First, for online sources to find schematics,
"do-it-yourself" articles and plans, I suggest these links:
These sites provide very good information where to find schematics and articles. Of all the "do-it-yourself" magazine articles, I find the one published in the February '96 issue of ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN by far, the best. It is a design by Bob Moog and is basically his Etherwave
theremin. He also sells the theremin both in kit and
pre-assembled versions. His website is:
http://www.bigbriar.com/
Now, where the Theremax really shines is in its ability to interface CV. This is a big plus to some musicians. The PAiA also has a very nice feature I really like- Velocity. So, it's kind of a trade off, if you plan on using CV and/or using the instrument for effects, the PAiA is probably the best way to go. I also found several modifications can be performed on the Theremax to make it a bit better. One is stabilizing the volume antenna.
To (physically) stabilize the volume antenna, I drilled a hole in the cabinet at the point where the end of the volume antenna rests. After slightly re-bending the antenna, I inserted the end (about an inch) into the cabinet. This helps to hold the loop into place.
Another modification that can prove helpful is to cover
both antennas with plastic tubing. The kind I used was a
clear, flexible hose. It provides two benefits- one, it
keeps the player from grounding the volume antenna, thus
the sound is clearer (no "plink"), and two, the pitch
antenna sways less with it being covered. PAiA's website is at: http://www.paia.com/
I think too, the evolution of the Etherwave is also important to consider. Bob Moog started building theremins nearly fifty years ago. With the Etherwave, one can see how it evolved from the portable models, some from the 1950s and 60s. Models like the Melodia. The Etherwave is the grandbaby of these earlier models, and trust me, Moog has worked out any bugs that might have occured through the years.
The Etherwave kit comes with a pre-assembled circuit board. It can be assembled in a day. The PAiA requires the builder to assemble the board.
Two other bonus items that come with the purchase of an Etherwave (kit or pre-assembled) are the Lydia Kavina instructional video and the Clara Rockmore CD.
Bib Briar's website is located at: http://www.bigbriar.com/
Pitch-only theremins can be of some benefit to those who
wish only to have a theremin for effects. THEREMANIACS
(1-262-363-9205) offers a pitch-only theremin for about
$140.
Personally, I do not care for this design at all. It may
be just the thing for others, but for me I know no true
virtuosos have ever used instruments of this design. Plus,
I feel most people approach the volume loop much like
plucking a string for short notes, and left hand technique
for crescendo and decrescendos much like that of an
orchestral conductor- hand comes up, you get loud. Hand
comes down, you get soft. This doesn't mean one can't benefit from an instrument of this design, but I find little use for such a design in my own playing.
Now, Levnet is over 140 members strong! Well over the handful of people seated at that table in a downtown Portland, Maine cafe. We have members from all over the world now.
Recent discussion has involved modern tube theremins based on the tone color of "the" theremin, Clara Rockmore's. The experimentation is on-going, and soon there will be tube theremins for those who wish for a more authentic sound.
Questions are always welcomed on Levnet, and may prove to be a worthwhile stop for the person in search of a theremin, a hard-to-find coil, or any other theremin info. Information of how to subscribe to Levnet may be found here: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/4611/levnet.html
For any other questions you might have, feel free to e-mail me at: DavesTvox@hotmail.com