Best Hardware Synth to play with Theremin

Hey Friends,

Do any of you with CV capability have a hardware synth/module that you really enjoy playing from your Theremin?  Thanks, in advance, for sharing your experiences.  -Tom

I use a Moog Slim Phatty (recently discontinued) - but also have a Eurorack modular setup and there really are so many options there you can't even list them all - but Mutable Instruments Braids is wonderful to play due to the great variety of sounds you can get out of it (but you need other modules for VCA and output and maybe effects, etc). 

Also the Arturia Microbrute for its price and extremely flexible CV control is hard to beat if you are just getting started in CV control.

But the most important thing is that you need a theremin with at least a pitch and volume CV out (CV gate is less important if you use a CV controlled VCA to trigger envelopes - nice to have if you can get it - but a synth patch that has to be constantly gated from a theremin will be rather useless as you will not be gating every note when you play the theremin). This really means Moog Etherwave Plus theremin - as I don't know of any other one that supports multiple CVs you can easily buy now. Maybe someone knows of other theremin multiple CV out options.

I've also put the theremin's CV output through a CV to MIDI converter - so then I can play Omnisphere and other strict MIDI synths from the theremin. But this converter based approach is limiting in terms of theremin performance as it will quantize on you so you'll need to get a converter that outputs pitch bend as well to be useful.

Thanks, rkram53.  The Microbrute was on my short list because of the small cost and footprint...something I could leave as a dedicated set up.  Has anyone triggered a Mother 32?

I trigger Eurorack modules all the time with the Etherwave Plus. The Mother32 should be no different (it just has the patch bay). Even at $600 or so for  all you get, that's a very good price for an integrated Eurorack setup plus the integrated step sequencer and that great Moog sound. But I'd like to know if someone's controlled a Mother32 as well with a theremin.

This is normally how I like to trigger the theremin in the modular environment - using Volume CV induced envelope instead of a gate or envelope generator. Sound module here is any oscillator or sound module that takes 1V/octave pitch control. The nice thing about this is you get the theremin's actual envelope so in effect you can have a zillion sounds controlled from that theremin that play just like you expect a theremin to play (in a dynamic pitch filed with portamento). 

Yes! Pretty slick!  That's exactly how I envisioned one scenario. Thanks for sharing that layout!  Have you experimented with incorporating any sequences with your Theremin?

Tomdog54,

Just noticed you are from Pittsburgh? Well maybe you should check out Pittsburgh Modular integrated systems offerings too (though they will be a bit more expensive than the Mother32).

I haven't tried using the Theremin CV to control a modular sequence, but hey, that's a great idea. I think I'll try that this weekend.

Rich

etherwave+ & minibrute (sysex hackable for either arp./64stepseq..cool): pitch to pitch, volume to vca and gate to gate. programm a little sequence and transpose it then with pitch. tuning was a bit a funny experience, because brutes have additive cv. c3=0V or something. so you can play it on any tune. if you hit the right key, even harmonically to the theremin. that makes quite a good, rigid learning tool for hand and ears, me thinks. and of course for timing.

can't help myself, but i like the brute oscillator idea and its sounds. it tracks nice, and the sub oscillator with the theremin sounds fattest.

i had my difficulties about cv tracking with the slim phatty. and a minitaur needed finally a new pcb. fried to death.

but! the first love is the deepest: a diyed mfos mini synth. simple and compact. hope ray wilson get's well soon. he's a genius.

if my voltmeter still works fine, i see on the etherwave cv outs: 0-10 V on gate and -3 up to 5.5 V on pitch. 0-10 V on volume.

how much take the mothers?

if just for wiggling on cv: a paia theremax might be a alternative (diy-kit..etc) without any linearity.

The Mother 32 has pitch 1v/oct, and gate is 0/+5  off/on.  I'm trying to put together a rig with which I can get comfortable for composing/performing. As clean and simple as it would be to pair the Etherwave plus with a Mother 32, I'm liking what xtheremin8 is reminding me about with regards to the attributes of the brutes...and I'd particularly miss the sub, I think! 

rkram53, I'd love a Pittsburgh setup, but I have to consider a path of moderation to ensure domestic bliss! ;-)

https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/therawiggle-theremin-cv-control-of-modular-experiment-1

TomDog54 - well I wiggled around a bit trying to control a modular sequence in various ways from the Etherwave plus through CV - mostly controlling timbre, modulation and position. No analog theremin out is used here - just CV control. Not great music, but interesting in all the different changes I could get. After the initial sequence placing myself away from the theremin (so you can hear what the "unaffected" sound is), all the change you hear is done by different manipulation of the Theremin's pitch, volume and gate by simply playing it in different ways.

Need to see about using the theremin to drastically vary the melodic pattern of the sequence in different ways was well (just using gate as reset here). Basically controlling two Eurorack sound sources (Mutable Instruments Braids for the high sounds and Synthesis Technology E350 Morphing Terrarium for the low sounds). Using the Rene Cartesian sequencer that you can send X and Y CV clocks in to change things (do that with a clock divider from a master clock source). 

As you know, the nice thing about a true modular system is it's so flexible - and so fun to patch up. Here's a simplified drawing of what's going on in this experiment. A lot of the change comes about through dynamic FM control that can drastically alter the sounds as CV inputs change.

rkram53- Thanks for sharing your experiment!  This discussion is drawing me into the dangerous gravitational pull of gear acquisition...

Do you gig with your Etherwave Plus? If so (or at home), what do you commonly interface with via CV?  And, how are you doing those great diagrams?