Theremin

[MLE]

God, I want one so badly. I have been lusting after a theremin for more than just a few years, but I've recently come to realize that I have the manual dexterity and perfect relative pitch necessary to be good at playing, as well as realizing that they're actually a fairly reasonably priced instrument.

For those of you that don't know what a theremin is, Portishead uses them sometimes in their music, and also, the (old) Dr. Who theme and the original Star Trek theme song are played by a theremin.

I would gladly accept any old theremins you have lying around.

[MLE]

ps- here's a really good example of a theremin on youtube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwqLyeq9OJI

[Mockery]

Best Theremin player out there is Dorit Chrysler if you ask me. I've been listening to her for years (she actually used to front another cool band called Halcion, but didn't use the theremin with them to my knowledge). Anyway, she creates some fantastic music and it's highly recommended. Here's a video that shows footage of her playing the theremin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIMLLkFdUH4

There are more clips of her on youtube and you can check out her site at doritchrysler.com (http://www.doritchrysler.com). And yeah, I've wanted a theremin for ages too... someday I will own one. :o

[Grislygus]

I always thought it was called a seramin. Ah well, Kashmir fucking rules.

[MLE]

I'm asking Chojin, both his parents, and my parents for one for my birthday. I told them they should team up. Even so, does anyone want to donate to my birthday theremin fund ;_;

I'll take requests once i get it ;<

[MLE]

Oh, and Rog, I hadn't seen Dorit, so thanks for that ;o She was really amazing. I really am impressed that the vibrato that she uses is in volume -not in pitch. That shows really how well she can play -which is amazingly ;O

[sspadowsky]

That guy is just waving his hands around and humming real loud. Like a really fruity Italian guy or something.

[noob3]

get a real fucking instrument

[MLE]

:( :( :(

[zeldasbiggestfan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYho56INKU&mode=related&search=

Am I the biggest dork ever? Yes. Yes I am.

[MLE]

As soon as I saw your name in here, I knew you'd want to gay this up. If you feel the need to put a link to something relating to zelda games ever again in my thread, only post the link. You do not need to broadcast your social shortcomings across the internet in my thread.

[Perndog]

It's not vibrato if the pitch isn't varied. Periodic variation in volume is tremolo. :posh

[Atari Dragon]

GNARLS BARKLEY'S CRAZY ON THE THEREMIN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0B1sipLBI

[MLE]

You make a salient point, Perndog. :posh

[EndersGame]

I cant quite figure out what he's actually playing, I assume he's holding onto something but really, from I can see, it looks like hes playing "Air.....theremin"

W/e it actually is.....I WANT ONE

[Cfr5]

Yeah, you don't actually touch it while playing.

[MLE]

So? Anyone up for donating?

[Sgt. Baker]

GNARLS BARKLEY'S CRAZY ON THE THEREMIN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0B1sipLBI
that looks like its from the same guy as the zelda one

[MLE]

A lot of the Theremin videos are from the same guy that uses a Moog Etherwave Pro and Non-Pro. He's really pretty good, but I agree with -RoG- that Dorit Chrysler is much better.

[Black Flag]

mle you should listen to man or astro-man because they use a theremin sometimes but more importantly they rock all the time

[Sgt. Baker]

do you prefer black flag with henry or without henry?

[Black Flag]

what do you mean

[Guitar Woman]

COMING SOON: THERAMIN HERO, ONLY FOR THE NINTENDO WII

[MLE]

Holy shit I would buy the FUCK out of that game.

[zeldasbiggestfan]

Probably a piece of shit

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zeppelin-GENUINE-Analog-Theremin-Theramin-Thermin_W0QQitemZ110155273310QQihZ001QQcategoryZ12 87QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[MLE]

I wouldn't buy anything but a Moog.

[MLE]

What, do you have a theremin?

[zeldasbiggestfan]

Will you hunt him down and steal it if he says yes?

