"Since the Theremin isn't a percussive instrument, it can likely have fairly low gestural bandwidth without anyone noticing it during normal play. 2.6Hz is definitely too low. 27Hz might actually be OK, but it's still kind of low IMO. 250Hz might be a good target, as there wouldn't be much (if any) benefit in going above this." - Dewster
In terms of playability, I think what you say above is probably true, and 250Hz would be a good target.
But I do wonder about the tonal effects of limiting the "gestural bandwidth" - As I have said before, I hypothesize that change in the pitch results in change in the actual waveform - and that it is the instant response of analogue heterodyning which may be what gives this method of controlling / generating sound that gives "real" theremins their distinctive sound when played by a master.
With a bandwidth of 250Hz, I suspect that this "tonal control" would only act on pitches below 250Hz (as in, the waveform would not change as a result of vibrato or modulation / rapid movement for pitches above this) and if this was true, one would want the bandwidth to be at least twice the highest frequency one would want to 'distort' as a result of movement - so I would be looking at a minimum bandwidth of perhaps 5kHz (200us)
BUT - I do not think the above would be of much benefit to the vast majority of players..
I also think that the "true theremin sound" is now a lost cause, in much the same way that the "true analogue" sound of synths like the MiniMoog (which I hypothesise gets its distinctive sound from the same kind of mechanism as heterodyning - wave distortion as pitch changes) is a lost cause.. Most people, it seems, dont hear the difference, and cant tell the difference between a "soft synth" playing back samples, and the real thing.
Fred.
"One more reason to condemn the whole thing, to despise Moog Music Inc in general and to stop paying any attention to that crap!" - Thierry
And again, Amen to that! ;-)