Etherwave Pro sound

I missed the post by Tom Farrell in this thread! It explains a lot.

In "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" Mr. Moog demonstrates a vintage looking theremin using an oscilloscope. Do you know, what theremin it is? The sound is nice.

I think Dr. Moog was demonstrating with a vintage instrument he designed and constructed with his own two hands, if I remember correctly.

Honestly, I suggest you concern yourself entirely with playability, unless you're interested in "free music" that follows no particular notes. You can always mess with the waveforms digitally after you've recorded them, but if you can't play it to a level that satisfys you in the first place, the whole question is moot.

Fixing sound with effects or a tube amplifier is always an option. It is not the same though...

Playability is important for me, but unfortunately (after listening more examples) the Etherwave Pro sound doesn't appeal to me. It reminds me too much of the oscillator=>filter-paradigm. Perhaps I should just go for Etherwave Standard. I assume it is quite playable...


Best regards
Jari Jokinen

Yes, the etherwave standard is very playable. I suspect acquiring the necessary skills might be relatively easy for you as you already play a continuous pitch instrument.

Incidentally, Clara Rockmore's theremin technique was derived from her previously playing the violin, I have read of playing styles resembling piano playing - I wonder what a trombone player's technique might be.

(-: Perhaps you might even be able to play both at once - after all, any conductive object will affect the pitch field, be it a hand or the slide of your 'bone. :-)

Now I apologise for taking the thread a little off topic...

"[i]I suggest you concern yourself entirely with playability, [/i]unless[i] you're interested in "free music" that follows no particular notes.[/i]"

To offer an alternative view -

I suggest you concern yourself entirely with playability, [i]even if[/i] you're interested in "free music" that follows no particular notes...

It will make it a lot easier to reveal the [i]Music[/i] in [i]Free Music[/i], whether the pitches are specified, as with Grainger's work (article about his Free Music Machine (http://www.rainerlinz.net/NMA/articles/FreeMusic.html)) or not.

> (-: Perhaps you might even be able to play both at once - after all, any conductive object will affect the pitch field, be it a hand or the slide of your 'bone. :-)

I must try that!

"...the Etherwave Pro sound doesn't appeal to me."

What are you judging it by? Peter Pringle uses filters and technical tricks to make all his theremins sound more or less identical, and most other recordings made on the E'Pro use one of its very distinctive presets.

Have you tried one out yet? What do you want it to sound like?

>What are you judging it by?
First I listened Jason Barile's "lo-fi" samples and sweeps. They are valuable, because they are recorded dry - one has to know, how to listen though: I think I can handle that. Then I just googled and listened something recommended here.

> Have you tried one out yet?
Unfortunately I have no opportunity to try before buy in the near future at least. In fact, in the meantime, I am getting "Etherwave Standard - Solid Cherry Limited Edition". It will look nice in the living room should I upgrade later.

> What do you want it to sound like?
I like the sound of Clara Rockmore's theremin. Again, I think I can handle the fact, that her playing is very good too. (Lets face it: Sound can be analyzed. Theremin has exactly two control parameters - no more, no less.) Some (or perhaps all) other short vintage theremin clips I have heard have also appealed to me. An Ondes Martenot-like sound wouldn't be bad either.

Earlier in this thread I have speculated a little about, what seems to be different with Etherwave Pro. I am not into mysticism: I am hearing, what I am hearing, and for a musician it is normal to be obsessed about sound! :)


Best regards
Jari Jokinen