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Make Electricity Sing: Build a Theremin

Monday, October 6th, 2008 – running time 24:38
Synthesizers are cool, but the theremin is the original electronic instrument. We show you how to build one, and a master theremin player shows you what you can do with it.

While its eerie other-worldly sound may instantly recognizable, to most the Theremin's name and shape will draw blank stares. Based on amazing properties of electrical capacitance the Theremin is both a musical instrument and object lesson in the how electricity works.

Most if not all professionally used Theremins are produced by the Moog company. However, a number of companies Moog included build Theremin kits that you can assemble at home using copious amounts of solder and a soldering iron. For our purposes we went with the cheaper and less musical inclined PAiA Theremax kit. If you intend on following something approaching a career based on Theremin playing you're better off spending the additional cash on Moog's offerings.

Highlights
Robby Gordon ( 18:26, 18:26 ) video game ( 10:52, 10:52 ) TV shows ( 0:13, 0:13 ) United states ( 0:06, 21:34, 0:06, 21:34 ) Robby Gordon ( 18:26, 18:26 ) video game ( 10:52, 10:52 ) TV shows ( 0:13, 0:13 ) United states ( 0:06, 21:34, 0:06, 21:34 )

Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )

" Today's system is sponsored by the United states air force that acts different by choice and dead space only the dead survive. You've probably heard the -- to the -- countless scifi movies and TV shows but how much -- actually know about Thurmond's. What makes them tick and what it take to build one. We examined -- accused instrument ever invented this sermon on this episode of system. What the system my Patrick Norton and I'm Dave Hawkins so you started the show we start brainstorming ideas Blake. Rocket ship nuclear waste and theory like the first three things aircraft I love -- it's really cool electronic instruments very. System oriented which were building something in its electronic. But yet it slips -- off the norm you know it's just something different or something musical how to restart how do we start well. We went to his master -- player a guy plays in her project meant it was one of my favorite band he spent years practicing with this -- fun and so. We wanted to really find out what makes -- how to play it."

" So before actually talk about how to build your own term it would really help to know what a sermon is. And how they work and what happens if you spend 220 years practicing playing determine. So we've got one of the world's premier Thurmond players right here -- virus to tell us. About sermons and give us a demonstration thanks for joining us try to thanks yeah. So. Even playing -- for how many years now. And about twelve years maybe twelve years and how did you get into it hunters find out."

" I read an article about it. There's a -- documentary that came out about ten years ago. Nearly an -- about the was making a documentary. Something about the instrument appealed to me the idea of playing. Music on an instrument without actually."

" When you do you play it almost looks like you're like pulling on -- you're playing Lincoln and harpsichord version. -- you have to have you know very strictly controlled movement control."

" Yeah I get that a lot of people. So what exactly is determined. Permanent electronic instruments home was first electronic instrument ever invented. And somewhere around 1918 -- on -- Russian scientist. He was actually working on radio with us when radio -- I've been told was an early radio show this defects when you reach for the two of them here that wouldn't -- her hand got close. And so. Engineers are frantically trying to get relentless. On Clinton I like that I wanted to get rid of the radio and keep it."

" Surely don't know sermons actually work by a D electrical properties of accidents which uses the closer you get. To an antenna. Its capacity changes and it's the same principle works. When you're driving out of electronic gate and the gate just automatically opens from your cars because basically. There's a capacity sensor under the road which senses the metal body. Which changes the capacity -- which isn't measured and then once it hits a certain points basically electronic tiny circuits as always there's something here and it opens. They also use those in. Stoplights -- you're waiting at a stoplight to newfangled stoplights which if there's no other traffic automatically change what happens is. There isn't a no weight sensor under the tar but it -- those censor which is basically just a big hunk of metal. And what happens when a living creature or a big metal body gets near another played it changes how much capacity it has to maintain -- charge. Which is how things work. -- growing up when I would hear Thurmond's mostly it was just it was like a noise toy you know that basically. They use it for movie factor something -- cuddling little Lola. But now there's more and more -- players would really -- the world that are actually playing it as though it were an instrument and."

" Yes really its really had a revival in the past. Tenure from -- a documentary came out and there's been. Large upsurge in interest and number of people now are actually and there isn't doing it as an instrument and and it's not a big group chairman. I think a little while ago right. Yes that was last year it. Disney Holland LA. To -- orchestra. Apparently in the this was in the twenties or thirties Leon Thurman in better. And a show at Carnegie Hall where he can Thurmond's states. All performing together so. The only philharmonic excellent. Recreate the water or something like."

