Jeu How to Play the Theremin: 15 Steps with Pictures

As the hand approaches the antenna, the capacitance increases, which changes the frequency of the alternating current in a circuit and results in a higher pitch. Specifically, the change in capacitance—typically only a few picofarads—changes the frequency of a variable oscillator. That oscillator and one of fixed frequency form the pitch-control circuit. Both oscillators typically consist of a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel.

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The theremin was originally developed in the USSR by researcher Leon Theremin, while he was hard at work developing a high-frequency oscillator capable of measuring electric force through gases. As he experimented, he discovered that he could change the pitch of an audio signal generated by this oscillator by changing the position of his body in relation to the electromagnetic field he was attempting to measure. The theremin (/ˈθɛrəmɪn/; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone2 or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named after its inventor, Leon Theremin, who patented the device in 1928. The theremin is an instrument that typically consists of a wooden box with two antennae; one controls pitch, and the other controls amplitude (loudness). Skilled performers can play melodies by hovering and moving their hands ever so slightly around the instrument.

How did Theremin invent the theremin?

• The Standard Moog Etherwave features pitch and volume antennae, as well as rotary pots for controlling waveform and sensitivity.
• Once he’s mastered those basics, he can progress to adding vibrato and dynamics to his playing.
• Digital, also known as hybrid, theremins use microprocessors or digital signal processors not only to interpret the position of the player’s hands relative to the antennas but also to generate sound.
• Working in the laboratory of famed theoretical physicist Abram Ioffe, Theremin had developed an early wireless motion-detection alarm system and a device to measure the density and dielectric constant of gases.

Even setting up multiple theremins on one stage can cause problems—since electromagnetic fields aren’t visible, theremins can be finicky to troubleshoot. The second circuit (the volume circuit) controlled the level of the tone generated by the pitch circuit. Much like in the pitch circuit, it used an oscillator connected to an antenna. Disrupting the electromagnetic field around this antenna raises or lowered the volume of the music tone generated by the pitch circuit. The performer’s hand has significant body capacitance, and thus can be treated as the grounded plate of a variable capacitor in an L-C (inductance-capacitance) circuit, which is part of the oscillator and determines its frequency.

How do you play the theremin?

Theremin expert Arthur Harrison has built a Web site, Theremin.us, dedicated to spreading knowledge about theremins and theremin-building. He offers kits for sale as well as detailed instructional articles, including schematics, on constructing vacuum tube powered theremins. Even Harrison, however, warns against the dangers involved with building these devices, which use lethal AC voltages. “Make music with the wave of a hand! Sound like an opera star! So easy, anyone can do it!” Such were key selling points of the first commercially available theremin. Hailed as the world’s earliest electronic instrument, Radio Corporation of America’s (RCA’s) theremin looked more like a tiny writing desk than the future of electronica. Built around 1930, the RCA theremin consisted of a hollow wood cube with a sloped lid perched atop four spindly, tapered legs.

At that frequency, the antenna and its linearisation coil present an inductive impedance; and when connected, behaves as an inductor in parallel with the oscillator. Thus, connecting the antenna and linearising coil raises the oscillation frequency. Close to the resonant frequency of the antenna circuit, the effective inductance is small, and the effect on the oscillator is greatest; farther from it, the effective inductance is larger, and fractional change on the oscillator is reduced. Playing the theremin requires precision and a trained ear, so previous musical experience helps a lot. A classically trained violinist, she quit playing when tendinitis affected her bow arm. As fate would have it, meeting Theremin resulted in her adopting this new instrument, and with time, becoming its most recognizable face thanks to her controlled performances.

The Shepard tone: What it is and how it works

Unlike earlier electromechanical musical instruments, the theremin was conceived from the beginning as an apparatus whose sound would be generated entirely electronically. Working in the laboratory of famed theoretical physicist Abram Ioffe, Theremin had developed an early wireless motion-detection alarm system and a device to measure the density and dielectric constant of gases. Both projects explored capacitance changes in circuits, which led Theremin to notice that the position of his hand in an electromagnetic field affected the pitch of the sound emitted by an electric oscillator. That observation inspired him to create a musical instrument, originally marketed as the etherophone and the thereminvox, that could play melodies based on the performer’s hand position relative to an antenna.

History of the Theremin

With only two antennae to manipulate, the theremin seems like it would be a breeze to play. In the hands of a master, the theremin can sing with the precision, vibrato and depth of a seasoned mezzo-soprano. When operated by a novice, on the other hand, it produces little more than earsplitting blats and squawks. In 1967, Paul Tanner invented electrotheremin, an instrument that mimics the sounds of the theremin, and is responsible for the high-pitched sound on “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys. Below, we’ll list three of the most important players in theremin history.

• To control volume, the performer’s other hand acts as the grounded plate of another variable capacitor.
• Probably the most popular version on the market today is the Moog Etherwave Theremin.
• Some digital or hybrid theremins—those that combine analog sensor circuits with digital sound engines and processing—incorporate pitch quantization, which adjusts the sound to the nearest note in a chosen musical scale.
• Musician Jean-Michel Jarre used the instrument in his concerts Oxygène in Moscow in 1997 and Space of Freedom37 in Gdańsk in 2005, providing also a short history of Leon Theremin’s life.

Rockmore worked with Theremin to further the possibilities of the instrument, and their time together led to the inventor falling in love with her. Thereminists appear to play their instruments almost like invisible strings, employing techniques such as vibrato on held notes. Although skilled players might make it look easy, playing it requires great musical coordination and serious technical ability.

This translation is governed by a concept known as the heterodyne principle. Digital, also known as hybrid, theremins use microprocessors or digital signal processors not only to interpret the position of the player’s hands relative to the antennas but also to generate sound. Those theremins often come with built-in effects, pitch quantization, and banks of preset sounds, some of which attempt to emulate the classic theremin.

The American composer Henry Cowell and the French-American composer Edgard Varèse have written for the theremin. The instrument was used in recordings by the American rock group the Beach Boys and in the soundtracks of several science fiction films. Classic analog theremins do not produce sounds precisely tuned to traditional musical notes; instead, they generate a continuous set of tones depending on the player’s ability to stabilize the position of their hands within the electromagnetic field. Some digital or hybrid theremins—those that combine analog sensor circuits with https://p1nup.in/ digital sound engines and processing—incorporate pitch quantization, which adjusts the sound to the nearest note in a chosen musical scale. That feature comes at the cost of the expressiveness that is possible on analog theremins. Together, the vertical antenna and the player’s hand make up the two conductive plates of a capacitor whose dielectric is the air between them.

Theremin’s first prototype for his device consisted of a wooden box that housed electronic circuits, a vertical antenna for pitch control, and a pedal for volume control. He soon replaced the pedal with a horizontal loop antenna, which resulted in the design that is commonly used today. The instrument’s pitch circuitry includes two radio frequency oscillators set below 500 kHz to minimize radio interference.

Among the earliest electronic instruments, the theremin was a standout in how it could be played without any physical contact. In this article, we break down what a theremin is, how it works by harnessing the power of electromagnetic interference, and how you can explore its distinctive sound firsthand. In the volume-control circuit, one or two high-frequency oscillators are used, whose combined signal is routed first through another nonlinear mixer before being sent to a filter. A band-pass filter is sometimes used instead of a low-pass filter because the former gives the instrument a greater dynamic range and makes the volume response more sensitive to smaller hand motions.