Progress Reports

Rich rote:  ".....I do play more front to back across the theremin at an angle to the right, but not directly at the pitch antenna (I find it's much harder to play directly at the pitch antenna).

By playing "on the bias" you desensitize the response of your instrument, and you interfere with your ability to articulate accurately with your pitch hand and fingers. This might account for why you have a tendency to "skate" (i.e. sliding between notes, rather than stepping). 

Also, you smother your vibrato because there is a great deal of wasted energy and motion in this kind of technique. Remember, it is PROXIMITY to the vertical antenna that controls pitch. If you're playing on the bias, where your aim is not directly toward and away from the antenna, your movements are going to have to be exaggerated in order to have an effect on the sound, This is not an efficient way to play.

If you are serious about the instrument, you may have to re-think your approach. Are you ready for that?

If you're just havin' fun, then GO FOR IT.

Hmmm.. I play on the bias, I think playing that way and "shortening" your pitch field allows you to "step" into the notesas Coalport says. I also think it allows you to have a little bit more freedom in between notes in how you'd like to shape them.

Then again, I am just a newbie :)

"Remember, it is PROXIMITY to the vertical antenna that controls pitch." - Coalport

Sorry, I dont want to pick a fight with the master ;-) .. But this is incorrect!

Its capacitance which controls the pitch, not proximity.. Proximity is usually the biggest contributor to capacitance, but its certainly not the only contributor.. Area of "overlap" is the probably usually the next biggest contributor (wide open hand 20cm from the antenna will raise the pitch far more than a finger tip 20cm from the antenna) but there are also other important factors - the biggest of these being player ground coupling..

If the player is well grounded, then proximity and area almost totally determine capacitance and pitch.. But if grounding is not 'absolute' then factors such as the arms position with relation to a grounded object can play a big part.. Player-ground coupling is rarely perfect, so the arm usually plays some (even if only minor) role..

And in this context, the theremin circuitry can be seen as a ground source - so moving the arm at an angle relative (or above) the theremin can affect the pitch. Player ground coupling is IMO a major issue - a poorly coupled player will notice that volume hand movements can affect the pitch significantly - this is because when the volume hand moves towards the loop, their coupling to ground increases, and the pitch goes up!

Fred.

Amey,

1. You're not a "newbie" anymore. You've been playing for several years and you are a full fledged THEREMINIST.

2. You do not play "on the bias" in the way I was using the term. You may not be standing directly in front of the pitch antenna, but nobody does. Nevertheless, you are playing directly toward and away from the rod. If I have understood Rich correctly (which is tricky because we can't actually see him play) he does not play directly toward and away from his pitch antenna. Here's how Rich phrased it: " I do play more front to back across the theremin at an angle to the right, but not directly at the pitch antenna (I find it's much harder to play directly at the pitch antenna). "

Yes. Fred, it is CAPACITANCE that controls pitch.  I do feel, however, that a detailed discussion of such things as player/ground coupling, as fascinating as it may be, can only complicate this particular discussion and sidetrack us into an area of electronics that will be of little practical help at this stage in Rich's evolution as a THEREMINIST.  ☺☺

All,

Yes. Correct. I am not playing directly at the pitch antenna but biased off it say 30 degrees to the left. So my hand can actually go past the antenna. I find I have a much larger pitch range this way and its much easier to hit pitches. Also not playing directly at the antenna I get a much better depth perspective of pitch to distance.

But alas, I was afraid Peter would say that's going to lead to problems down the road. I do notice the tone playing directly at the pitch antenna is different than playing "off course" and vibrato is at a different angle to the pitch antenna and that worried me as the two vibrato motions are different and it seems like perpendicular/sidewise vibrato motion to the antenna is far more natural than motion towards and away from it (which is happening in some cases as I play depending on my hand position). Vibrato towards and away from the antenna is more wobbly and I can hear that in my playing (logically, pitch is affected much more drastically that way).

I'm afraid I'm doing everything I can to make it easier to play instead of biting the bullet and going for that antenna in the manner in which the instrument appears to be designed. I'm going to reboot and start that process as I also can hear what Peter says about notes sliding together instead of being articulated. If playing towads the antenna can help cure that, there's no recourse for me but to do things in this manner. I'll never go anywhere with this instrument unless I can start articulating better.

I wish that darned volume antenna was recessed in a bit. My arms are short and it's not the most comfortable postion to be playing top down to that volume antenna especially if I have to move over a bit now to play towards the pitch antenna. I actually tried getting some piping to move that pitch antenna in a bit. But it didn't work.

So back to the drawing board for me. But nothing lost as the past two months have really been all about playing on pitch, not so much technique.

Thanks All,

Rich

Peter,

This is my 3rd year, I still feel like I know nothing! :P

Speaking of changing paly technique, I feel I do that on a constant basis... you know, to keep things crispy :)

Rich wrote: "So back to the drawing board for me. But nothing lost as the past two months have really been all about playing on pitch, not so much technique."

Sorry to say, but playing on pitch has everything to do with technique.

Amey wrote: "....This is my 3rd year, I still feel like I know nothing!"

That's not because you don't know anything. You know PLENTY but your inferiority complex keeps you from being able to admit it. Every time you make a statement about technique, you have to follow it up with "...but what do I know...I can't even read music and I've only been playing for blah...blah....blah.....blah...."

Of course, I've also seen the other side of you. You know......the "mama lion" side! ☺☺

I was more referring to articulation, phrasing, dynamics, and all the things that make a performance musical. There's the technique of playing in tune sure. But just playing in tune doesn't mean you are really making music.

Actually for beginners, playing in tune can give you the false sense that you are making music with this instrument. It's a darned strange beast.

Rich

"Yes. Fred, it is CAPACITANCE that controls pitch.  I do feel, however, that a detailed discussion of such things as player/ground coupling, as fascinating as it may be, can only complicate this particular discussion and sidetrack us into an area of electronics that will be of little practical help at this stage in Rich's evolution as a THEREMINIST. " - Coalport

Sorry.

My intention was not to get deeply into any electronics theory, or to be technically pedantic.. It is my opinion that a good understanding of the mechanisms / science behind the art can only help to improve the art.

But perhaps this is just me - perhaps true musicians dont need to understand, all they need is music in their soul and a tutor who's technique they can copy.. even if what this tutor says is technically incorrect.

To be quite honest, it completely astounds me that anyone can play a theremin without understanding capacitance - but they can .. You certainly can! ;-)

So sorry Peter - but when anyone says something like "pitch is determined by proximity" then I MUST jump in and correct this, and detail the other factors which determine pitch and can be nearly as important as proximity. Call it a personality disorder or whatever - but its impossible for me to read a post like that and not comment.

IMO, Capacitance should not be a dirty word that thereminists dont utter - it should be the first concept they a learn, and it should be used instead of "proximity" or other partials when talking about technique or anything else in that vein.. but hey, I dont play, I dont read music, wadda I know ! ;-)

Fred.

Peter ~ "Roooooarrrr" ;) I am aware of what I know ~ I know enough to do what I want to do with the theremin, I will not deny that. I guess I was trying to say that the theremin has a way to remind you that when you think you "know", you just don't. You keep learning on this instrument, that is for sure! I guess I need to step up to the plate and value myself a little more than what I have so far... So hard though!

Rich ~ phrasing, gliding, articulation, dynamics etc are all part of a technique. The one you will develop and that will suit your own physiology. Give it time, try different techniques that others do... mimic them, combine the things you like from each of them ~ let time determine what will works for you best. The theremin is like love, you cannot hurry things.