" What are all the components. The experiment. And when your wiggling your fingers today I see you're you're you're moving your hands in two different directions how does a."

" It's we demonstrates don't. -- look at this volume. When you're headed -- actual event. -- himself when you put your hand away. And right -- pitch. It's -- now in this antenna the closer you are. The antenna the higher pitch up and down them. Then Hillary got the notes you have to do. Very precisely control. Through movements -- your fingers."

" She -- sort of a man told. Image. You know CD -- she ABC. Now it's not visual so visual and yeah. Really know what it. It's it's man -- muscle memory home I think terrorists or muscle memory to you know as they don't have to that you've got to learn. Yeah. Do this. There's so much and not -- and hear what all these knobs do."

" Its chairman has. -- Most of these are -- control it. Calls the wave form so you can that are really short sounding tone. Okay. So it's -- hesitant at all and then there's also and an object only -- so. They're three grand wizard world."

" Yeah. It."

" And then there's the final -- what is most important controls the -- from the same tendency. Can turn -- not in the Pittsfield changes where where it starts were the notes aren't -- But you can turn it and now and it's important for our. If you're playing a club or her place next to wall or something you know. It's going to be capacity into the wall -- the wires around where you're standing there that's going to change the field so. You turn the pension sort of in the feeling -- the rage where it's it's."

" Control. Different -- had different controls is that right so if -- it's not going to have all of these cool thing this as as this one does and so on and so forth right here certainly depends on the Q do you build your -- or do you buy the remainder."

" Com. This things premed the first one ever got that I have ever hear it it comes to kids to put together the."

" It's much electronics and personal time every Saturday. I don't know much about music -- at this. We'll figure out it was certainly a pleasure and -- them of course and so -- what's coming up for project memento. We have a number of gigs comin' up home you can find them on our website WWW. Project lamented come -- you have like albums and stuff their kids. We have to see these out and they're both available and we can't start determining -- starring -- myself from the rest of the making them. Actually. It's just yeah."

" We want to take some time out at bank one of the sponsors of this week's show he is dead space only the dead survive. Created by hand picked team of pork and addicts this is he -- survival horror game and it's so terrifying. They got an -- reading no kids all wow. Said in the cold blackness of deep space you pick up the role of engineer -- Clark aboard the mining shift USG Shimomura. Not long before -- wakes to a living nightmare when -- into the ship's crew. To a man has been ravaged by vicious alien infestation. Of riders master the art of strategic dismemberment personally that phrase -- take advantage of the zero G environment to blast your way through your enemies. In fact we were so inspired by the whole zero G thing system's going to attempt to create a pair of electro magnetic boots so what -- the ones used in game did navigate the week -- based in part. It space the game has also been a recipient of the critic awards best of E 32000. Feet for best action adventure game. You buy bed space in stores October 16 it. If you want to play possibly the most terrifying video game ever made pre order your copy online now -- space -- EA dot cop."

