Choosing a theremin

I am new to the forum. I have wanted a theremin for years. I am a guitarist and Led Zeppelin enthusiast.  I am also a fan of retro sci-fi, so a theremin would fit right in at our home.   

I am wondering what to buy.  I have had my eye on the moogs for awhile, but at $400 or so,, I was a bit skeptical. I there is still a lot of guitar gear I want, and a theremin is not the most practical item I need, so I have put it off.  I foleast he burns theremin site and I was ready to order a B3, but I emailed them 3 times in the last few weeks with a question and stating that I was ready to buy and no one has contacted me. That made me a bit concerned, so I came here looking for reviews.  From what I gather here, everyone seems to think the moog is the only sensible option.

I certainly want to make crazy sci-fi sounds and maybe surprise my band with a Led Zeppelin like solo, but I would like to be able to learn to play melodies also.  So I would like something that is responsive and has a nice tone.  I am hoping that it will appeal to my 2 yr old daughter and wife, and be fun for the whole family.  

Is my best move to try to find a used moog, or are there other options?

Thanks.

Santana157,

I am in Pittsburgh also and though I don't consider myself an expert I have done lots of research on theremins available and read hundreds of posts on different models.  I have been playing for 4 or more years and have accumulated a collection of several models that you may want to try for yourself including the Burns B3.

Dan Burns is usually very helpful but I would think that selling theremins isn't his day job so I am sure the holidays have a lot to do with he or his wife not getting back to you.

Since I have not yet found any thereminists in Pittsburgh you can certainly use me as a resource if you wish. Send me a message and we can make arrangements for you to try out a few models.

Brian ;^)

 I am mainly interested in a theremin to play with at home.  I would probably also use it with a band for weird sounds, like Led Zeppelin did.  I am hoping my wife and two year old daughter would have fun with it also.

It seems like my choices are:

Pitch only.  -around $100

Burns B3.   -around $150

Burns B3 deluxe.  -around $200

Moog.  -around $350

I had pretty much decided on the pitch only for starters,  then I saw the B3 for $50 more and thought that would be worth it.  Then I read how people thought that was more a toy, compared to the Moog.  Then I read how the B3 deluxe was more similar to the ,moog.  However, at $200, do I just splurge the extra dollars for the moog?  People mentioned how that was a better investment from a re-sale and quality perspective.  

I'm really torn.  It sounds like the B3 deluxe would be a smarter purchase than the B3 standard.  But that still leaves me with 3 options ($100, $200, $350).

Any advice?

Treat the theremin like any other instrument-   if you just want something to toy around with- a toy theremin will probably be adequate.   Ive never heard or played a B3, delux or otherwise, but the moog is a really decent instrument and will probably not be something you will outgrow if you plan to stay on the theremin path.  Check out guitar center*, ebay, craigslist,  the classifieds here, etc for a good deal on a used one.

*I hate this place, but they do have some pretty good prices on used equipment.  They will gouge you on shipping, tho'- $30 for a $40 mixer!!

I'm new here- I want to build my own Theremin but don't know where to begin.

Those I've looked at are too limited for my taste. I want something that's a full analogue synthesiser with all the usual suspects- low pass filter, high pass filter, wave form, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Back in the 1980's I had a Korg Poly 6 synth and a Prophet 5 and was a master of both. Unfortunately that type of syth isn't made any more, and the virtual synths on the market today are garbage. I had a Korg DSS-1 back in the 80's, too (the forerunner of the M-1 workstation and its later incarnations), and that technology too hasn't gone anywhere. I've been out of the loop for a long time, and what happens when I come back? I find everything just as I left it. The Korg products (eg: the M3R, M-series, including the M-88) and everything else is still stuck in the same rut.

I'm primarily a brass player, and now that I'm newly retired, am building a studio once again with an eye to upsetting the neighbours, and perhaps doing a little recording.

My first project is gutting a 70's-vintage Hammond 4000 series electronic organ and turning it into a midi controller. Tied to my first midi project is making a nice Theremin-controller hybrid thingy that can handle both analogue and midi.

My quibble with the Theremin has always been its limited sound-palate. With the right electronics I can make one sound, not "like" a human voice but exactly like a human voice. My old Poly 6 wasn't a great synth by any means, but I used to create voices you couldn't tell from human. With the sampled voices of today, and the great range of expression available, there's no reason you can't use a Theremin as a controller and do some pretty amazing stuff.

