Hi im looking into buying a b3 deluxe Theremin.Would i be able to use a 1/4 to USB cable in order connect to a music production program such as abelton so i can add effects to the Theremin's sound.
Theremin + Music program (newbie)
Posted: 7/11/2011 12:48:46 PM
Do you have an external soundcard?
I can plug my theremin into the soundcard I have (M-Audio) and record your Theremin. Although I do not use Ableton as a platform (use it for live performance) - in Cubase, when I "record" the Thermin directly, it comes in as a WAV file. The "effects" you can apply to the wav are endless, but of course, you will not be able to change the Theremin sound to a different one like cello or flute unless processed into MIDI.
What effects you want to apply? Delay? Reverb?
I can plug my theremin into the soundcard I have (M-Audio) and record your Theremin. Although I do not use Ableton as a platform (use it for live performance) - in Cubase, when I "record" the Thermin directly, it comes in as a WAV file. The "effects" you can apply to the wav are endless, but of course, you will not be able to change the Theremin sound to a different one like cello or flute unless processed into MIDI.
What effects you want to apply? Delay? Reverb?
Posted: 7/11/2011 4:19:32 PM
Actually i am interested in becoming a precision Theremin player, and i was planning on learning how to play it first. Amethyste, you said i could change the sound if it was processes into a midi, to do so would i need to buy one of these?http://www.paia.com/midi2cv.asp
Posted: 7/11/2011 4:37:53 PM
I think that would be one of the choices... I am sure other thereminists here will reply with a lot more info than I can. I use the Theremin sound (which I love) and will add effects (reverb,delay) for what I need. Never wanted to change its sound into another instrument's voice.
Posted: 7/11/2011 7:36:10 PM
You should be able to send the sound of your theremin to your computer without spending more than $5 or so.
I connect the theremin directly to my PC's line-in jack via a cheapo jack to minijack adapter. When I started I didn't know it was possible to do that, but they helped me in this forum. This setup works fine with the software I use (Guitar Rig). My soundcard is not a special external one, it's just my PC's default card. I had to do some configuration installing Asio4All for this setup to work right, but it was not difficult at all.
I don't use Macs or Ableton but I guess it will be the same.
I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea to use a computer when starting to play the theremin. It makes it very easy to do things like using backing tracks or recording your own sound and listening to it, which are useful things for learning IMHO.
Good luck with your B3! :)
I connect the theremin directly to my PC's line-in jack via a cheapo jack to minijack adapter. When I started I didn't know it was possible to do that, but they helped me in this forum. This setup works fine with the software I use (Guitar Rig). My soundcard is not a special external one, it's just my PC's default card. I had to do some configuration installing Asio4All for this setup to work right, but it was not difficult at all.
I don't use Macs or Ableton but I guess it will be the same.
I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea to use a computer when starting to play the theremin. It makes it very easy to do things like using backing tracks or recording your own sound and listening to it, which are useful things for learning IMHO.
Good luck with your B3! :)
Posted: 7/11/2011 8:30:37 PM
obispo, you might also consider the Wavefront MIDI-Wave (http://home.earthlink.net/~wavefront/midi.html)
There has only been one MIDI theremin ever made, and that was the Moog Ethervox MIDI Theremin. The problem with MIDI theremin output is finding a MIDI receiver capable of following the information stream (volume and pitchbend only) smoothly and without the "zipper" effect or any other audio artifacts. MIDI receivers are made to respond to note on/note off commands from keyboards.
People who are unfamiliar with the way a MIDI theremin interfaces with a MIDI receiver often think they will be able to play a violin, or a cello, or a flute, using the gestural techniques of the theremin. They soon realize it doesn't work that way. Don't forget, if you take the sound of the lowest string on a cello and pitchbend it up to the frequency of the highest note on a cello, it will sound nothing at all like that same high note played on a real cello.
There has only been one MIDI theremin ever made, and that was the Moog Ethervox MIDI Theremin. The problem with MIDI theremin output is finding a MIDI receiver capable of following the information stream (volume and pitchbend only) smoothly and without the "zipper" effect or any other audio artifacts. MIDI receivers are made to respond to note on/note off commands from keyboards.
People who are unfamiliar with the way a MIDI theremin interfaces with a MIDI receiver often think they will be able to play a violin, or a cello, or a flute, using the gestural techniques of the theremin. They soon realize it doesn't work that way. Don't forget, if you take the sound of the lowest string on a cello and pitchbend it up to the frequency of the highest note on a cello, it will sound nothing at all like that same high note played on a real cello.
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