" He never realized how complicated this is what's really cool is the way that. It's like he's playing the -- I really think that this is like a heart where you're just you're you're plucking strings except he's plucking strings in the air as and he just knows you know he's got this. This perfect sense of of relative distance -- like. Like gunslinger here in 93 I had you know and just just by doing this you know put holes importers from 200 yards. And he's just plucking and it's I can get blindfold is really cool really cool so we're we're gonna they're going to go from scratch I think we should go on from scratch but if we get that probably. Wouldn't get done for about three years. So we went out we looked at a couple different kits the thing that Robbie plays is a -- which is very nice kid. We want to something that basically had a little bit more do it yourself so it looked different -- Bomb and it's not quite from scratch -- full kit and it did have so problems with that you know it's not the perfect kid especially if you're a new B. And mrs. and you never got any sauter and experience -- like that. No matter what did you buy you're gonna have to deal with the fact that an experiment is not like guitar where he just put the strings out certain you know playing like that. There is a lot of tuning to the sermon no matter what kind of their menu by. There's a whole lot of knob tuning in things like the freedom and -- percent is basically if you can solder you can put together there if you could sauter and use a screwdriver you can put it together. But once the kids together worry whether you bought any given kind of kid or whether you've -- just purchased one off the shelf it's totally ready to go. There's still a lot. You know real real tweaking of the different parts inside. Because it's electronic judgment that your not touching so it's real hard to get to the point where you actually know that sticking your hand out in the middle space is doing something. Verses to keep your hand -- the middle is daisy mountain and got the other you parted after red light goes on to bring your hands for nothing happens and then out comes a screwdriver and you certainly just to protect educators and there's a lot of different and challengers inside. That need to be adjusted and the other thing is is that if you're not good with electronics. And you just screwed something up he's got a two part C need to know the -- work so there's a lot of problems in again. Testing it and reconfiguring it to make sure that that you've got a -- I mean after we are also -- you know run through the continuity tester everything like that. We had to sit there for awhile Leo screwing things around until we can get to make a sound and it was really it's difficult and again no matter what kit -- brand you buy. It's difficult to get it zeroed in such that you know that you're having an effect on it but it was really cool as were sitting there you know it's me and you and Camilla rivers we're screen together and then all of a sudden a script. So we went with the kit called the third max which was the least expensive kit available. But actually wanted to go that's kind of -- exactly. You know if it was on Rogers credit card and get run again. So I was about 250 bucks it's a good kid. A lot of the parts if you're not used to you resisters and things like that. They don't do a good job of pre sorting things have basically put out this big bag of parks especially resisters. And they have to sort those sites battle on timers -- just moving resisters around. To sort them out so that's one of the things that you did that people need to do if you're not good with saw ordering and you never got a lot of slaughtering of where this might not be -- Katrina. There's a lot of the good first project is out of the first project building headphone amplifier had yet where were there any good solder joint cold solder joints if you've done a lot of slaughtering you're gonna have no problem with this if you if you're very experienced and saw during this is going to be a piece of -- you're just gonna go through this project. No problem. 81012. Hours from the arsonists depending and the experience level of the person putting this together I think our total time in the workshop is really only about 45 hours truly is a lot of time. If this is your first project or you haven't got a project -- time. You can you can spend twelve hours on this it's also you know. We have a problem with the wood in terms -- we needed to re drill out some pilot holes put the case together -- pilot holes. There were no I don't know -- was the wrong size for Xbox will be out. And you know so it's it's just one of those things with the you know. Pay attention to the instruction book but also pay attention in part because they will vary. But overall. Even though there are few years in the kit over all it's still really good kid it's one of those things where they could probably clean up instructions a little bit. Go through them a little bit more there's one part in which instructions miss one entire big point which was. The volume control which is the little who. Thing on the side of things and they actually didn't put it in so basically -- putting it together exactly like the instructions. But it -- they like what we're that -- and it's not actually in the instructions they have to go back and an Internet."

" It's time now for a where it -- spots thanks. Different by choice. -- can be number one German accent there hasn't actually it's the beer of choice for the month of October. This fall. Faiths want to give you an opportunity to win a trip to Germany at the part of that within the -- that's right then they announce the news tonight that's about it. In my mind that he's going to get people the full if you management Germany well you just kind of -- with. So register my -- for one week trip to Germany courtesy of next. On his cellphone -- thanks. Two Beers to automatically register or log on to that state of conflict will be."

" So this Eartha -- basically you start by building the internal from certain port which is a lot of small parts and again don't be afraid of all baseball -- particular time to make sure you're using a race component in your putting it in the right place. After that then you sort of look around and you build the the actual control panel here. I think my biggest complaint about the instructions is is that your running wires any first. Put them onto the -- circuit board and then you run amok here. And it realistically a TV a lot easier for somebody without a lot of experience if they start with the wires appear and and they run mr. Burnett just sort of the way all of the components together. It would be a little bit easier. I'm not. Basically if you're gonna with a soaring and if you're reasonably decent you can do all of this major stuff it in 34 hours tops. You know be careful. Making out everything go but basically what you're done it's it's fairly easy and and you some -- the -- box. Patrick for the -- together again they're couple issues with this but you know. It's an inexpensive -- get what you pay for an end not everything is perfectly. Lined up so it and the bottom plate is actually a lot longer so we end up with a -- here. If you're gonna be if her professional musician who's interested in in really good Thurmond you might want to go with a more expensive movie. Which actually has much more sturdy. Rods but if you're going to experiment with something like this this is probably a better kit for experimentation. -- somebody who's not really that serious a musician."

" But the cool thing is is -- true bond with that."

" I'm out of school is Robby Gordon. I'm a musician either you can really quickly do you sexier. -- Seeing how to pitch changes. And --"

" Here are going to need external speakers are -- something like that we're just using our our computer desktop he's he's had you can use headphones anything it just uses a standard audio Jack. So if you look at the front here."

" You can see all of our different controls. How how we can operate the machine here. Time and if you're the kind of musician who wants to use external controls you've got all of these -- extra foot pedal type -- And of course you got to break Chinese LETs which you know always makes things cool. Yeah and if you like."

