Wanted Theramin, amp and stand.

Need Theramin for gifted ten-year old. Do not want a toy or kit.

In that case, I'd suggest an Etherwave or Burns B3 Deluxe theremin. You can buy Etherwaves through our online store here at Theremin World, and the Burns theremins are available at http://www.soundslikeburns.com.

You might find a used one on eBay or Craigslist in your area too.

Does the ten-year-old already play a musical instrument?

I am asking because Clara Rockmore, the world's greatest theremin virtuoso, once said in an interview - "The theremin should never be anybody's first instrument because you can't learn music on it."

He makes up music on computers. He did it at school on a PC, at home he uses Macs. Two years ago he took computer classes at The Art Institute. Artists use Macs, so we converted, almost. Do you think we should get him piano lessons first? We have a Yamaha E-203.

Walacz,

Your email address is hidden for security, so can you tell us a general idea where you are located? I think a ten year old would find a theremin in general frustrating; we old people are already frustrated so it doesn’t affect us.
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We are in Cincinnati
Federal Reserve Zone 4.

I am currently working with the son of some neighbors of mine who has been making music strictly with computers. He knows NOTHING about the elements of rhythm or harmony. Everything he has done up to now has been done with computer software. It's kind of like the difference between a smorgasbord, where you can pick and choose from a wide variety of prepared foods, and actually learning to cook.

The sound of what he does is quite impressive, but it is totally devoid of soul and lacks originality. In many ways, it is the audio equivalent of painting by the numbers.

Yes, I think that learning an acoustic instrument (guitar, keyboards, etc.) would ultimately be far more valuable and rewarding for the boy than owning a theremin (which would probably not be much more than a noise maker).

Whether or not the boy is genuinely musically gifted remains to be seen. For every mother and father, their baby is the most beautiful and talented child in the world. We humans are hardwired to believe that. Pride in our offspring, however misplaced it may be, is essential because it keeps us interested in them.

On the other hand, sometimes we're right and little Willie really is a GENIUS!

Get the boy a decent, full sized, electronic piano. If he is as musically gifted as you think he is, HE WILL LOVE IT.

We have a Yamaha E203. I placed an ad on craigslist for a tutor. His computer music is more sound effects. It coneys a sense of happiness, danger, suspense, etc. The schools sent teams to University of Cincinnati to do video presentations. His school lost part of theirs. The team stayed after to fix theirs. When I picked him up they showed to to me. Nick was unhappy because the music lasted a couple of seconds longer than the video. He also did special effects and fonts.

Nick was the youngest one of 67 school spelling champions from the region to qualify for the televised WCPO spelling bee. He is a master at Action Origami and has a brown belt in Karate; also plays tournament chess, but looses.

The Yamaha E 203 is not a full sized keyboard but it's probably not a bad place to start. Certainly of greater use and far more versatile than a theremin.

Nick sounds like a bright kid - and a good speller to boot. This is surprising since your own spelling ain't great. (Even the forum topic has a spelling error in it)! Don't be insulted. It's just a fact and it is of no real consequence.

A decent piano teacher will probably not want to teach a student who is playing an E 203 because the touch is too light, and it only has 61 keys (as opposed to the standard 88). It's like teaching on a toy.

My impression is that Nick is a perfectionist. He seems to know what he wants and he is upset if things don't go the way he expects. I was like that and it was very difficult for my parents. Things would be so much simpler if kids all came out of the womb with an individualized instruction manual, "HOW TO RAISE ME"!

It sounds like Nick has a lot on plate already. With a bright kid like him, it is always a temptation to be a "helicopter parent".

I had a repressed Catholic upbringing. I try to pave the way regardless of direction. We began folding paper airplanes. H would fold upstairs and if it did not fly right he would bring it down and I would clip or add a paper clip. He started into Origami (paper folding) I bought a model plane, thinking it would lead to a pilot's license but it never flew. I have bought as many as 2000 sheets of paper at a time.

He doesn't get ordinary toys. My wife bought him a wooden 'Jacob's Ladder'. He supplied his whole school with Origami 'Jacob's Ladders'(glue not allowed).

I made a mistake on Chess teachers. His teacher was Black, but taught Russian. Nick is great at chess puzzles, which are endgame. He loses too many pieces in the opening and mid game.

He learned aerodynamics on his own. I drove him to Dayton for a regional gathering of Mensa. The fourth model they folded was a plane. He said it would roll to the right and they did. Then they folded a dive bomber. I found Kamikaze Origami ironic.

Spelling Bees are predominantly people with medium to dark complections and foreign names (our name is Anglicized to 'Wallace'). Most of those that qualified were from Private or Catholic schools. Sharonville Elementary came alphabetically after Saint Agnes, Saint Bertha, etc. Nick is tiny and way back. My wife could not get a picture.