Theremin

[Remilia Scarlet]

I'm curious how many of you have played these, or at least know what they are. I think I may buy one this weekend, or at least soon.

[Disorder]

What the hell is a Theremin?

[Fredrik]

Yeah, what the Theremin is it?

[darknation]

Nine inch nails use a theremin live. Therefore theremin are the best thing ever.

Edit: Hannibal Lecter is also a fan of the Aetherophone, which doubles it's coolness and proves that fictional serial killers have excellent taste in music.

[Remilia Scarlet]

A theremin is an instrument which you don't touch to play it. You wave your hands around it. Very similar to an Alesis airSynth, but older (like 1919). http://www.thereminworld.com

[Szymanski]

I've heard one on mysterons by Portishead, good for creepy effects

[Little Faith]

I find it extremely lamentable that the Theremin is seldomly taken seriously as an instrument.

Most of the time it is used as a gimmick. The affiliation with old horror movies doesn't do this wonderful instrument justice either.

[Disorder]

Where can I find one? I'd like to see it with my own eyes.

[Psyonisis]

Sure! All the time!

[SyntherAugustus]

Disorder said:

What the hell is a Theremin?

[Zell]

ooh! i saw this on Im with Busey. Its so cool :D

[Lüt]

I've played the song Theremin a few times. I didn't know it was an actual instrument.

[Draconio]

Never heard of it before, but it sounds quite interesting. And if it's the sound I think it is, then I like that sound.

[læmænt]

i have an instrument that sounds a lot like a theremin (a slide whistle). I can play that. :)

[Enjay]

I'm sure they used to use Theremins on the music for lots of '50s sci-fi B movies to give them that "authentic ewww-eee-eeew space age whislting scary music" effect.

Edit: Heh, I haven't tried this, but it might interest some.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/playground/theremin1.shtml

[Disorder]

Enjay said:

I'm sure they used to use Theremins on the music for lots of '50s sci-fi B movies to give them that "authentic ewww-eee-eeew space age whislting scary music" effect.

Edit: Heh, I haven't tried this, but it might interest some.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/playground/theremin1.shtml

Awesome, thanks!

[Enjay]

Sorry to bump this oldish thread, but today's occurrence was unusual enough and relevant enough for it. Especially as, coincidentally, it came fairly soon after this thread.

Guess what I did today?

That's right, I played a Theremin!

We had a touring science roadshow kind of thingy come round our school showing off all kinds of fun experiments designed to encourage you to take up science so that you can discover for yourself that the one and only time you get to do fun experiments is when a science roadshow comes round. O_o Anyway, they had a Theremin. Quite an odd piece of equipment, and I wouldn't say I managed to get any kind of tune out of it, but I did get some spooky noises.

So now, not only do I know what one is, but I have played one too. :-)

[Sharessa]

TeamKill said:

A theremin is an instrument which you don't touch to play it. You wave your hands around it. Very similar to an Alesis airSynth, but older (like 1919). http://www.thereminworld.com

Ooooh...

I know what that is. NIN had one on the DVD of AATCHB. My friend still had our 'band' going then and we wanted to buy one of those. Heh...yeah. I guess I voted wrong then.

[Job]

How do you play one -- and does it take a lot of skill?

[Remilia Scarlet]

Job said:

How do you play one -- and does it take a lot of skill?

On the classic ones, there's one antenna for pitch and one for volume. As you move your hand closer, the pitch/volume will go higher (I may be backwards with volume).

It's easy as hell to make a sound with it, but if you want to play a song, then you'd better have perfect pitch. I have near-perfect pitch, but I've still got to work on it.

And unfortunately, I never did get one :'(. Damn stupid people cheating my insurance company who doesn't even believe their own client...

[Grimm]

I've always wanted to play one of these--or hear one, for that matter.

[DooMBoy]

I've never read about a theremin, played one, or saw one. Therefore I vote the fourth option.