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ptero
Silver Member
Mexico
218 Posts |
 Posted - 03/21/2007 : 11:02:34
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Does anybody has experience with this instrument??
I have just found it on the web, obviously, searching for effect pedals. It looks very cool, it must be awesome with dealy, reverb, pitch shifter and other boss pedals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ze0DKrAGU |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 13:03:05
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quote:
Originally posted by ptero
Does anybody has experience with this instrument??
I have just found it on the web, obviously, searching for effect pedals. It looks very cool, it must be awesome with dealy, reverb, pitch shifter and other boss pedals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ze0DKrAGU
Hi ptero
Horizon UK or someone - did a whole hour long, documentary on the Theremin & it's inventor.
Maybe it's on a youtube or similar sites, Though I can't recall what it was called.
It was very informative.
Beach Boys used one in the song "Good Vibrations"
It has been used in countless, 60's black & white SciFi movies.
The originals were all valve.
Regards Dr. Bob 
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Edited by - Dr. Bob on 03/21/2007 13:48:07 |
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Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 13:41:00
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I have a friend to a friend who has one, I tested it once. It was a really strange experience, beutiful sounds coming out of it. A child could play it and make music as good as if it was played by Clapton.
When I tested it there was some pedals used, don�t remember what, probably delay.
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 13:52:15
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Hi guys Theremin info, & some links:
The Birth of the Theremin
In the years previous to 1920, a young student, Lev Sergeivitch Termen (a name which was thereafter gallicized to L�on Th�remin), built an electronic musical instrument in St. Petersburg. It was a Thermionic tubed instrument. Th�remin was not only a technician, but also a professional musician. He had studied physics at the University of St. Petersburg, studying courses of music theory and cello at the Musical Institute at the same time. In 1919, he had been nominated as Director of the Technical Laboratory (vibration research) at the Physics and Technical Institute. During a conference of Electrotecnicians in 1920, he presented the Termenvoksa or Heterophone, or Theremin, as it was called internationally. Those at the conference saw a small box with two antennae, one on the right and one on the left. Could it be a new type of telegraph? Or an electronic measuring device? Th�remin moved to the front of the machine and began working it. There were no handles or keyboard. He waved his hands above the instrument like an orchestra conductor and seemed to obtain sounds as if by enchantment.
http://www.thereminvox.com/story/27/
http://www.thereminworld.com/article.asp?id=17
The Movie-Documentary was called:
Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1994)
here is a link to some info about it.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0108323/
There is lots of info on the web about this wonderful instrument.
Regards Dr. Bob 
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jack
Platinum Member
USA
1418 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 15:14:43
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| I've seen Theremin kits to make one...Has anybody on thr forum made one before? |
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tomwest
Silver Member
United Kingdom
436 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 16:09:17
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| Some people build them into guitars, I think they're cool, sound a bit 50's horror/alien film though. |
Edited by - tomwest on 03/21/2007 16:09:27 |
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bossarea
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
3652 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 16:33:43
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I just bought a live DVD with Dread Zeppelin. Bob Knarley uses one on Whole Lotta Love. Very funny 
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ptero
Silver Member
Mexico
218 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 21:20:12
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Yes, I recognize the sound of the theremin from movies and tv (specially, The Simpsons Halloween Special). What I didn't know was which instrument produces that sound. I thougt it was a kind of flute, brass or even a glass marimba/organ.
I find it very amazing. Also is amazing the fact that it was invented almost 100 years ago and still look like involving the last and more complex technology. I can't figure out why it isn't more popular. I'm definitively going to get one of those as they aren't very very expensive, about $300 - $400. I'll have to sell some gears before.
I'm going to connect
Theremin=> PS-5=> AW-3=> PH-3=> DD-5=> RC-2(TB) => Guitar amp
I don't know how the distortion and overdrive will work with it, I think they would not be cool as the theremin's sound seems to be harmonically very pure. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Delay and Reverb are obligatory, I think.
Language curiosity: In English the verb to denote the performance of a musical instrument is To play, which also means have fun with toys, activities, etc.
In Spanish the verb to denote the performance of a musical instrument is "Tocar" which also means To Touch, have contact with something.
So, it's ironic when peolpe speak in Spanish and talk about playing the Theremin when you actually don't touch the Theremin!! Do you get the irony?
PS The thereminist girl in the video is very pretty, isn't she?? (kind of very off topic comment?) |
Edited by - ptero on 03/21/2007 23:30:26 |
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mattoqua
Silver Member
Canada
438 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 23:53:34
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Ive never seen one of these before. Ive probably heard it, since the sound seems familiar.
How do these work?
I finally finished my guitar a couple of months ago, and have been looking for something new to make. I think I would be interested in this. |
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Basstyra
Gold Member
France
523 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2007 : 00:00:30
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The Theremin is one of the first fully electronical instrument, along with the Ondes Martenot, and others.
It's just an oscillator, which outputs a sine wave, hence the really "clean" sound, and more important, the fact that we're not used to it. Because music is about harmonics, which pure sine wave totally lacks.
EDIT : in fact, it outputs 2 sine waves, so there is a little harmonic contents. But it remains clearly "clean".
The pitch of the wave and the volume are controlled by the mean of 2 antennas. It uses the capacitance between your body and the earth. When you move a part of your body, often the hands, close the antenna, the capacitance varies with respect to the distance, and this capacitance is converte into a voltage used to control the pitch and the volume.
Theremins are today coming back as a fashion, after having spent too much times in horror show soundtracks. That's quite a good thing, it deserves a better place in the music history than "It cames from outer space".
THE Theremin player in the world is Lydia Kavina : http://www.lydiakavina.com |
Edited by - Basstyra on 03/22/2007 00:09:13 |
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ptero
Silver Member
Mexico
218 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2007 : 10:23:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Basstyra
... which pure sine wave totally lacks.
It uses the capacitance between your body and the earth.
Would the EH-2 help to add harmonics where were not originally?? Or it just only enhances the degraded ones??
If it uses the capacitance between your body and the earth, then, I think, you'll find it more or less responsive or just different whether you are sick or healthy, you have gained or lost weight, don't you think?
Have to figure it out myself. |
Edited by - ptero on 03/22/2007 10:27:40 |
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Basstyra
Gold Member
France
523 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2007 : 11:45:32
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Of course, routing the signal of a Theremin into pedals would affect it. But they will respond quite differently. The enveloppe and harmonic contents are really different between Theremin and guitar.
I think a EH-2 would not have much effect. But I never tried.
I don't exactly know how your weight will affect the Theremin, I think not much. But I'm quite positive any sickness would not affect it. |
Edited by - Basstyra on 03/22/2007 11:51:56 |
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bossarea
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
3652 Posts |
Posted - 03/22/2007 : 11:58:02
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The capacitance will probably be 99% dependant upon the distance of your hand from the antenna. If you're over weight or ill you may need to hold your hand a fraction closer to get the same pitch but my guess is you wouldn't notice any difference.
Never tried a theremin though so I'm just guessing |
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Theremin
