Does my theremin sound right?

No matter how I tune my theremin it never sounds as "clean" as recordings or videos of theremin I hear. Mine just sounds like I'm tuning a radio. Is this just because I suck at the theremin or am I doing something wrong?

Hi, Andy--

First question: When you adjust the pitch antenna's sensitivity, where are you placing "zero beat" (i.e., the point where the lowest tone falls off the map, into silence)?

I would say around 11 O'Clock

OK, well that went ultra abstract very quickly.

"Zero beat" for me is just behind my shoulder, which for most people isn't the preferred way of playing but suits my playing style the best.

When you say "tuning a radio" do you mean that the frequency is rushing back and forth too violently for your liking, or do you mean you're getting bursts of white noise in with the oscillations? If the latter, something's very wrong. If it sounds over-distorted then messing with volume controls on the Theremin and amp might help.

You're playing an Etherwave so your tone should be very nice indeed. I think it's just a case of needing to practice a lot :) Concentrate on using your left hand as much as your right, it's not just a glorified on/off switch.

Oh, I guess I don't really understand zero beat then, I thought you meant where my pitch knob is set to...by tuning a radio I mean everything sounds very shrill and far higher in pitch in relation to my right hand placement than other theremin i've heard. You are totally right, I have been using my left hand as an on off switch; could this be part of my problem?

No.

Stand about the same distance away from the pitch antenna as the length of the etherwave, and turn the volume knob until you hear a very low tone. Now put your hands by your side and the note should just become low enough to be inaudible or clicking gently like a Geiger counter. That's pretty much the standard setting for playing.

I didn't realise there was a standard setting for playing... what you describe there, Gordon, is pretty uncomfortable for me though. Everyone's got to find what works best for them.

Although... 11 o'clock, I see what you mean by that though. That's definitely too high to do much with. You'd be better off around 2:30 or 3:00 ;)

If I have my pitch knob set to 2:30 or 3:00 I constantly get a very high pitch squeal (even if I leave the room). My room isn't very big, could my desk/bed be getting in the way?

That IS weird.

OK, well I was going by what works for me :) If you can achieve a low pitch one way or another then I don't think there's a problem.

You don't have it on a table, by any chance, anything like that?

No, it's on a mic stand