"Original" theremin sound?

[quote]Jari,
CoalPort knows his Theremin stuff.
Do not doubt him.
Join the net of Lev...
Good Luck!
teslatheremin[/quote]

Finally more response!

What do you mean by not doubting CoalPort? I am not a thereminist. As I wrote above, I am looking for a heterodyning voltage controllable oscillator for "true theremin" (or rather Ondes Martenot) timbre.

Jari wrote:

What do you mean by not doubting CoalPort?

******************

That's a good question Jari. I haven't the slightest Idea what he means myself, but I do think his advice should be followed TO THE LETTER.

It sounds to me like the heterodyne version of the doctrine of Papal Infallibility. LOL

According to Jean Laurendeau, the author of the extraordinary biography MAURICE MARTENOT, LUTHIER DE L'ELECTRONIQUE, the "spiritual" progenitor of the timbre of the ondes was the glass harmonica (invented by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century).

Dr. Martenot, when he developed his instrument, used the delicate and haunting sound of the glass harmonica as his acoustic "gold standard". One of the reasons the glass harmonica did not survive as a viable concert instrument was that its sound was too delicate, and prior to the electronic age there was no way to amplify it so that it could compete with the naturally louder instruments of the orchestra.

Martenot, in order to give the sound of the ondes that delicate and "ringing" sustain of the vibrating crystal bowls of the glass harmonica, used a variety of sympathetic resonators like the "palme" and the "difuseur metallique". These devices were fairly successful but they added an electroacoustic element to what was otherwise an entirely electronic instrument.

Sadly, the ondes Martenot which is an infinitely more versatile instrument than the theremin (and much easier to play) has become obsolete due to the enormous cost of manufacturing them, and the arrival of the modern synthesizer. There have been recent attempts to revive the ondes but with a price tag of $15,000.00 U.S., there weren't enough orders to make it a viable business venture.

[i]"FredM
Have you finished the heterodyning VCO project?"[/i]

Hi Jari,

Yes.. In fact [b]I HAVE!![/b]

Alas, I am too busy right now to join this discussion (I have a pre-production prototype
to build by Thursday, hopefully securing my first order for a batch of Theremins).. These will be quite basic pitch-only Theremins with a few specially requested features, and some special 'twists' never seen on Theremins before.. Hopefully the event these are being built for will actually happen, and my Theremins will be selected...

In the next few months, a set of Theremin Modules will (MUST!) appear on the market - these will be sealed pre-calibrated analogue (some having digital circuitry like Phase Locked loops) to allow anyone to construct Theremins to their requirements.. Theremins containing many of the features I have driven everyone here to despair over, because they never seem to be more than wishful thinking...... 2 years is a long time to wait -

My Theremin VCO consists of 2 parts.. the control loop which does CV to Pitch and the actual heterodyning oscillator whose frequency is controlled by electronic variation of capacitance - exactly like a genuine Theremin...

In fact, there is no reason why one couldnt take any Theremin (including Valve Theremins like the RCA) and, after a little bit of messing about, get this to become a VCO controlled via my control loop.. I have turned, for example, an EPE (Silicon Chip) Theremin into a perfect 1V/Octave Heterodyning VCO.

I am real excited about this..... ! ..... Now - Back to work!

[post deleted - TWStaff]