

Theremin - djoldman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin

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shadeless
The first time I hear a Theremin played is in a song by "Detektivbyrån" called
"Om Du Möter Varg" \- you can hear it here:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88rxS9ZLytk&t=1m15s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88rxS9ZLytk&t=1m15s)

I found it fascinating, especially the way they've used it in that song, as a
replacement for a vocal.

~~~
sqrt17
Is the use of fret marks (the player has a piece of cardboard with lines for
certain notes) a common thing among Theremin players or is it generally not
done for some reason? (Intuitively it makes sense, yet it's the first time I
have noticed them)

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inguinalhernia
I'm sorry, I can not hear "theramin" without thinking of the cats playing
theramin video.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXn4_JkVFVo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXn4_JkVFVo)

I'll show myself the door now.

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tatterdemalion
Maciej Ceglowski gave a really great talk about the inventor of the theremin:

[http://idlewords.com/talks/our_comrade_the_electron.htm](http://idlewords.com/talks/our_comrade_the_electron.htm)

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bcook
The inventor Léon Theremin is incredibly smart and creative, having also
thought up a way of using a beam on faraway exterior windows to eavesdrop on
conversations within and the unpowered, undetectable listening device which
was only discovered by accident after being operational for 7 years.

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Léon_Theremin#Espionage](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Léon_Theremin#Espionage)

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lnanek2
I've heard people play it at developer event concerts...it sounds really bad.
I guess it's technically interesting, but will never be popular just because
it doesn't sound any good. Kind of a common description of developer created
apps, actually, before user focused UX, so no surprise.

~~~
cge
This has more to do, I think, with it being an instrument that is extremely
hard to play. It's very difficult to move from note to note, and extremely
difficult to stay in tune, especially in a setting with large numbers of
people around, who, when they move, will change the tuning. Yet it is
primarily played by people who see it as a fun toy, or simply don't practice
much. For some reason, with the theremin, perhaps because it's an interesting
instrument in itself, people find it alright to perform on it while completely
unqualified to do so.

No one's going to go toy around with a violin for a few weeks and then insist
on performing. Or at least, if they do, no one is going to blame the violin
for the results.

Nonetheless, as some examples, people like Clara Rockmore, Lydia Kavina, and
Carolina Eyck all perform very well for technical, difficult pieces, and Randy
George does a good job with more modern, popular pieces.

~~~
jodrellblank
_people find it alright to perform on it while completely unqualified to do
so._

What is this Theremin performance qualification, and which music police offer
it?

~~~
xacaxulu
It the United Allied Association of Officially Approved and Sanctioned
Theremin Practitioners (UAAOASTP), Inc., LLC., SA, GMBH. They're owned by a
registered foreign corporation in Belize that's in turn owned by Halliburton.

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emersonrsantos
In the same year, the french Maurice Martenot invented a similar instrument,
but much bigger [1]. Here's a performance from a piece from french composer
Olivier Messiaen, who integrated it in a lot of his pieces [2].

[1]
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondes_Martenot](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondes_Martenot)
[2] [http://youtu.be/1LobZ8vg9qE](http://youtu.be/1LobZ8vg9qE)

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cthalupa
Somewhat related... the THORAMIN

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Tesla_coil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Tesla_coil)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMFw7tqzvA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMFw7tqzvA)

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wanderfowl
My neighbor in the dorms one year in College was learning the theremin. It's a
neat instrument, but his first few weeks learning made it sound like there was
a dolphin orgy next door.

~~~
mayank
> It's a neat instrument, but his first few weeks learning made it sound like
> there was a dolphin orgy next door.

A dolphin orgy would mean the dolphins were having _fun_.

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slackpad
There's a pretty cool documentary called "I Dream of Wires" that covers the
early history of electronic (in this case analog electronic) music. It has a
bit about the Theremin as well as the early modular synthesizers. Saw it hit
Netflix the other day - well worth a watch if you are interested in this
stuff.

~~~
cakebrewery
I think it is the same documentary that my music technology professor showed
us. While a simple instrument, it's implications were quite outstanding for
its time. I wonder why it is no longer widely known.

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sphericalgames
I'm thinking of selling mine given I've not touched it in years.

[https://www.ted.com/talks/pamelia_kurstin_plays_the_theremin...](https://www.ted.com/talks/pamelia_kurstin_plays_the_theremin/transcript?language=en)

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luck87
Any other suggestions on how to build an easy theremin on scratch?
[http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-
theremin/](http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-theremin/)

~~~
asd
If you want to get the real deal, kits go for about 359. Some minimal
soldering required. You can get kits a bit cheaper on ebay.

[http://www.moogmusic.com/products/etherwave-
theremins/etherw...](http://www.moogmusic.com/products/etherwave-
theremins/etherwave-theremin-kit#info-tab)

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rwinn
Theremins are awesome, me and a friend made a theremin app for iPhone a couple
years back. Check it out on [http://theremin.io](http://theremin.io)

Hope you don't mind the plug :)

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bbgm
In addition to the tonal aspects modern theremins like the Moog Etherwave also
make great CV controllers.

[http://youtu.be/c8uE3Q8p9Jo](http://youtu.be/c8uE3Q8p9Jo)

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brassattax
Also relevant: the Wii Theremin

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wINCstV50HA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wINCstV50HA)

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masteryupa_
> Theremin > Tim Blake > Hawkwind > Live Seventy Nine

Thank you for enriching my life.

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xacaxulu
Incubus has some live shows with the theremin and it seemed pretty cool.

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teekert
The Star Trek original series intro is played on the theremin, here is Sheldon
(BBT) playing it:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnTLZtZzrWU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnTLZtZzrWU)

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ThomasMorrison
Midsomer murders

