method books?

Hello, I'm looking for a method book on learning the theremin. Can anyone recommend something?

-Joe

Welcome to ThereminWorld Joe_Sixpack!

The basic Clara Rockmore Method,
brief but very useful, is available freely;
among other places here's a link to the PDF on the Spellbound Page
http://spellbound.purplenote.com/RockmoreMethod.pdf

Carolina Eyck's method book is very thorough, effective, and nicely printed (though lacking an accompaniment CD which would have been very helpful).
http://www.thereminworld.com/news.asp?s=469 in both English and German.
a bit tricky to order from Germany due to limited payment options but well worth it.

The Robert B. Sexton Method Book "Method for the Theremin Vol. 1 (Thin air series) (Spiral Binding)" may still be available, it used to be at Moog Music but I couldn't find it this morning.
He uses the "wing" technique, and even that's not your style, it's a great collection of exercises and some really "on the mark" advice. [update: only found a used copy on Amazon]
It's a bit like an ear training book and those are useful for training exercises as well.

If you're willing to glean what you can from method books in other languages
Masami Tackeuchi's book is a fantastic primer and has a CD with it and just the music exercises and full pieces are a complete primer even if you can't read the text.
It's a bit expensive though from Amazon Japan (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/books/4907737416/250-2051605-9774613)

There's also used to be a free Spanish Method by Victor Estrada on line,
but I need to find a new link to it the one we have here seems to be broken.
Victor's site is http://www.victorestrada.com/

And of course try out the TW Search
http://www.thereminworld.com/websearch.asp
and also read through some of the technique forum threads here,
http://www.thereminworld.com/forum.asp?cmd=t&F=780
not an organized method book but there is **tons** of info on this all around ThereminWorld.

Hope that helps and of course keep us posted as you start you theremin adventures.

Thank you very much for the info. I have leafed through the Clara Rockmore method and it is exactly what I am looking for. I'm certian it will help once I am ready to go.

Unfortunately however I am still without a theremin. I ordered an etherwave from guitarcenter as well as the moog amp and a couple of cables. The cables and the amp showed up two weeks ago, but I have yet to see the theremin. A real bummer, but I've read good things about moog's etherwave and I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

-Joe

The Moog EtherWave Standard is a very good instrument, worth the wait, hope it gets there soon! It also comes with a training DVD that may help along with that reading material.

Let us know how it goes.

I didn't know that it came with a DVD. That's really cool to hear. I still don't have the theremin yet, but I'm ready. I have an amp, stand and a couple cables.

I sent an email to guitar center asking when I'll see it. They are currently claiming the 15th. We'll see.

Hey Omhoge,

Thanks for posting the link to Clara Rockwell's method. I appreciate it. I just recently recieved my Etherwave and I can tell already that it's going to REALLY help me in the next few months.

I've been playing music for 15 years. I'm not a virtuoso by any means, but I'm certainly not new to music.

I an truely impressed with this instrument. To think that such a wild instrument goes so unnoticed just amazes me. I'm very glad I this a try.

-Joe

Congrats Joe!

It's been getting noticed more and more,
and you're helping!
Having folks discover and non-tactilely embrace the theremin helps all of us who love it.

Now that you have one, keep playing and please keep us posted.

happy thereminizing - John