it. Please don't write like this, you're only entertaining yourself [, the author].
- codeulike 6y ago
  Just seems like a normal film review to me. What bits are you struggling with?
- tclancy 6y ago
  Huh? The subjects are relatively obscure and most of the movies in question are from a long time ago. Finally, the film is specifically about people who did not get the recognition they deserve. And journals about a specific topic tend to talk about/ focus on things the author considers hidden gems. Stuff like this is why I appreciate HN. No one bats an eye at yet another article on an esolanguage no one will ever use in production yet you want to complain you have not heard of these women?
- NikolaNovak 6y ago
  Hmm - based on the comment I thought I would find an article full off synth terms like LFO or subtractive synthesis or low pass 12db filter or whatever,but it reads like a regular movie review, focused entirely on people and their plight...
  - mark-r 6y ago
    It is absolutely a regular movie review. I had no idea Roger Ebert's name was still being used after his death, but he was one of the most highly regarded movie critics ever. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert
- KineticLensman 6y ago
  > a wall of obscure references that only the niche target audience can understand The first para contains references to >> Beethoven and Mozart, even Elvis and John Lennon The next para lists the 'sisters' themselves. I hadn't heard of them but then that is the whole point of the film under review > I'm able to find a couple sentences which actually convey what's going on in the documentary and what the author thinks about it I think the following para is quite explicit about what is going on. >> The narrative, which is wonderfully told through a kind of archival collage that, along with the futuristic soundtrack of the profiled composers, makes it feel like an avant-garde art film. It explores its stars chronologically and tells of how they evolved the musical culture in terms of not only language but also technology, which itself opened up an array of new avenues without needing the approval of others, again, mostly men. What's interesting is that many of the women profiled were from classical backgrounds. Oram is a prime example, having turned down a spot at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Music so she could work at the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and eventually building a proto-synthesizer that used a bespoke notation system called "Oramics." We then have several additional para that goes into more detail.
jasperry 6y ago
I was so thrilled when I discovered Laurie Spiegel and wondered why she wasn't more famous. I feel like "The Expanding Universe" should be in the collection of everyone with even a casual interest in electronic music. Her website is also a trove of fascinating notes about early electronic music tech. Looking forward to finding about some of the other artists mentioned here.
- ninkendo 6y ago
  +1 for The Expanding Universe! East River Dawn from that album is one of my favorite pieces of music. Something about it is just so calming and serene for me.
norswap 6y ago
I wish we could appreciate women's talents without feeling forced to prefix the whole thing with a blob about restoring them to their righteous place on the pantheon of whatever.
- Fellshard 6y ago
  Moralized language makes it significantly more difficult to criticize, as doing so makes you immoral by implication, so any actual argument can be slapped down and ignored.
  - fao_ 6y ago
    Would you mind explaining what argument you are referring to? You seem to have some context that I (and presumably other people) don't.
- nerdponx 6y ago
  Unless you can go back in time and put them in the pantheon back then, I don't see much of an alternative.
  - teddyh 6y ago
    Violence begets violence, and likewise, discrimination begets reverse discrimination. Someone must step up and end the cycle.
    - fao_ 6y ago
      Can you explain how a media collage of archival video of women pioneering early work in synthesizers is discriminating towards men? I'm not sure I see how that is the case.
      - teddyh 6y ago
        I am not the GP poster, and so I was not commenting on this specific case, but only on the more general principle. But if we apply the general principle to this case, it can be argued that placing women on a pedestal like this is both demeaning and othering them.
mcwone 6y ago
Too bad the article does not mention Constance Demby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ire8pSPvX1o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ire8pSPvX1o
- creamynebula 6y ago
  Thank you for mentioning her, I'm listening to Novus Magnificat and it is lovely!
alamortsubite 6y ago
The highly-entertaining 1993 documentary "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" [1] devotes much attention to Clara Rockmore [2], an incredible figure I'm glad to see is a subject of this new film. I think it's fair to say Leon Theremin wouldn't have made it far without her. 1: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108323 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108323 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore
- fuzzfactor 6y ago
  On Youtube there is Sue Bob Jackson at 1:49:40 live on her theremin in 2001 where she brings on a guest artist and becomes a Viking for a bit: https://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=nd517b80srQ https://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=nd517b80srQ
layoutIfNeeded 6y ago
“Music is haunted by the specters of Beethoven and Mozart, even Elvis and John Lennon, with the canon being built around these names that we are told deserve not just celebrating but worshipping. These old, dead white men.” What a distasteful opening of an otherwise interesting article. As if some patriarchal conspiracy was forcing classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven down people’s throats... No, most simply listen to their work being enamored by the virtuosity and talent of these people who lived centuries ago. Framing their work in the context of contemporary American identity politics is very cheap journalism, and distasteful. And let’s not conflate classical music with postmodern experimental electronic music either. They don’t belong to the same league. I do appreciate both genres, and while we can argue about the subjectivity of art all day long, there’s a reason why the former enjoyed wide acclaim throughout the eras, while the latter remained an obscure academic interest.
- DavidVoid 6y ago
  > As if some patriarchal conspiracy was forcing classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven down people’s throats... No, but patriarchal and racial structures in society have historically suppressed artists who weren't white and male. Adam Neely has a good video on how the term "music theory" here in the West is essentially just "the harmonic style of 18th century European musicians" [1]. It's worth a watch if you're interested in music. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA
  - layoutIfNeeded 6y ago
    >patriarchal and racial structures in society have historically suppressed artists who weren't white and male This is plain false. Those non-white and non-male artists who have reached sophistication and virtuosity comparable to Mozart and Beethoven were and are still acclaimed. Don't try to shove a narrative where there isn't one. Also, this doesn't add anything to the discussion about why audiences prefer dead (!) white (!!) male (!!!) composers like Mozart and Beethoven over the works of early experimental electronic composers. The answer is simply because most people don't like listening weird noise.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
khazhoux 6y ago
Referenced in article, Suzanne Ciani on the early (daytime) Letterman show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZscRHkLMt0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZscRHkLMt0 It's funny because here Dave is just learning about synths, and it predates Paul Schaffer joining him with his own wall of synths.
xbar 6y ago
I'm looking forward to watching the film and I'm glad it was reviewed. Thank you sharing this one.

