Connecting a Theremini to a PC

Hi,

New member and theremin student. Had my Theremini for a bit over 3 months now and try to practice about an hour a day.

I found that I love playing along to music and wanted to listen to music as well as the Theremini at the same time through headphones. Now please bear with me as I am a caveman when it comes to connections/sound rigging or anything that involves plugging a wire into 2 electronic devices simultaneously.

The way I've been doing it so far is plugging a wire with 3.5 mm jacks on both ends, from the Theremini headphone jack into the mic jack of the computer (don't have an audio in) and plug the headphones into the PC as well. And after playing around with the computer sound levels, have been able to listen to both and practice quite well.

I'm starting to now notice that there is a slight delay between my hand movement and what I hear in the headphones, it's quite small but noticeable. When headphones are plugged into the Theremini directly, there is 0 delay. I really like to play without any delay whatsoever (hope I'm not developing a bad habit ).

I know I have to plug the Theremini into either a mixer or an external soundcard then plug that into my computer, researching has gotten me so much more confused than clear on this subject though. What is best to use, a mixer or a soundcard? How do I plug it into the PC and the Theremini, what is the name of the wire(s) I need to do so? Is there any software I would need to download?

I'm using a pretty powerful Alienware with a Nvidia HD audio soundcard & Soundblaster 3Di driver.

Thank you.

Richard

hi richard,

welcome to theremin(i)world.

from here: http://www.thereminworld.com/Forums/T/31283/theremin-pc-connection?post=209704#209704 me thinks this: http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-XENYX-Q502USB-USB-Mixer/IPI  is  a good and affordable solution for the latency issues you're expierencing. this little mixer looks pretty versatile for it's size and price. more pix and reviews: thomann.de

use the theremini 1/4" jack line-outputs on the back of the instrument instead of the headphone out, plug the headphones into that mixer, hook up the computer by usb-cable and off we go...

Thank you for your response, I appreciate it.

Holy shnats that thing looks complicated. I have a CV out and an L/R out on the back of the Theremini. I'm assuming I use a cable with 2 1/4 inch jacks - CV out from the Theremini to the Line In of the mixer, and another L/R cable (the one with the two heads on either end yeah?) from the Thrmni to the mixer's L/R In. Is that safe to say?

Thanks again.

Yes you need 1/4" jack plugs.

No need to plug the CV out.

You just plug the L R outputs of the theremini to the L R inputs of the mixer!

And then the mixer to your computer via usb.

Holy shnats that thing looks complicated. LOL. what exactly? the instrument or the mixer? both just on the first sight and the first ten years or so: usually a fullheartly RTFM followed by some !!! helps. cv-out is meant for the synth geeks, like on that deserted moog-booth video from the namm2016.

i still don't get it why moog made 2 outs and not a single stereo out. but two cv instead. aouhwhatever.

setting up the mixer will be pretty straightforward, if you have any troubles, just call back.

I'm wondering if this is just stupid but you could connect one with earbuds and put a traditional headphone on top of that with the other and then adjust volume to where it needs to be - experimenting with Theremini on one and computer on the other and then alternating to hear which is best. I've actually tried this with pitch preview on one earbud.

Of course - the mixer idea is much better.

Thanks for all the responses guys!

xtheremin8: I was talking about the mixer. What do you think of something like this?

rkram53: Believe it or not that was the way I was doing it initially buds and headphones over that. But after getting better at matching notes, the sounds were a bit too muffled for getting the right pitches.

Thanks again!

cosmic kid, i could not find a cheaper thingy like the one you suggested. it looks like a walkman because of those RCA sockets! hell, my eyes. no, even on a budget, i would not buy it, beacause of too many reasons. if i understand it correctly it is like: just you, the theremin and a music source of some kind into the headphones? then you could go along with a simple 2channel stereo mixer with a headphone out. no need for a interface.  i like that two headphone idea: give me more tingletangling cables!  

if you like to interact with software,DAW, for recording or sound manipulation.. etc then you need a interface or external soundcard. 

 always welcome 

There is a cheaper version if you just want audio mixing and no USB interface - but that USB can come in real handy for less than $20 more.

http://www.sweetwater.com/c125--Analog_Mixers/low2high

Here are a options of various sort listed lo to high.

I'd be tempted to go for the Behringer Xenyx Q802USB @ $80USD - might as well have two mic inputs so you can record stereo.  Though I hate the way Behringer leaves off the power switch.  And some reviews say it is a USB recording only device, which if true would kind of suck.