accompaniment

I was a dope back 8-10 years ago when I bought "A Theremin Jewel Box" from Peter Pringle.  He gave the option of buying the accompaniment for the album as a CD called "The Empty Jewel Box".  I didn't get it then and now he seems to be out of the CD business.  Does anyone have a copy of this they would be willing to part with?  I am also looking for accompaniment for "Over the Rainbow", "Somewhere", "The Swan", "El Cant Dels Ocells". 

 "I would however suggest that you use a separate amplifier or player and not run the theremin and backing track into the same output.  I use a Sony Mp3 player. Separating the backing track sounds better and makes it much easier to concentrate on the pitch of your theremin."

I was planning to run an mp3 through one channel of my Fishman Loudbox and the theremin through the other channel this coming weekend (my semi-public debut!)  But I do have access to a portable mixer -- is there some reason to run both devices through this instead, then out to the amp?  (I'd rather not lug my PA speaker to this event, too, if I can avoid it.)  I have a b3 deluxe, it sounds o.k. through the Fishman.

Or am I misunderstanding the advice above?

Thanks,

Beth

Here are a few questions & suggestions for theremin accompaniment.

Thierry wrote: I would refrain from "ripping" audio files from the internet (youtube etc.). That is thievery.

If you are using music you have “ripped” from a public access source for your own personal practice and enjoyment, go ahead. That is why the people who posted their work to the www uploaded it in the first place - for private, personal enjoyment. If you are using the music for your public performances, either live or recorded, then you are on shaky legal/moral ground.

If you are using a stereo for playback of your accompaniment tracks, don’t mix your theremin into your stereo speakers. Keep your theremin monitor entirely separate and place it in the traditional position which is three or four feet behind you and roughly at head level. 

If you are playing strictly for yourself in the privacy of your basement rec room, ask yourself: Am I happy with my setup? If the answer is YES,  then go for it!

If you are playing for others, then you need to know if your audience is as happy with your setup and performance as you are. Get some honest, objective opinions from people who are NOT your friends or family. Always listen to your critics because, as annoying and upsetting as they may sometimes be, you will learn far more from them than you will from your loyal supporters.

Your love of what you are doing, and your commitment to it, are not indicators of the quality of your work. In fact, the more you love what you are doing, the more blind you may be to problems. 

Yesterday I worked on my first accompaniment track, a jazz piano arrangement of "Over the Rainbow."  I ran my Roland through the PA, recorded w/an ordinary mic, and edited in audacity.  I would give my effort a C+.  Not sure it's worth sharing w/anyone, but it is a serviceable recording for practicing -- (with plenty of rubato, Peter!)  I am happy to send people the file individually if they wish, but I don't want to post it online. (I recorded it in F major, but plan to do another track on guitar in c major soon). 

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm going to play "Rainbow" at my synagogue retreat this weekend -- there is a member talent show which is very informal and low-pressure.  It seems to work o.k. to run the theremin through one channel of my Fishman, and the mp3 through the other.  (I'm transporting about 20 percussion instruments, too, for a drum circle, so I just can't fit the PA speaker in my car.)

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice and encouragement!  I'll let you know how it goes.

Beth

Beth,

Mazel Tov! Hatikvah would sound great on the theremin as well. I've been toying around with doing an arrangement for that.

Rich

Well I can record a guitar track for Hatikvah if you like.  Just tell me what key.

Beth

Beth, rubato is tricky. Essentially it is a device for adding depth and emotion to your playing by taking liberties with the tempo. Exactly how much leeway you have is a very personal choice and not everyone is going to agree with you no matter what you decide. Those who think you have not added enough rubato will find your playing stiff and metronomic. Those who think you have added too much will find your music sloppy, saccharine and overly sentimental. 

Regardless of how much or how little rubato you use, your ability to apply it effectively and seamlessly will depend on technique. I have heard several attempts over the years to add it by manipulating the time code on a MIDI sequencer. All of them were miserably unsuccessful!

“Music comes from the heart, the mind, and years and years and years of study….”  Clara Rockmore

Beth,

Sure if you want to create a guitar accompaniment go for it (e minor would be good - for reasons I can't explain right now). We can create a joint performance this way - something that is becoming more and more prevalent on the web - now even in real time. You see that little letter icon at the top right hand corner of the screen - you can use that to send a private email to me and from there we can send stuff back and forth to each other using private email if you like. I have an idea to do a medley on Hatikva using a some of the origins for the tune (it can be traced back as far as 1600s in Italy and Smetana used another variant of it in his famous "Moldau".

No rush.

Thanks

Rich

Beth, rubato is tricky. Essentially it is a device for adding depth and emotion to your playing by taking liberties with the tempo. Exactly how much leeway you have is a very personal choice and not everyone is going to agree with you no matter what you decide. Those who think you have not added enough rubato will find your playing stiff and metronomic. Those who think you have added too much will find your music sloppy, saccharine and overly sentimental. 

Regardless of how much or how little rubato you use, your ability to apply it effectively and seamlessly will depend on technique. I have heard several attempts over the years to add it by manipulating the time code on a MIDI sequencer. All of them were miserably unsuccessful!

“Music comes from the heart, the mind, and years and years and years of study….”  Clara Rockmore

Peter, what I did in this recording was play the accompaniment as I would if I were singing the piece.  So yes, it's idiosyncratic to me, which is part of why I don't think I should post it publicly. 

But I am finding it very useful to have a track to play along with -- this really reveals shaky intonation moments to work on!

By the way, there are some wonderful things being done today where the internet is the channel for a group "virtual" performance. This works really well with voices where the combined sum of each part creates the desired choral effect (each being a bit out of tune and rhythm). I intend to do something like this with theremins in the future. Post an accompaniment and then have everyone submit a performance (to a score that can be learned) and then combine it all into a theremin choir. Eventually stuff like this will be done in real time, where say the instrumentalists for an orchestra all play at home into a mic with the conductor on screen. They are actually doing stuff like this today. But you could in fact recreate "Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand" with 1000 players and singers - heck 10,000 or 100,000 in the future.

The internet is going to change the way people play and hear music in the not too distant future. Eric Whitacre is doing some of the most amazing work in this area now with virtual choirs. No reason it can't be done with theremins.

Eric Whitacre - Virtual Choir