Wavelengths is a new mini-documentary about synthesizers & the people that love them, by Ian Gilbert.
While other synth documentaries have focused more on the instruments or the history of electronic music, Gilbert’s film looks at the people that are into synths and how they are expanding the synth community.
The modular synth community is largely white and male, and there can be a high barrier to entry because modular synths are relatively expensive instruments, with a high learning curve. The documentary look at how some synthesists are pushing against these boundaries and creating their own spaces to connect with audiences and other electronic musicians.
DIY synth maker Juanito Moore (Modular for the Masses) talks about making modular gear as inexpensively as possible, using tuna cans and junk parts. Jonas Quirin talks about creating a synth scene in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where synths haven’t traditionally been a part of the music scene.
Steff Rosalez talks about expanding the community with women and GLBTQ musicians. Jesse Kaczmarczyk talks about getting into the world of synths through his relationship with Rosalez and their band, How To Live Together, and how the band and their songwriting deepened their relationship.
“Electronic music is important and synth music is cool,” notes Quirin, “People should be able to experience that.”
in the synthesizer community, women and GLBTQ musicians always had and have a home.
You might want to talk to more women and GLBTQ musicians.
You still constantly hear synthesists refer to Wendy Carlos as ‘Walter’ – after 50 years. And you see mainstream publications, like Vice, call Carlos things like “The Trans Godmother of Electronic Music”, making her genitals the focus of the discussion, instead of her massive contributions to electronic music.
It’s routine for people to ignore the important contributions of synth pioneers like Suzanne Ciani, Laurie Spiegel and Éliane Radigue.
And how many electronic music festival have you been to where everybody performing is a middle-aged white dude?
Mupp
Not in my country
Oh shut it. Stupid comment to make. Has no relevance to this documentary. Walter Wendy ….pick your battles.
Never
It would help if we referred to the community as LGBTQ+ (“girls to the front”) as is common practice, even within the community itself. Never seen it referred to as “GLBTQ” how very strange.
Probably the worst documentary ever made.
You sound triggered.
I really like that the video looked at the real things that people have to deal with to make a synth scene where they live. I’m in the midwest, and there’s not an active electronic music scene in most cities, and when there is one, it doesn’t reflect the spectrum of people that do electronic music.
Probably the worst comment ever made.
The white middle aged dude is the “person” who designed the instrument, played the instrument, bought the instrument and created the market for it. Without “him” modular synths wouldn’t exists and the community would have to rely on the yukalele in order to find insulting sexual connotations ..
P.s for whoever believes that the knobcon is about penises and that the modular cable is a phalic symbol, this is completely in your mind. We are not to be blamed for how your mind operates.
Xrx – other than Wendy Carlos and Delia Derbyshire being the first people to bring synths and electronic music to a broad audience, Stevie Wonder making synths an important sound in mainstream popular music, and the Japanese bringing synths to the masses, you’re right. It was all a bunch of white guys!
Thanks for posting! That was an enjoyable short doc.
Worth a watch. I liked the ‘on a budget’ modules in various sweet tins. ?