Theremin Information


So many people have asked where they can find plans, schematics, and what is a good theremin to start on. I'll try to answer these questions.

First, for online sources to find schematics, "do-it-yourself" articles and plans, I suggest these links:

http://www.nashville.net/~theremin/TBuilding.html

http://www.ccsi.com:80/~bobs/construc.html

http://home.att.net/~theremin1/index.htm

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/

PAIA THEREMAX™

Many people have asked about the PAiA Theremax kit. Even though I own one, I prefer my other theremins over it. Don't get me wrong- I feel the Theremax has its place, but for people looking for the original sound, durabilty, volume response, I feel the Etherwave is better.

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/

BIG BRIAR ETHERWAVE™

It's no big secret I prefer this theremin over just about any other. My quest of finding a good theremin was based on the sound, I mean THE sound. This is what I hear with the Etherwave. It has a very musical sound.

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/

OTHER THEREMIN COMPANIES

Yes, there are other theremin companies out there. Several in the US and one in England. My feeling about the better products from these companies are that they are essentially copies of Moog theremins in one form or another. I prefer to stick to the original.

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.

BACKWARDS THEREMINS

What I mean here, are theremins that are designed with volume circuitry that respond opposite from the norm. In other words, they get louder as the hand approaches.

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.

OTHER SOURCES FOR THEREMIN INFORMATION

I think one of the greatest things to come along for the thereminist is Levnet, our theremin list server. Levnet started with a conversation over dinner among a few participants of the first International Theremin Festival. I was one of the participants at the table. The idea of starting an e-mail-based list dedicated solely to the theremin was a welcomed idea. We thought at first it would give us an easy way to keep with each other once the Festival was over.

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



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