Theremin Leon Theremin playing an early Theremin The Thereminvox or Theremin is one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. Invented in 1919 by Russian Lev Sergeivitch Termen (later gallicized to Léon Theremin), the Thereminvox was an offshoot of government-sponsored research into proximity sensors. Consisting of a box with two radio antennas, the Theremin was unique in that it required no physical contact in order to produce music; instead, a performer could control both the pitch and volume of the sound simply by moving his or her hands in the air. Overview The Theremin is not an easy instrument to play. It requires performers to remain absolutely still lest their body movements alter the pitch of the instrument, and maintaining pitch based on audio feedback alone proves difficult as well. Theremin's search for a virtuoso was answered by another Russian expatriate, Clara Reisenberg Rockmore (1911–1998), a talented violinist who saw great promise in Theremin's invention, particularly since her career as a violinist was cut short due to problems with her bowing arm. Rockmore came to be known as the definitive master of the Theremin, her precise fingering technique and her perfect pitch giving her extraordinary control over the difficult instrument. Other theremin virtuosos include Lucy Bigelow Rosen (1890–1968). Most of the strange-sounding theremin music in older science fiction movies was performed by Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman (1903–1967). How it works Based on the principle of heterodyning oscillators, the Thereminvox generates an audio signal by combining two different, but very high frequency radio signals. The capacitance of the human body close to the antennas causes pitch changes in the audio signal, in much the same way that a person moving about a room can affect television or radio reception. By changing the position of the hands with regard to one antenna, a performer can control the pitch of the output signal. Similarly, the amplitude volume of the signal can be affected by altering the hand's proximity to the other antenna. A careful combination of movements can lead to surprisingly complex performances. History Leon Theremin's invention of the Thereminvox was followed closely by the outbreak of civil war in Russia. After rave reviews at Moscow electronics conferences, Theremin demonstrated the device to Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin personally. Lenin was so impressed with the device that he began taking lessons in playing it, commissioned 600 of the instruments for distribution throughout the Soviet Union, and sent Theremin on a trip around the world to demonstrate the latest Soviet technology and the invention of electronic music. After a lengthy tour of Europe, during which time he demonstrated his invention to packed houses, Theremin found his way to America, where he patented his invention in 1929. Subsequently, Theremin granted commercial production rights to RCA. The Theremin has enjoyed a renaissance from the 1950s to the present, being featured in films such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, and Plan 9 From Outer Space, as well as popular music by The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, The Bee Gees and (more recently), Portishead, The Flaming Lips, and The Polyphonic Spree. The opening theme to the original Star Trek series contains theremin sequences as well. Danny Elfman made extensive use of the Theremin in the soundtrack to Tim Burton's spoof B-movie, Mars Attacks. Leon Theremin died in 1993, having seen his invention become popular all over the world. A distant relative of Theremin's, Lydia Kavina is today regarded as one of the masters of the instrument. Although the RCA Thereminvox was not a commercial success, it fascinated audiences in America and abroad. Theremin continued his inventing, creating larger devices such as a platform-sized model intended to merge musical performance and dance. One day in 1938, Theremin was kidnapped from his New York apartment by Soviet agents, and forced to return to the USSR. Although rumors of his execution were widely circulated, Theremin was in fact put to work in a labor camp, where he designed the first "bug" (covert listening device). Although there are very few original RCA Theremins available, modern Theremins can be built from kits or blueprints, and even sport new features such as optical amplitude controls and MIDI converters. Another electronic musical instrument, the Electro-Theremin or Tannerin, was used by The Beach Boys on Good Vibrations and I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, played by Paul Tanner. They used a modified device, which is operated by mechanical controls, produces a musical tone similar in its timbre and portamento to that of the Theremin. This was played live by Mike Love. Robert Moog, who designed the revolutionary minimoog synthesizer, was fascinated with the Theremin from his teen years, and credits the instrument with inspiring his interest in modifying and creating electronic musical instruments. Bibliography Glinsky, Albert. Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2000. ISBN 0252025822. Musicians who have used the theremin Edward Ka-Spel cEvin Key The Legendary Pink Dots Nine Inch Nails Skinny Puppy External links ThereminWorld.com Thereminvox.com Theremin Audio Library at Thereminvox.com for recordings of the Theremin being played. RCA Theremin Service Notes Theremin Web Directory General information Page about Clara Reisenberg Rockmore, pdf file with here method ERI Theremin Performer ThereminWiki (Japanese) Page about Friends Of The Theremin (Japanese) E-WINDS Theremin Theremin.nl: Home of TeleTouch Theremin.info Theremin Kit Sales www.theremin.ru Thermen Centre (Russian language) Lark in the Morning is a modern-day theremin manufacturer which can provide them in kit form http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1327018,00.html informative and humorous article by Bill Bailey in The Guardian. "Mi Theremin": Spanish blog fully dedicated to the experience of a novice thereminist Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin