The Theremin Has Its Way to Tease!

Theremin builders know there are [b]many[/b] reasons for a theremin not to work properly, especially while in design.

When Musicians play in public in an uncontrolled environment I would think you have pre-stage apprehension about the things that might interfere with your performance.

At home when I try to record, I find interference from the refrigerator ice maker clicking on, the piezo ignition of the furnace turning on or a bad fluorescent light in the garage or the bathroom fan turning on (more a distraction). Worse is when the defective fluorescent light is at the house next door, someone you never met, how do you explain it to them? Recently I even had a voice “yell” out through my theremin speaker from someone on a radio who must have been driving nearby.

This is what I enjoy about my own instrument; its unreliable and unpredictable character forces me to earn each step. Then there is learning good theremin technique!
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Edit: I don’t know if I will ever play well, other than make these odd sound bytes. This is the true voice of my custom designed theremin without the use of any outside enhancement including reverb. I am using just over 6”of volume shading. This is audio out from an Op amp - cable fed - into my computer sound card line input jack. The voice is smooth, maybe to smooth?

Sound Test 176 kb (http://mysite.verizon.net/resshk58/sound/simple-sound2.mp3)

I need to find a local thereminist with talent so I can see what can be done with golden fingers.
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Hey Touchless -

I just listened to your sample... I think your theremin sound is beautiful! I like the smoothness and soft voice. Do you have a picture of it? :) I'd like to see it!! :)

I like it, it's very beautiful sine wave. Is it tube or silicon theremin?

There seems to be a ghost tone (a constant low 'B' hum) that rises and falls in volume with the with the sample tone. Is this audio artifact coming from the recording device, or from the theremin itself?

Thank you both for very fine compliments, I am familiar with this board and those that are more encouraging than critic. Positive criticism is welcomed though.

[i]Amethyste: I think your theremin sound is beautiful! I like the smoothness and soft voice. Do you have a picture of it? :) I'd like to see it!! :)[/i]

I do not have my theremin in its final enclosure but it will be two separate 8” x 8” square fine wood pillars. These will stand 24” (two feet tall). The pitch section will sit on a pedestal or stand to bring it up to proper height. The volume control pillar which is separated from the pitch pillar has an adjustable upside down L shaped metal arm rising up flat at your volume hand. The ability to move the volume control anywhere about you is convenient.

[i]Arsimantur: I like it, it's very beautiful sine wave. Is it tube or silicon theremin?[/i]

I signed a confidentiality form not to disclose anything about the workings until the time is right. If all performs as it is suppose to then at some point it could be available on the web as a project at no charge for those that like to build. But you know theremins; a problem will show up just when you think you have arrived. Placing all the circuit boards in an enclosure is going to have some effect which concerns me, like putting a cat in a shoebox. True theremin sound is all about wave shape then acoustics.

Arsimantur: I think you have a technical side and so you know the answer to your own question.

Coalport Said: [i]There seems to be a ghost tone (a constant low 'B' hum) that rises and falls in volume with the with the sample tone. Is this audio artifact coming from the recording device, or from the theremin itself?[/i]

Your correct, being picked up by the pitch circuits, there are two unwanted background sounds I am working on, one is caused from 60 hz hum and the other is my separate volume control will modulate the pitch section due to proximity even though it is operating 400khz above the pitch frequency.

(a constant low 'B' hum) I would prefer this over any background birdie.

Those are some good ears or are you viewing this in software?

@Coalport: Do you still hear the deformities in my sound as you did previously? I was happy you called me on it while I am still early in design construction. Thank you

This sound byte below is very raw, pure theremin without any outside enhancements including reverb. Theremin output – Computer Line feed input.

After my odd note warm up, I attempt to play a melody which I wish someone would try and recognize and tell the name of. I would like to use this for practice. Thanks


test sound - 305kb (http://mysite.verizon.net/resshk58/sound/simple-sound3.mp3)
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It sounds like 'O Mio Babbino Caro' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mViZx5Z3OU&feature=fvst) (Puccini) - one of my favorites. Here it is played on the theremin by coalport (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDoV3sMgDhE).

The theremin sounds wonderful. The low hum seems to be gone as well.

I'd be surprised if the there were any tubes involved. The waveform is rather pure with minimal harmonics. Nothin' wrong with that though.

touchless, in your most recent sound sample you seem to have successfully eliminated the low "B" hum. You should work on improving filter and brightness to give your sound a more human and less muted and "muffled" timbre. Of course that is a personal opinion. You may like the sound just as it is, and that's fine.

You may also be able to add EQ and other dynamics to the sound with external devices. I used a Millennia STT-1 on the RCA theremin rendition of BABBINO cited above by Jeff S.

Millennia STT-1 (http://www.mil-media.com/stt-1.html)

[b]Jeff S[/b] you were right on target. And so I finally meet [b]Coalport[/b] and he actually has fun with the theremin contraption. The Millennia STT-1 is something I would consider after I get some technique down.

I did something radical to my design as an experiment today; I was looking for brightness and altered the sound with some peculiar feedback. Not human yet but a voice, I enjoy what I hear which is not saying much. I can change it back if the other sound was better.

Are there any negative artifacts in this pure & raw theremin sound byte?
(I do lack control of my volume hand with a blast of sound)

The Voice (http://mysite.verizon.net/resshk58/sound/simple-sound5.mp3)
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Edit: This most recent voice will simplify the contruction for future builders.