Theremin
Apr 6, 2024 13:45:46 #
Do any of you play the theremin? I've always liked the sound, but I never bought the instrument. A friend bought a MOOG Theremin (over $300) a while ago, but she never could make music with it. She gave it to another friend who plays several instruments, and he was also unable to make it sing. Like most other activities, it looks easy when someone else does it.
You'll recognize the sound from many sci-fi movies.
The instrument was invented by a Russian scientist named Leon Theremin while he was working on a project for the Russian government. He did quite a bit of traveling with his instrument, and he was a spy for Russia (USSR).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk
Sidenote: I remember hearing about this -
"Theremin invented another listening device called The Thing, hidden in a replica of the Great Seal of the United States carved in wood. In 1945, Soviet school children presented the concealed bug to the U.S. Ambassador as a "gesture of friendship" to the USSR's World War II ally. It hung in the ambassador’s residential office in Moscow and intercepted confidential conversations there during the first seven years of the Cold War, until it was accidentally discovered in 1952."
You'll recognize the sound from many sci-fi movies.
The instrument was invented by a Russian scientist named Leon Theremin while he was working on a project for the Russian government. He did quite a bit of traveling with his instrument, and he was a spy for Russia (USSR).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk
Sidenote: I remember hearing about this -
"Theremin invented another listening device called The Thing, hidden in a replica of the Great Seal of the United States carved in wood. In 1945, Soviet school children presented the concealed bug to the U.S. Ambassador as a "gesture of friendship" to the USSR's World War II ally. It hung in the ambassador’s residential office in Moscow and intercepted confidential conversations there during the first seven years of the Cold War, until it was accidentally discovered in 1952."
Apr 6, 2024 14:14:26 #
Apr 6, 2024 14:17:48 #
I don't know about it until reading your post and asking Mr. Google. It's interesting. I don't particularly like its sound. But the same instrument can be made to play different kind of sound I would think.
Apr 6, 2024 14:30:49 #
BebuLamar wrote:
I don't know about it until reading your post and asking Mr. Google. It's interesting. I don't particularly like its sound. But the same instrument can be made to play different kind of sound I would think.
Not sure if one can change the waveform characteristics (sound style/type) or not, but the two controls are pitch and volume.
Apr 6, 2024 14:31:05 #
RiJoRi
Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC
If I remember, a Theremin was used for the musical interlude in the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations".
Apr 6, 2024 14:35:27 #
RiJoRi wrote:
If I remember, a Theremin was used for the musical interlude in the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations".
Also The Day the Earth Stood Still and Mars Attacks.
Apr 6, 2024 14:53:21 #
Apr 6, 2024 15:52:09 #
Longshadow wrote:
Excellent show. Used for the theme for Midsomer Murders.
It is a very difficult instrument to master. This lady has and makes it look easy.
Celia Sheen plays Midsomer Murders on Theremin
Apr 6, 2024 16:05:42 #
Longshadow wrote:
Not sure if one can change the waveform characteristics (sound style/type) or not, but the two controls are pitch and volume.
Should be able to change to any kind of waveform because the sound is synthesized any way. The main characteristic of the instrument is that the pitch has to be ramp up or down to pitch. It can't jump the pitch high to low or low to high immediately.
Apr 6, 2024 16:53:25 #
BebuLamar wrote:
Should be able to change to any kind of waveform because the sound is synthesized any way. The main characteristic of the instrument is that the pitch has to be ramp up or down to pitch. It can't jump the pitch high to low or low to high immediately.
Changing the pitch is done by varying the effective capacitive reactance of one's hand placement relative to the pitch antenna.
All it does is change the frequency of the oscillator, NOT the shape of the waveform. The shape of the waveform is determined by the oscillator circuitry (design).
Yes, the pitch will ramp up and down relative to the position of the player's hand, it cannot "jump" because the hand position is a linear movement from point A to point B.
"Should be able to..." appears to be your opinion of how it should work, not reality.
Apr 6, 2024 17:31:56 #
Longshadow wrote:
Changing the pitch is done by varying the effectiv... (show quote)
The shape of the waveform can be synthesized to any waveform. Even using sampling technique.
Apr 6, 2024 18:07:49 #
BebuLamar wrote:
The shape of the waveform can be synthesized to any waveform. Even using sampling technique.
But it's hard wired, not variable under the player's control.....
The way that theremin is built. If they added dials (controls) to alter it, that would be different. but two hands are required to play the theremin.
Apr 6, 2024 20:45:57 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Do any of you play the theremin? I've always like... (show quote)
I bought one after Watching Clara Rockmore - the expert who made it sing. Not easy to play well.
Apr 7, 2024 09:03:07 #
I built one in high school as a science project. But for simplicity, I used photocells instead of capacitance to work it. Hands raised and lowered over the photocells varied the amount of light that reached them to change the pitch and volume. Built it in a shoebox. Not very loud though, as it had only a small audio amplifier and speaker, powered by a 9V battery.
And at the end of the science fair, somebody stole the damn thing. I was POd big time.
And at the end of the science fair, somebody stole the damn thing. I was POd big time.
Apr 7, 2024 10:02:33 #
badapple
Loc: Twin Lake, Michigan
There is an episode of the “Big Bang Theory” where Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) plays the theremin much to the chagrin of the rest of the cast.
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