hello.
My theremin has a hight pitch in summer.
Please advise how I control the pitch.
My theremin has a hight pitch in summer.
Please advise how I control the pitch.
high pitch in summer
Posted: 8/8/2011 8:33:43 AM
What sort of theremin are you playing?
If you are playing a theremin like a Moog Etherwave, you can easily make an adjustment to the circuit board.
If you are playing an instrument where no internal adjustment is possible, then change the thickness of your pitch antenna. You will find that using a rod that is slightly thicker, or slightly thinner, than the one you are presently using will change the response. You will have to experiment in order to know exactly what is needed.
Theremin response changes drastically with heat and humidity. I have theremins that behave differently in the summer than they do in the winter. For these instruments I have summer antennas, and winter antennas.
If you are playing a theremin like a Moog Etherwave, you can easily make an adjustment to the circuit board.
If you are playing an instrument where no internal adjustment is possible, then change the thickness of your pitch antenna. You will find that using a rod that is slightly thicker, or slightly thinner, than the one you are presently using will change the response. You will have to experiment in order to know exactly what is needed.
Theremin response changes drastically with heat and humidity. I have theremins that behave differently in the summer than they do in the winter. For these instruments I have summer antennas, and winter antennas.
Posted: 8/8/2011 6:32:39 PM
Normally, the pitch tuning knob of a well adjusted Moog Etherwave will have enough headroom to compensate temperature effects.
When the instrument is adjusted for a center position (12 o'clock) of the pitch knob at normal ambient temperature (21°C / 70°F), you will have to turn it about 1 hour clockwise for each 3°C / 5.4°F above and about 1 hour counterclockwise for each 3°C / 5.4°F below this standard temperature.
An internal retuning is only needed if you reach the limits of the pick knob without satisfying results. In that case you would have to adjust just the middle one (L6) of the three variable coils which are inside. Do NOT touch the others!
A special red plastic tuning tool has been provided with your ether wave for this purpose. Do NOT use metal tools, you risk to destroy the graphite slugs of the coils.
Now it depends which version the coils inside are. Do they have a hexagonal hole or a "classical" straight slot?
If it is the straight slot, it is simple. If you are at the clockwise limit of the pitch knob, turn L6 also somewhat clockwise (and vice versa), about 1/8 turn. Put the cover back (that is important since it strongly influences the pitch field) and check if you are now able to tune your Etherwave correctly with the pitch knob.
With the hexagonal slug, it's just the other way round. If you are at the clockwise limit of the pitch knob, turn L6 somewhat counterclockwise (and vice versa).
Repeat this procedure until you are satisfied.
When the instrument is adjusted for a center position (12 o'clock) of the pitch knob at normal ambient temperature (21°C / 70°F), you will have to turn it about 1 hour clockwise for each 3°C / 5.4°F above and about 1 hour counterclockwise for each 3°C / 5.4°F below this standard temperature.
An internal retuning is only needed if you reach the limits of the pick knob without satisfying results. In that case you would have to adjust just the middle one (L6) of the three variable coils which are inside. Do NOT touch the others!
A special red plastic tuning tool has been provided with your ether wave for this purpose. Do NOT use metal tools, you risk to destroy the graphite slugs of the coils.
Now it depends which version the coils inside are. Do they have a hexagonal hole or a "classical" straight slot?
If it is the straight slot, it is simple. If you are at the clockwise limit of the pitch knob, turn L6 also somewhat clockwise (and vice versa), about 1/8 turn. Put the cover back (that is important since it strongly influences the pitch field) and check if you are now able to tune your Etherwave correctly with the pitch knob.
With the hexagonal slug, it's just the other way round. If you are at the clockwise limit of the pitch knob, turn L6 somewhat counterclockwise (and vice versa).
Repeat this procedure until you are satisfied.
Posted: 8/9/2011 1:20:27 PM
A "normal" Etherwave has 2.5 octaves above middle C and nearly 2 octaves below middle C which makes a total of about 4.5 octaves.
If yours has a more restricted range please tell exactly from which tone to which tone it goes, so that I may deduce the cause of the problem.
And please let me also know at which distance from the pitch antenna you get the lowest tone before the zero beat zone starts.
If yours has a more restricted range please tell exactly from which tone to which tone it goes, so that I may deduce the cause of the problem.
And please let me also know at which distance from the pitch antenna you get the lowest tone before the zero beat zone starts.
Posted: 8/10/2011 9:41:30 AM
That makes me think that this is most probably not a tuning issue. If you have 2.5 octaves on 17 inch, the tone spacing is correct. I suppose that there is a problem with either the biasing of an oscillator stage or with a missing helper voltage. Where are you living? Would it be an option to ship your theremin to France, so that I could fix it for you?
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