[MLE]

Who said you could address me directly?

[noob3]

hey can't you just make a theremin? and why are you being a label whore? wern't these made by some mad scientist anyways? unless the moog has some crazy moog shit attatched to it (wtf?), uhh, just get a cheapo, dude

it's not like a guitar i think they all make the same noise

and if they don't that's fucking gay

but yeah tell chojin to make one i am sure he can do it

[Perndog]

I'm sure there are better and worse kinds. Better wiring, different circuitry, bells and whistles. This one website talks about polyphonic ones that can play up to five notes at once.

[MLE]

Also, it's very hard to get a linear note progression. Like:

A------B--C-------D-----E
The above would be like a cheap theremin


A----B----C-----D----E
Now that one would be much higher quality.


By the way, every theremin feels different, so once you learn on a specific one, it's very difficult to switch. It's like the keys on the piano change shape or move with each one you try to play.

[Cfr5]

My father got his hands on a circuit diagram and built one a long time ago. It's a lot of fun to mess around with, especially putting it through some wah or delay effects.

[MLE]

i don't think anyone short of a genious could play with a delay, since it's all played by ear already.

[Fathom Zero]

I'd be willing to help you out, MLE. But I am short on money.

[MLE]

I'm probably not getting it until November!

[Perndog]

You shouldn't expect linear pitch progression. You should settle for logarithmic progression like we trombone and string players. >:

[MLE]

I'll settle for whatever the Moog Etherwave gives me! I hear it's reasonable to play among theremins

[Cfr5]

i don't think anyone short of a genious could play with a delay, since it's all played by ear already.

I can't play. I just wave my hands around and it sounds neat.

[MLE]

I've played it before on an origina RCA vacuum tube version. That's how I got addicted

[Sethomas]

Trombone isn't really logarithmic in its position. Maybe you're the type that likes to do alternative positions for speedy transitions, but except for notes like the G in sharp second I'd say that the positions are pretty evenly spaced. My maestro for the Indianapolis Youth Wind Ensemble hated when I'd do alternate positions or use my trigger because he thought it killed the integrity of the timbre or some shit. Maybe it just felt like they were equidistant because I had long arms, I dunno. I haven't seriously played in years so I suck at trombone now, but I bet my instrument is nicer than yours anyways.

[Perndog]

If you don't play very much, you shouldn't have gotten a good instrument in the first place. :rolleyes

It is logarithmic. Distance between positions increases as you extend the slide. Just not very much.

[MLE]

No, I was good at it in the first place, and I was playing cute little things and actually using the volume as well, and I just remembered how fun it was and how interesting it would be for when people visit.

I love showing off :<

[Perndog]

My post was for Seth.

[MLE]

Oh, then that's okay. Would you like to support my cause? I can also make chainmaille for you and have you pay for that. I just don't have money. I'm willing to trade chainmaille for money. :<

[Cfr5]

My friend makes chain maille. One day when we had nothing to do, he let me cut some rings and make a little thingy that is now on my keychain. It was pretty interesting.

[MLE]

I make mini chainmaille too. Srsly if people want chainmaille, I need money. Give me moneys for chainmaille so I can get a theremin ;<

[MLE]

PS - I can do silver too ;<

[Perndog]

Why can't you just call it chain mail? Maybe I'd buy some then.

[Guitar Woman]

because it's slightly different.

[MLE]

I've seen it both ways, but the people I learned from spelled it that way.

[arg_zombies]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-MOOG-MUSIC-ETHERWAVE-THEREMIN_W0QQitemZ120150174486QQihZ002QQcategoryZ1 287QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

How much money have you got so far? :p

[MLE]

the reason that will not sell is that it sells for $380 and free shipping on all major moog distributor sites with free shipping. I have $120 in my theremin fund so far, and all of you are welcome to help out! I already offered chainmaille as thanks, but I will also do art for you too ;<

[MLE]

ps- i'm pretty good with art ;<