Is a LOOP essential ?

Make sure that your loop extends sufficiently far to the left so that the hand of the thereminist does not hit the cabinet. Most thereminists place themselves slightly to the pitch side of the instrument when they play, which means that the volume hand is extended and further out of the line of sight. 

The RCA volume antenna extended a full 12.5 inches from the cabinet.

Thanks Peter,

These loops will probably be constructed in plastic with metalized inner - I had thought of using the RCA or EW dimensions when getting these made..

My independent pitch antenna arrangment does give options not available with standard theremin constructions where the volume and pitch antennas are fixed in relation to each other - there is no reason, for example, that the theremin couldnt be rotated at an angle bringing the loop closer to the players volume hand.. not sure if this is advantageous or not.. but whatever - it would still be possible to position the unit and antenna in the same way as a standard theremin.

I imagine that the ideal placement for the loop (assuming right handed pitch antenna) would actually be on the right hand side of the theremin unit - This way the player would be completely in the clear, with no theremin between them and the audience - and have nothing except space between the pitch and volume antennas..

But I will be playing with crude loops before I finalise anything - and wont get anything produced until some thereminists have tried my prototype/s.. If it ever gets to that stage.

Personally, I still favour the volume rod - its directional nature allows "dipping" without any risk of actually contacting the loop - so this is still on the table, and I think that thereminists will love it once they try it... I need to build this damn multi-antenna-mode theremin and get feedback before I make any decisions - And then balance the results against costs..

But at least I have a way forward for all possible outcomes I can guess at - Its not like I have tied myself to an idea which nobody ends up wanting, and which is impossible to change without complete redesign.

As to whether I will even be able to get to the next step, well, its in the hands of the solicitors and bank and perhaps even the gods (lol) right now.

Fred.