Packing the Etherwave Pro as a carry-on

Fairplay wrote: [i]what about introducing a new theremin model[/i]

Personally I'd like to see a plug-in module to do the same as the CV-Out mods in the hot-rodding manual.

(It is do-able. Because it has been done. Everything I know about this is here (http://www.retards.org/library/technology/electronics/audio_circuits/synths/diy-synth_list_archive/synth-diy.archive.0104). Search within the page for "etherwave" using your browser's find function.)

Mind you, then I'd have to buy some moogfoogers, and maybe one of their synths to plug into it.

Oh, dear.

...ok...slowly and so I understand:

- the MIDI-Wave didn't do that?
- you could use a Doepfer-theremin-synth combi (I am building one for a couple of months now)(the teremin-module delivering CV and Gate)
- you could use a PAiA-Theremax
- or the PT-03

...what is special about the MOOG-theremins is their voice - not? There are many many other and cheaper solutions - if I understand correctly that you want to control a synth (and/or effects) with the theremin...

...but perhaps I simply dont get it (not the first time ;o)

Yes, those things do the same.

Nonetheless, if I was Moog, that's what I would do: provide a way of integrating the etherwave into the rest of the Moog range. The device is already designed, so not too much R&D would be required, and it would increase the number of reasons for customers to buy more Moog products.

It would be cheaper than the midi-wave by not having midi circuitry and by benefiting from larger production runs than Wavefront can probably muster. Also midi-wave is at its best with an instrument with pitch preview. (Thank you for letting me try yours, by the way - I noticed it could not identify notes played very softly, but it has inputs to allow a preview tone to be sent to it, which would overcome that.)

The etherwave has better field linearity than the doepfer and Paia solutions - including the PT-03, which is a Paia in a suitcase.


(It's not just about controlling a synth, it's also about passing the etherwave voice through, say, an MF-101 (low pass filter) and dynamically controlling the cut-off to be, for example, two octaves above the note currently being played to adaptively roll-off higher harmonics from the sound. If you look at the block diagram in the ePro manual, it's a fair bet that the third expression knob - the filter - does something very similar. The Wave and Brightness blocks in the diagram also take a feed from the pitch and volume to voltage converters.)

it would be such a great place
to introduce a new pro
but Bob loved the theremin
and it's players
may be a minority now
the festival does give hope.
fram ēower mūða
tō godus ēare

>if I was Moog, that's what I would do:
>provide a way of integrating the etherwave
>into the rest of the Moog range. The device
>is already designed, so not too much R&D would
>be required

The main reason why the guy who sold me the Ethervox and wanted to have it back afterwards was, that after he sold it to me he found out that the EW Pro he also owned could not be modified by Moog themselves to integrate with the other Moog stuff like the Ethervox.

The Moog guys told him to get the Ethervox back.

As he makes a living being a musician and relies heavily on the theremin for his performances I had no other choice...

Message being: I doubt it will be easy to modify the existing Etherwaves to integrate...

Well, it's less than 24 hours from wheels up time, and while packing my pro in the new 21 by 12 inch wide bag, I discovered the pro's stand is a bit too long. Solution: Undo the screw at the bottom end of the stand, and remove the center mast. Place that in the bag diagonally, and stow coiled up audio cables on ether side of it to fill the gap under where the Pro will rest. The rest of the stand fit perfectly. Just wrap the pro in the top bit of foam from the original bag, and you're good to go.

Well, As it turns out, it's a good thing I only had the theremin cabinet, and not the pitch arm, or stand from the Pro with me. I checked those, along with other gear in my luggage, but kept the main unit in my bag. Randy George had a problem with TSA regarding his pitch arm, as this item is considered a lethal weapon. They'll let you take the antennas onboard, and the main cabinet, but not the pitch arm, or the stand.

At the penel discussion we talked about the need for a compact form factor that would fit in the Etherwave Standard's gig bag to avoid just this sort of problem for touring thereminists. We did also express our desires for a more impressive model for home, road, or local gigging as well.

I recall an opinion piece in which the author maintained that the entire TSA checking business is useless. His point was that the Sept. 11th hijackers made use of the passengers' assumption that no harm would come to them, and that they would therefore not resist. Now people will resist, because they expect they may be murdered en masse. But inconveniencing everyone, confiscating nail clippers and baby bottles (not to mention theremin parts) makes it LOOK like they are doing something. But I have a bad attitude, no?

Wow. I hadn't even thought about how the components could be used as weapons...

...okay, by drilling a few extra holes and using some fine-link chain, I just connected the pitch rod, pitch arm, and volume loop to create a serviceable set of nunchuks. The balance is tricky, but with practice...

Seriously, though, I'm appalled at the idea that a musical instrument could somehow be thought to endanger the health and safety of airline passengers. I mean, this is unprecedented, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgaQ2B2hXrI

It DOES depend on who is playing it, right?