152 points by zeristor 6y ago

I think that Delia Derbyshire has been discussed here previously. But women have played a huge role in all types of tech, since the early days (can you say "Grace Hopper"? I knew you could!). In the old days of "big iron," the people that actually touched the computers tended to be women. The men did their work with pads of paper. I started programming in the waning days of "big iron," and the roles had started changing. I think that a majority of the staff at Bletchley Park were women.

jpm_sd 6y ago

Looks like it's streamable online with a $5/mo membership. Special Q&A with the director tonight (4/24) https://metrograph.com/live-screenings/sisters-with-transistors-live-with-director-qa/ https://metrograph.com/live-screenings/sisters-with-transist...

brylie 6y ago
Unfortunately, only in the U.S.
- duquedeturing 6y ago
  Found it (for rent) on Vimeo for other countries.
  - lstamour 6y ago
    https://sisterswithtransistors.com/watch https://sisterswithtransistors.com/watch lists where to watch it for the US, UK and elsewhere (Vimeo) but the Vimeo excludes the following countries: France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Austria, Russia, Poland and Israel. I can confirm as a Canadian that I'm having a hard time watching it without (presumably) a VPN.
    - ChrisArchitect 6y ago
      https://www.doxafestival.ca/program/2021 https://www.doxafestival.ca/program/2021
stonesweep 6y ago
It seems like this website is trying to convert to local timezone in browser, the ICS places it at 8pm on 4/24 New York time: DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210424T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210424T212400 If you're a frontend developer on HN reading this, please don't do what this website does - please list an absolute date/time stamp of your event in plain text on the page(s) in question. Thanks in advance.

grenoire 6y ago

Slightly off-topic; I can't read this article without scrambling my brain. Whatever review is hidden inside here is behind a wall of obscure references that only the niche target audience can understand, and as I try to navigate around all of these, I'm able to find a couple sentences which actually convey what's going on in the documentary and what the author thinks about it. Please don't write like this, you're only entertaining yourself [, the author].

codeulike 6y ago
Just seems like a normal film review to me. What bits are you struggling with?
tclancy 6y ago
Huh? The subjects are relatively obscure and most of the movies in question are from a long time ago. Finally, the film is specifically about people who did not get the recognition they deserve. And journals about a specific topic tend to talk about/ focus on things the author considers hidden gems. Stuff like this is why I appreciate HN. No one bats an eye at yet another article on an esolanguage no one will ever use in production yet you want to complain you have not heard of these women?
NikolaNovak 6y ago
Hmm - based on the comment I thought I would find an article full off synth terms like LFO or subtractive synthesis or low pass 12db filter or whatever,but it reads like a regular movie review, focused entirely on people and their plight...
- mark-r 6y ago
  It is absolutely a regular movie review. I had no idea Roger Ebert's name was still being used after his death, but he was one of the most highly regarded movie critics ever. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ebert
KineticLensman 6y ago
> a wall of obscure references that only the niche target audience can understand The first para contains references to >> Beethoven and Mozart, even Elvis and John Lennon The next para lists the 'sisters' themselves. I hadn't heard of them but then that is the whole point of the film under review > I'm able to find a couple sentences which actually convey what's going on in the documentary and what the author thinks about it I think the following para is quite explicit about what is going on. >> The narrative, which is wonderfully told through a kind of archival collage that, along with the futuristic soundtrack of the profiled composers, makes it feel like an avant-garde art film. It explores its stars chronologically and tells of how they evolved the musical culture in terms of not only language but also technology, which itself opened up an array of new avenues without needing the approval of others, again, mostly men. What's interesting is that many of the women profiled were from classical backgrounds. Oram is a prime example, having turned down a spot at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Music so she could work at the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and eventually building a proto-synthesizer that used a bespoke notation system called "Oramics." We then have several additional para that goes into more detail.