There's also pitch-correction software out there that could make playing a Theremin perfectly in tune simple and easy.

So . . . can anyone point me in the direction of Theremin building as a full synth?

Talk to Fred.   You are not going to find a kit or even plans for the theremin that you desire.  However you could buy an Etherwave PLUS or build an etherwave standard and then add the 'mods' covered in the "Hot Rodding your Etherwave" PDF.   Either will give you a theremin with cv outs that can be used to drive any 1v/octave synth.  

Alternately, you may be interested in the upcoming theremini.  Its Moog's new digital theremin with presets and sounds based on their amimoog program. Has built-in delay, midi, and pitch correction. 

Also..analog is hot again(has been for a while) and there are plenty of really nice-brand NEW analog synths out there.  Moog if you like mono, Dave Smith if you prefer poly- just two examples that come to mind. Well they are hybrids with digital scanning pots,presets and such but so was the P5.  

"I'm new here- I want to build my own Theremin but don't know where to begin."  - gsmonks

What are your analog / digital electronics skill levels?

Picking a preexisting design to build is almost as difficult as designing it from the ground up due to (1) the plethora of marginal designs out there, and (2) the very low wheat to chaff ratio of basic information regarding Theremin operation.

If you would prefer to avoid all the hassle and have someone else build you one, I'll volunteer if you pay me $1 million up-front (negotiable) and don't mind waiting 10 years or so (a non-negotiable stars alignment interval). ;-)

"I had a Korg DSS-1 back in the 80's, too (the forerunner of the M-1 workstation and its later incarnations), and that technology too hasn't gone anywhere. I've been out of the loop for a long time, and what happens when I come back? I find everything just as I left it. The Korg products (eg: the M3R, M-series, including the M-88) and everything else is still stuck in the same rut."

Corporate electronic musical instruments, with the exception IMO of Roland in some specific cases, are stuck in the technological backwaters.  EEs in these firms are currently busy tacking iPad interfaces onto essentially 1980's products.  It must totally suck to be them.

"My quibble with the Theremin has always been its limited sound-palate. With the right electronics I can make one sound, not "like" a human voice but exactly like a human voice. My old Poly 6 wasn't a great synth by any means, but I used to create voices you couldn't tell from human. With the sampled voices of today, and the great range of expression available, there's no reason you can't use a Theremin as a controller and do some pretty amazing stuff."

I agree with you entirely here.

"There's also pitch-correction software out there that could make playing a Theremin perfectly in tune simple and easy."

Perhaps, but I haven't seen this to be the case in practice (vicariously via video so grain of salt).  Strong, stepped chromatic pitch correction likely throws the player off, more of a hindrance than a help, but I could be wrong.  Though pitch correction as an effect (~arpeggiation) seems to be useful.

Like Chobbs suggests, the Theremini may be your best bet, though few here have seen / played one yet.  And FredM can set you on the right analog road if you decide to go that route. 

Personally, I'm going down a mixed signal FPGA road with a two axis left hand and single axis right hand, highly responsive and hopefully intuitive visual "tuner", and DSP based voices.

I actually have seen and played demo therminis and overall I am not a hater, rather I think it is pretty cool and would probably be a good choice for someone like GSMONKS who is intrigued but not necessarily in love with the theremin per se.    I had a blast playing with the pitch correction.  There is no way it makes the theremin easier to play-( and have it still sound like a theremin) but it does open many doors and musical opportunities that makes a one-trick- pony a bit more versatile.  

"I actually have seen and played demo therminis..."  - Chobbs

Dish dude!  In particular, what's your opinion of the size and linearity of the physical pitch space?  Any noticeable lag in response?  Is the LCD tuner useful?

"I'm really torn.  It sounds like the B3 deluxe would be a smarter purchase than the B3 standard.  But that still leaves me with 3 options ($100, $200, $350).

Any advice?"  - Santana157

There is also the lost volts Theremin for 112 GBP (which includes shipping and power adapter).

Personally I'd be looking at a Theremini.  Even if you never learn to precision play it, it looks like a lot of fun.  And it has a built-in amp and speaker, which reduces a lot of the fuss of just sticking it on a mic stand and farting around.