HELP ME!

I am looking to buya theremin. I have found several on E-Bay ranging from 20 - 350 $$$. I dont want to spend much more than 70$. I am not looking to use this theremin for any hard core musician ship, just a decent well working theremin. my req. are

1. It's cheap
2. It works

I dont care weather or not it has dual antenas, I just want a all around simple well workin theremin.

My second delema is that im not sure is my (i think 80 watt) keyboard amp will do it.

HELP ME OUT

http://www.soundtheft.tk Visit my bands site

It's going to be tough finding a half-decent instrument for that little money - I wouldn't recommend the cheapee models on eBay, and let's face it, a theremin without a volume control is just a noisemaker. Check out the cheaper theremins described in this website.

If you can build a kit or get someone to build it for you, the Jaycar electronics theremin might be your best bet at that price point. Or maybe the electronics-only version of the Theremax kit, and you can stuff it in an old radio, shoebox, pickle jar, etc.

Sure, I originally built my Theremax into a cardboard box. I did order the kit antennas, but coathanger wire should work as well.

now don't kill me for saying this, but i don't really see the difference between having a theremin with one antenna and a volume control knob/dial and one with two antennas, as long as the theremin creates a pure sine wave tone, do you really need a volume antenna?

Well, a theremin with only one antenna (volume) can make noise, but you can't really play a tune because you can't take your hand away from the volume antenna to articulate the notes. I think that while a single-antenna theremin can play some music, a theremin with two antennas is probably going to be more functional/useful for actually playing music.

[i]"now don't kill me for saying this, but i don't really see the difference between having a theremin with one antenna and a volume control knob/dial and one with two antennas, as long as the theremin creates a pure sine wave tone, do you really need a volume antenna?"[/i]

First, a good theremin does not produce a pure sine wave; it produces something more complex. Second, I guess the question really is, what is a theremin? Many folks would say that if it ain't got two antenny then it ain't a theremin.

I mean, if all you want is a pure sine wave tone, then you might as well use a mechanical oscillator and not have any antennae at all! That's basically what Tanner did for "Good Vibrations", and as we all know ;), that was [b]not[/b] a theremin.

i stand corrected. but don't you agree that a one antenna (pitch) theremin would be an excelent beginners learning tool? i understand that the real theremin has two antennas and i quite enjoy the look of the volume antenna, but most songs i have heard with the theremin (and i admit, i havent heard many) don't vary much in volume, so the volume arm gets kind of shafted. by removing the volume antenna from the picture, you can play a keyboard at the same time as the theremin or just create a more theatrical preformance, witch would maybe not be for everyone, but if ThereminsRockmySocks is in a rock or pop band, it might be just the right thing for him.

and by the way, i meant in my other post that a theremin with a volume control dial and a pitch antenna would be quite similar to a two antennaed theremin.

I think it would be quite similar.

I am a purist who would not want to play somethign without a volume loop but I can certainly understand financial constraints that wuld move someone in that direction.

In fact, one of my bands has a second thereminist who has a single antenna theremin. He mostly does effects and trills and stuff but I have played his instrument and it is possible to get music out of it.

That being said, if you can possibly afford it, go for two antennae. If not, get one with a volume knob or hook up a foot pedal volume controller.

You can always use that for a while and save up all that money you are making with your theremin gigs (lol!) until you can get a better instrument.