theremin

[ ther-uh-min ] show ipa. noun. a musical instrument with electronic tone generation, the pitch and tone volume being controlled by the distance between the player's hands and two metal rods serving as antennas.

The theremin is an electronic musical instrument. It was invented in 1919 by a Russian physicist Leon Theremin. Besides its unusual appearance, the theremin is also unique in that it is played without being touched.

Because the theremin can measure the difference between its fixed oscillator and the variable oscillator, it's capable of measuring a weak signal (such as the shift in capacitance generated by moving one's hand five centimeters forward or backward) and amplifying it so that it can be played as a musical instrument.

The theremin uses variations in capacitance in a circuit to modulate that alternating current and generate sounds of different pitch (frequency) and volume (amplitude). At a basic level, the theremin works like the simple circuit shown below, called an “LC circuit,” consisting of an inductor (L) and a capacitor (C).

For many today, his instrument - called originally the Thereminvox, but eventually shortened to simply The Theremin - signaled the birth of electronic music, and the starting point of 60 years of musical exploration not comparable to anything that had come before.

According to Fred Bronson's BillboardBook of the Number One Hits, “ Good Vibrations”, a #1 smash hit from the tail end of 1966 by The Beach Boys uses a theremin and a cello. A theremin is an electronic instrument first heard on the soundtrack of the 1945 film “Spellbound”.

Theremins are also used in concert music (especially avant-garde and 20th- and 21st-century new music) and in popular music genres such as rock. Psychedelic rock bands in particular, such as Hawkwind, have often used this instrument in their work.

The theremin is monophonic, meaning it only uses one channel of transmission to create sound. The theremin is similar to a radio receiver. It has two antennae: one on the right that is vertical and one to the left that is loop-shaped. To play the theremin, you cannot touch it.

Unlike most instruments, the Theremin is played without actually touching it. The silver plate or loop controls the volume. The closer your hand is, the louder the sound. If you touch it, the sound stops.

Unlike most instruments, the Theremin is played without actually touching it. The silver plate or loop controls the volume. The closer your hand is, the louder the sound. If you touch it, the sound stops.

The Theoretical and Philosophical Impact of the Theremin. The Theremin was among the first to utilize electricity in a fully developed musical application. As such, it was among the first to create musical sound using a non-acoustic mechanism.

Clara Rockmore Clara Rockmore is widely regarded as the greatest Theremin player to have ever lived.