Interference of metal objects

Hello everyone! 

I play a standard etherwave. Is there any problem if I play with a ring on (a steel one, for example?)

Thanks for eventual answers 

I know you are serious but it would be "no" more of an issue than wearing a tin foil pyramid on your head while you play.

If the ring is large your arm might get tired quicker, otherwise play-on without worry, the theremin has much to teach.

Christopher

There is no problem in wearing a ring as long as it does not reduce the "finesse" of your movements. You will feel a very slight difference between playing alternatively with and without the ring, but that's something an experienced player gets used to.

I personally play without everything which risks to increase the inertial mass, no rings, no wristwatch, etc.

I once played the theremin in a full suit of chain mail. It made no difference except that my arms weighed about 60 lbs each!

What was the occasion for that!?  Any chance you would have a video of that? This conjures up an image of the theremin dancers on a terpistone in an intricately choreographed sword fight.  How cool would that be?

I did a duet for theremin and hurdy-gurdy, and since the gurdy was a popular instrument during the medieval period I thought it would be fun to wear chain mail. It also offered excellent protection from physical injury in case of a shark attack during the recording session. 

There's no such thing as being too careful, especially when it comes to sharknados!!

One thing you do have to watch out for with the theremin are dangling sleeves and pitch preview cords. Anything that moves, even slightly, within your playing arc can interfere with pitch. 

It's not only an interference question. Too much electrical conductors within a 2m or 6ft radius will definitively reduce or degrade the pitch range and/or the tone spacing/linearity of the Theremin in a way which can not fully be compensated with the pitch knob. Thus, no experienced precision player would accept a setup as in that video.

Did you never attend a concert of German Theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck? When she improvises with singing and theremin playing at the same time, she most times uses a headset-microphone and rarely a microphone on a stand. But when it comes to playing classical music, there is always a stage technician who will remove everything from the Theremin's comfort zone.