If you've been following the discussion in our forums, some of our members have voiced critical opinions of the Moog Music's Theremini Theremin. Moog Music, Inc. asked us to post this response from their President, Mike Adams:
Dear Theremin Community,
I understand that there are some of you that are disappointed with the most recent Theremin from Moog Music, the Theremini. Some of you feel that it does not advance the Theremin technology and that it may be a step in the wrong direction. I want to assure you that we are listening and we respect all of your opinions.
In ten years time, the Theremini will have invited tens of thousands of people into the world of the Theremin. Equally as important in my eyes, the Theremini will introduce these customers to the engaging and diverse work of professional thereminists.
Just like with any mainstream instrument (guitar, drums, violin, etc.), there are starter instruments as well as professional instruments. Many never advance past their starter instrument, but some do and that is a direct result of the interaction and fulfillment they have with their introductory instrument. As with all introductory instruments, the Theremini is an opportunity to inspire a new generation of theremin enthusiasts.
Many of these young musicians will never advance their skill level to the point where they can play an Etherwave proficiently, which is okay. However, they will garner a greater appreciation for the theremin, its history, and the individuals that have developed their skills over the course of a lifetime. Some customers may enjoy playing their Theremini with a very high level of pitch correction for years. Others will master the Theremini and then seek the next challenge, which may be an Etherwave, a Burns, or even a custom built Theremin. Regardless, these new enthusiasts will benefit all the manufacturers and musicians that have worked for decades to bring the Theremin and its players to prominence.
Our hope is that more entry level thereminists will ultimately grow a market for new professional level Theremins. At which point, Moog and other manufacturers will look to fill that market with new products that are more appealing to professional Thereminists, such as yourselves. In order to achieve this goal the world needs more thereminists. The Theremini is one way to encourage this outcome.
I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read this. As with all Moog instruments, we will continue to improve the Theremini's playability and feature set over time based on user feedback. We have a 60 year legacy of designing and building theremins, and it is our responsibility to continue to develop the market for these instruments. We take this very seriously and greatly appreciate the passion of the Theremin community. As always, we will diligently and passionately continue our work on behalf of current and future thereminists.
Sincerely,
Mike Adams
President, Moog Music Inc.
Regardless of what you think about the Theremini, we hope you'll join the conversation in our forums or by posting comments below.
Most importantly, we very much appreciate Moog Music for listening to your collective feedback and responding to your concerns.