jasperry 6y ago

I was so thrilled when I discovered Laurie Spiegel and wondered why she wasn't more famous. I feel like "The Expanding Universe" should be in the collection of everyone with even a casual interest in electronic music. Her website is also a trove of fascinating notes about early electronic music tech. Looking forward to finding about some of the other artists mentioned here.

ninkendo 6y ago
+1 for The Expanding Universe! East River Dawn from that album is one of my favorite pieces of music. Something about it is just so calming and serene for me.

norswap 6y ago

I wish we could appreciate women's talents without feeling forced to prefix the whole thing with a blob about restoring them to their righteous place on the pantheon of whatever.

Fellshard 6y ago
Moralized language makes it significantly more difficult to criticize, as doing so makes you immoral by implication, so any actual argument can be slapped down and ignored.
- fao_ 6y ago
  Would you mind explaining what argument you are referring to? You seem to have some context that I (and presumably other people) don't.
nerdponx 6y ago
Unless you can go back in time and put them in the pantheon back then, I don't see much of an alternative.
- teddyh 6y ago
  Violence begets violence, and likewise, discrimination begets reverse discrimination. Someone must step up and end the cycle.
  - fao_ 6y ago
    Can you explain how a media collage of archival video of women pioneering early work in synthesizers is discriminating towards men? I'm not sure I see how that is the case.
    - teddyh 6y ago
      I am not the GP poster, and so I was not commenting on this specific case, but only on the more general principle. But if we apply the general principle to this case, it can be argued that placing women on a pedestal like this is both demeaning and othering them.

mcwone 6y ago

Too bad the article does not mention Constance Demby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ire8pSPvX1o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ire8pSPvX1o

creamynebula 6y ago
Thank you for mentioning her, I'm listening to Novus Magnificat and it is lovely!

alamortsubite 6y ago

The highly-entertaining 1993 documentary "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" [1] devotes much attention to Clara Rockmore [2], an incredible figure I'm glad to see is a subject of this new film. I think it's fair to say Leon Theremin wouldn't have made it far without her. 1: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108323 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108323 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore

fuzzfactor 6y ago
On Youtube there is Sue Bob Jackson at 1:49:40 live on her theremin in 2001 where she brings on a guest artist and becomes a Viking for a bit: https://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=nd517b80srQ https://ww.youtube.com/watch?v=nd517b80srQ

layoutIfNeeded 6y ago

“Music is haunted by the specters of Beethoven and Mozart, even Elvis and John Lennon, with the canon being built around these names that we are told deserve not just celebrating but worshipping. These old, dead white men.” What a distasteful opening of an otherwise interesting article. As if some patriarchal conspiracy was forcing classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven down people’s throats... No, most simply listen to their work being enamored by the virtuosity and talent of these people who lived centuries ago. Framing their work in the context of contemporary American identity politics is very cheap journalism, and distasteful. And let’s not conflate classical music with postmodern experimental electronic music either. They don’t belong to the same league. I do appreciate both genres, and while we can argue about the subjectivity of art all day long, there’s a reason why the former enjoyed wide acclaim throughout the eras, while the latter remained an obscure academic interest.

DavidVoid 6y ago
> As if some patriarchal conspiracy was forcing classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven down people’s throats... No, but patriarchal and racial structures in society have historically suppressed artists who weren't white and male. Adam Neely has a good video on how the term "music theory" here in the West is essentially just "the harmonic style of 18th century European musicians" [1]. It's worth a watch if you're interested in music. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA
- layoutIfNeeded 6y ago
  >patriarchal and racial structures in society have historically suppressed artists who weren't white and male This is plain false. Those non-white and non-male artists who have reached sophistication and virtuosity comparable to Mozart and Beethoven were and are still acclaimed. Don't try to shove a narrative where there isn't one. Also, this doesn't add anything to the discussion about why audiences prefer dead (!) white (!!) male (!!!) composers like Mozart and Beethoven over the works of early experimental electronic composers. The answer is simply because most people don't like listening weird noise.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

khazhoux 6y ago

Referenced in article, Suzanne Ciani on the early (daytime) Letterman show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZscRHkLMt0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZscRHkLMt0 It's funny because here Dave is just learning about synths, and it predates Paul Schaffer joining him with his own wall of synths.

xbar 6y ago

I'm looking forward to watching the film and I'm glad it was reviewed. Thank you sharing this one.