Creating a theremin sample set

Clara Rockmore once commented that much of her success with the theremin had to do with the fact that she had "..the luck to be born the sister of the great Nadia Reisenberg...... musically we were one heart, one soul and one set of ears!"

When you listen to Clara's recordings, you can hear how she and her sister Nadia "felt" the music in the same way. Your accompaniment is one half of your performance, but few precision thereminists have the luxury of being able to collaborate with an accompanist. Still fewer are able to provide their own accompaniment because they cannot play an appropriate instrument. 

I have often pointed out that IMNSHO what most thereminists need are not theremin lessons. They need MUSIC lessons. Clara said repeatedly that the theremin should never be anyone's first instrument "because you can't learn music on it". She went on to say that "...thereminists should begin by studying the piano, as violinists do".

These days, I believe thereminists also require a rudimentary knowledge of sound engineering and recording. You don't have to be Quincy Jones but if you want to present yourself publicly, you need to know how to go about it. Sticking a cellphone cam in the corner and trying to play THE SWAN over the sound of a garbage truck coming through the open window next to you, just ain't gonna cut it!

Yes, all this requires a considerable investment of both TIME and MONEY. Just be thankful that you are not a harpist or violinist. Professional concert harps start at around $20,000.00 and the finest violins.....well....you KNOW what they can cost!

And I would love to know Peter's "Basics to recording a theremin".

Is there a post somewere here that goes into the fundamentals of recording a theremin (from speaker and direct). What levels to use? What kind of processing is best, etc. Tips for getting the best sound and balance with the theremin (which I've found at times can cut through like a knife and at others be easily drowned out) - how much compression should you use (or is that verboten). These are things I really want to get into more.

Thanks

Rich

If you record your dynamics well, how to "balance" the theremin is more about EQing rather than compressing.

Edited to say: "OOps, sorry, you asked Peter's opinion, not mine."

Freddie said:

1.) Your posts dont fill the screen (too short!)
I am a woman of many psychoses and very few words.

2.) You have the utter audacity to play Enya on your theremin.
Oh yeah, that is right ~ The horror!  I completely forgotten about that. Damned me for playing music that is not worthy of this sacred instrument :P Actually all I am trying to do is  to play songs that are suited for the theremin, doesn't matter who is it by. But mostly, I rather play originals :)

3.) You cant play the cello or trombone or violin (or even the piano!!!) ,and you dont read music, and you dont read schematics .. What could you possibly know?????
Oh yeah that's right! Voice is not an instrument, if you studied voice rather than the violin or the piano, you are going to fail on the theremin. Another thing I have also forgotten about. :)

4.) You are living proof that one doesn't need to go through any formal music education to become an EXCEPTIONAL thereminist-------  so you cannot possibly be real! ;-)
Oh, I am real... I am at work right now trying to go through my workload with constant symphonies and music in my head... ARGH. Exceptional? I would say I am decent, but always learning and not sitting on laurels, because when you do, that is when the theremin comes back and punches you in the face.

5.) You are a woman - The possibility of some musically untrained man attaining musical greatness is small, but its possible (Vangelis for example) - But he's a man, he's Greek, and Zeus has obviously blessed him... You are a woman, you aren't Greek, and therefore unless you go to get a formal musical education and stop playing Enya, you have no chance!
I am french (well French Canuck) does that count? Probably not. Also, I am not cute as a button nor thin nor young any more, so I guess I have no chance!

6.) The only other option for you is to forget the theremin and buy a theremini - Steer your efforts to the music of the masses, pump out modern crud, and get commissions from Moog.
No thanks, I'd rather play Enya on my theremins.

Or steal the aliens and come hitchhiking the galaxy with me ;-)
On a day like today, that sounds like a freakin' good idea!!

Zaphod.
Aphrodite-wanna-be

OT

"I am french (well French Canuck) does that count? Probably not. Also, I am not cute as a button nor thin nor young any more, so I guess I have no chance!" - Amey

Vangelis is about as cute as a grizzley -

I know these are even more completely OT than the other rubbish in my last two posts (one of which I deleted because it was copied in Amey's reply) .. but I found both of the following videos  really interesting / entertaining: (sadly, Jon has lost his voice - hes a lovely guy, who had a great voice - but ..)

Amey -

When one feels (even if these feelings are justified) ignored or bypassed, it can lead to (apparently) irrational outbursts.. We can all fall for that when angry!

Asking for Peter's advice on matters such as recording is not (or shouldn't be seen to be) a 'slight' to anyone else -- Lets be honest, Peter has decades of experience on all aspects from playing through singing through the whole production and technical side to recording - He is probably  one of a handful of people who can answer almost every question from a background of personal experience..  and the only person on this planet who has theremin mastery in addition to all the other.

As someone with a lot of audio engineering experience going back to being an engineer in a large London recording studio in the late 70's, I wouldn't even dream of butting in on a question like that asked by Rich - Oh, if Peter didnt answer, I may get involved - and if Peter said something that I didnt agree with, I would express my view (yeah - I am that bumptious! ;-)

But its reactive to get angry with Rich for not asking you and instead asking Peter - Peter is far more qualified to give an answer than you, or I, or probably anyone else on this planet for that question.

Fred.

I don't deny that Peter has lots of experience on the subject. He has a lot of experience with all things theremin (and even life!) and even I can truly appreciate every time he says something, I always learn from him! But Fred, you are erroneous, I am not angry. I was trying to say that outside of a specific circle, there are also other people that might have some experience and want to pitch in. 

Fred ~ I am really puzzled by the fact that you think that I may have written my above posts in response to anger. I was not angry nor am at the moment. I was taking the time to add to the thread, and felt that my words didn't really matter and said something about it; and you thought I was being angry?

I am so sorry that I have disrupted this thread; please continue the converation and ignore that I was even here. 

Tourlou! :)

OT

"there are also other people that might have some experience and want to pitch in" - Amey

Yes - I agree..

I also agree that some people seem to get ignored.. But I do not think this is deliberate - I just think its careless, perhaps sometimes hurtfully so.

And you may deny anger - but it can be seen - as you say "oh because I expressed something I felt? ".. Well, yes- you did - and what came across to me in what you expressed, was anger.

And there's nothing wrong IMO in expressing anger! - I really wish more people did in the way you do.. Far better than bottling it up, as at least if expressed people can become aware if they are unknowingly doing something that hurts you.

Fred.

"oh because I expressed something I felt? "

"Felt" is a reference to an emotion - I must have wrongly identified this emotion as anger.. Perhaps it was frustration- Whatever, I often get confused about which emotion/s I am feeling, particularly as they are often like sounds - they can be composed of many 'partials' 0db frustration, -20db anger, -30db incredulity / humor .. Hey - perhaps its time to construct an emotion waveform synthesiser! ;-) ... Perhaps that's what music is.

Fred ~ I really wasn't angry... and you do not want me to be angry either. Green doesn't suit me well :)

If I go by what you are saying, that I replied because of something i "felt" and that is "anger", then everyone must be angry. (cause admit it, we all hit reply because of of something we "feel" like saying) 

Have a great day, everyone :)

I'm open to anyone giving constructive information. This really needs to be a separate thread - "Recording the Theremin". I suspect there are some things there, but this is an area where the community's experience at large can really contribute. There is a lot involved in recording these days.

Rich

Rich,

I just finished recording/producing/mixing and mastering a piano and theremin album. Thie process is tedious and can drive one crazy AND ANGRY!!! :)

It should be a separate thread, but there are a lot of information already on this subject, like I recall a thread between the benefits of mic-ing the amp rather than a direct line in...