My first week on the Etherwave theremin - thoughts (and frustrations)

So after spending about a week with my Etherwave Standard Theremin, here are my thoughts (and frustrations) in a video. 

I've done a ton of research, watched dozens of videos, read through hundreds of posts on this forum, asked many questions (and got some answers), and practiced many different styles and methods to try to find my playing style.

I really wished a video like this one had been available prior to venturing into the world of theremins. But unfortunately all I found and still find are the professionals showcasing their talents and trying to teach their playing styles.

For someone like me who is tall, with long arms and large hands - most tutorials didn't really help me get started.  So this video, is my way of helping newcomers, who either haven't bought a theremin yet, are curious about it, and want to know what to expect, in such a niche community (and instrument), where there really aren't any realistic videos out there to showcase the difficulty and nuances to such a peculiar and beautiful instrument.

I do have to mention, that since making this video, a member on this forum told me to try zero beat way behind me, to try and get an octave with my large hand, and I have to report that this did work for me. So it's possible that I might've figured this out thanks to a member on here! We will see as I continue to practice, if this little tidbit of information was the missing link. It's something that's not widely said on tutorials today, and needs to be included!

I just want to thank everyone here on Theremin World, Reddit, and the Theramania group on Facebook for the outpouring of messages, videos, feedback, and support! I've been practicing with all the tips and here's a progress update.

1. First I made sure my stance felt comfortable. I adjusted the mic stand to "fit" my height, and have my volume hand in a comfortable position. I didn' feel any tension or stress in my shoulders, elbows, or back.

2. I tuned the pitch field to have the zero beat behind me, not at my chest.

3. I tried Carolina Eyck's finger positions - which do feel most natural to me for some reason.

4. I then turned the pitch knob very slightly until the octave was in tune with my finger positions.

5. The result is the unlisted video below.

I'd love to hear more feedback. Am I doing things right? Does it look like I'm making progress? Can I improve anywhere (obviously I can)?

But I love getting your feedback and suggestions, it's helping me tremendously, I love this community!!! Or should I say Thereminity?!

About 25 years ago Peter Pringle was where you are today. So frustrated he met with Lydia Kavina to get a better understanding of what is going on.

There is no right or wrong way just a method that works and is physically comfortable for you. The precision will come with time. I think a bigger hand is advantages as finger movements have more precision than arm movements. Forget where zero beat shows up and adjust the pitch field and two octaves to match the size and movement of your hand.

Again it is the “distance” your hand/fingers are from the pitch antenna that selects the musical notes, not the shape of your hand and fingers making peace signs an “O’s”, the body adds or subtracts from the linearity of the low end.

It is the rapid hand/finger movements with “less” volume control that creates a proper fluid theremin performance. If you want to pop individual musical notes then stick with a keyboard.

The secret is a beautiful sound is much easier to play, as if she enjoys expressing her self, not the muffled fluty/whistle singing voice in tin-bucket like most theremin imitations. Reverb is the Band-Aid used to hide a poorly shaped sound.

I could never play the theremin as I do not have the gift of coordination, can’t even hit a baseball.

My purpose is a messenger for those with an open mind able to recognize the authentic theremin voice as crisp & alive!

The modern authentic theremin design has not yet arrived. It is the understanding of the remarkable "Phenomenon of Nature" in how “ideal pitch field linearity” comes about that makes it possible to actually perform on a theremin. The instrument will attract more professionals.

They will bring the instrument into the main-stream. “People will come” as they yearn for a life before Artificial Intelligence & Digital imitation became normalized . . . “People will come”  searching for a time when life was a bit simpler. 

My last design as "Father Time" sends me an invitation, as I breathe borrowed air, my angel sings.

Performed by Valery Shamarin of St Petersburg Russia

My transistor design – https://oldtemecula.com/+lights-go-down.mp3

Christophe S Becker  Old Temecula  2025

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’ve been focusing on Carolina Eyck’s finger positions, and it’s made a big difference. 

Adjusting the zero beat so it’s way behind me instead of near my chest was a turning point (thanks to the many comments, suggestions, and feedback from many community members here and on other platforms). That change, combined with the 1-8 finger position system, has helped me play two to three octaves with much more control. 

Last night, I played “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Greensleeves” mostly in tune, and it felt great.

Practicing feels more natural now. My girlfriend even said it sounds less like a dying cat and more like when I play the violin. That was encouraging. 

I also agree about sound quality. A beautiful, lively tone makes a huge difference. It’s not just about reverb but shaping the sound so it feels expressive and alive. I haven't been using any effects (yet), but I did try it once with the "Hall" effect. I have the Behringer K450FX Ultratone amp, and it has a lot of built in effects that don't sound too overpowering.

Your transistor design mp3 sounded lovely. What exactly is that? A theremin you designed? A mod to add to an Etherwave? Or something else.

Your perspective on the theremin’s future is inspiring. It does feel like people are drawn to its simplicity and authenticity. Thanks for the encouragement. It means a lot.

When I first bought my theremin, it was with the intention to play songs on all three instruments: theremin, piano, and violin. And then combine them into a video.

Let me tell you, it’s been way more challenging than I imagined! Recording the theremin was especially tricky, it’s not easy to get it in perfect sync with the other instruments. I ended up recording it in another room using an H4N and Audacity, then imported that into Pro Tools to mix with the piano and violin tracks. I'll try to record it directly into Pro Tools next time.

I also added some reverb, layered in a few synths, and even a vocal pad to create a fuller atmosphere. It’s not perfect, but it’s a reflection of my progress and how much I’ve enjoyed playing all three instruments together.

This project pushed me out of my comfort zone, especially arranging the violin part in a unique way. I hope to make more pieces like this in the future. It’s so rewarding to bring these instruments to life side by side. I feel like my progress on the theremin is coming along, not quite perfect, but good enough that I am enjoying my daily practice sessions.

Check it out, and let me know what you think!

You're really coming along!  That's not an easy song to play on Theremin.

"I feel like my progress on the theremin is coming along, not quite perfect, but good enough that I am enjoying my daily practice sessions."  - jsherm

That's the main thing IMO.  I'm a rather sloppy player, but between a relaxed pitch field, interactive tuner, aggressive pitch correction, and reversed volume field, I'm usually able to play well enough to satisfy myself at least.

"You're really coming along!  That's not an easy song to play on Theremin."

Thank you so much! I didn't realize it was a hard song to play on Theremin, I'm actually better at it when I'm playing it without having to sync up with the other instruments. Having to listen to the song wasn't working for me, so I tried with the metronome, and it ended up out of sync. So I had to do some edits to make it work. I'll have to figure out how to properly record the Theremin like a lot of other people seem to do really well.

I do feel like I'm getting the hang of it. Mostly the pitch field being bigger with zero beat being behind me seemed to be the wall I had to climb and get past in order to progress. This is 9 days of progress, I can't imagine where I'll be in 9 weeks, 9 months, or even 9 years!

"That's the main thing IMO.  I'm a rather sloppy player, but between a relaxed pitch field, interactive tuner, aggressive pitch correction, and reversed volume field, I'm usually able to play well enough to satisfy myself at least."

Oh wow, it sounds like you have a method that works really well, that I haven't heard of using at all haha!  Do you walking me through what you do with each of those, and how that would relate to my EW Standard? I'm curious if that would help me even more!

"Do you walking me through what you do with each of those, and how that would relate to my EW Standard?"  - jsherm

Most of these things are unique to the D-Lev.  If you like I could demonstrate them to you via Zoom or similar.