Maybe I'm foolish, naive, inexperienced or simply too dumb to know any better, but everyone says this instrument is the hardest to play. I don't consider it insurmountable.
And this being said from a person who's never done anything more than whistle a tune, just like the RCA manual used to say.
However, perhaps my 27 years as a skilled morse operator in my other hobby as a ham has somehow helped. Sometimes, under adverse band conditions, the operator must sort out the signals by pitch and read the text. You may have three other signals in your bandpass at different pitches. You just have to focus on that one pitch from the guy at the other end of the radio path that you are listening to.
My main complaint was that I never considered the fingering required for piano, or guitar, or a wind instrument as within my abilities.
However, with a theremin, of course, one can make sound immediately....its just shaping that sound that makes it an absolute bear to learn.
I always felt this would be my instrument if I ever decided to do it, and I did and haven't looked back.
---and its only been three weeks.
And I'm playing tunes, and they are recognizable.
Plus, the most important part is I'm loving it. I may never be good enough to sit or stand before an audience, but making the dog whine when I hit the high notes is plenty fun in itself.
Philip
Naive Neophyte Theremin Abuser