" To work what would you can stain that would you know probably going to put this in our handy dandy laser that your system's process the top and stuff like that. It's it's a formal looking at you know for 250 bucks if you -- in his sermon -- this is probably the way to. It's just yeah."

" She's completely with a final adjustments. So we just -- a jumper and retreat shelter that jumper basically one year. Celebrating it initially you jump a way to volumes to make sure that you can get this any kind of pitched sound whichever that venue recalibrate the volume."

" With the volume up here. Well Patrick is adjusting election helped broker -- what Patrick is just -- well. --"

" And our control her. And you just control here and."

" And hey if we look at the -- you can see that basically can play with things like velocity -- Russia and move out of range. Here. So. --"

" But it. More complicated after you both hands so now -- So you can see -- we -- just that the antenna was wiggling. They're going to Justin timber. You can hear your little -- changes that are."

" This evening. -- The velocity. And Robbie -- clintonian when velocity wasn't quite got the end. See like there's any difference. --"

" Obviously neither pat and I are musicians so we're gonna have a little problems with this."

" We like to take a moment now for a short message from the United States -- sports."

" O'Donnell Wagner. Six air force the the commander reported that wants of course water. You know about one of the part of this program and the -- forces. Exciting place you just bad we'll who don't realize you air force base program is equivalent -- massive size and scope and most cases mark. The shuttle launches about once a month. And I've got real losses here in the next thirty days so if you want to be in the space program reports released this."

" So you think this home practice or is humiliating and it Camilla are -- intern is going to get -- she has laid claim to it apparently she -- open -- the beer bottle that you can play the sermons got a -- it you know we all have failures opening cans and bottles until a few that are taking it wouldn't but she's -- actually perform a song that is a good idea on a future episode of system Camilla are sufficient turned. Will be performing the star worst team. Or Mary had a little lamb Mary had a little animals were put up or the ever popular the Volga boatman. And it would actually be cool if the people at home were actually build their own Germans are ready Ernie got -- Good dad problems and you two video and post -- form. Alike that thought got hideous comments or suggestions do newspaper mile system revision three dot com. And what are those forms Andover activist the forums that revision 3COM slash forums and visitor archives of revision 3COM slash system -- all the older episodes and -- me -- do not."

" Is this week's Texaco case you didn't know actually host another little show on the network -- dot com it's your destination for technology information and advice with. Roger rightfully -- style and a whole lot of line between Barack and I hope -- basically go after the toughest questions we can find. Sent -- you the viewers of the alphabet network -- just bought or just what advice which MP3 players picked up. -- divided on -- you showed every Saturday morning 12 PM Easter. All right that the president was I want -- thank -- virus again for helping us out you can learn more about his wonderful work if project -- comedy and pick up the -- so until next time I'm papadore and I ended -- and that's it for this episode of system."

" He should."

" Today's system is sponsored by the United states air force that acts different by choice and dead space only the dead survive. You've probably heard the -- to the -- countless scifi movies and TV shows but how much -- actually know about Thurmond's. What makes them tick and what it take to build one. We examined -- accused instrument ever invented this sermon on this episode of system. What the system my Patrick Norton and I'm Dave Hawkins so you started the show we start brainstorming ideas Blake. Rocket ship nuclear waste and theory like the first three things aircraft I love -- it's really cool electronic instruments very. System oriented which were building something in its electronic. But yet it slips -- off the norm you know it's just something different or something musical how to restart how do we start well. We went to his master -- player a guy plays in her project meant it was one of my favorite band he spent years practicing with this -- fun and so. We wanted to really find out what makes -- how to play it."

" So before actually talk about how to build your own term it would really help to know what a sermon is. And how they work and what happens if you spend 220 years practicing playing determine. So we've got one of the world's premier Thurmond players right here -- virus to tell us. About sermons and give us a demonstration thanks for joining us try to thanks yeah. So. Even playing -- for how many years now. And about twelve years maybe twelve years and how did you get into it hunters find out."

" I read an article about it. There's a -- documentary that came out about ten years ago. Nearly an -- about the was making a documentary. Something about the instrument appealed to me the idea of playing. Music on an instrument without actually."

" When you do you play it almost looks like you're like pulling on -- you're playing Lincoln and harpsichord version. -- you have to have you know very strictly controlled movement control."

" Yeah I get that a lot of people. So what exactly is determined. Permanent electronic instruments home was first electronic instrument ever invented. And somewhere around 1918 -- on -- Russian scientist. He was actually working on radio with us when radio -- I've been told was an early radio show this defects when you reach for the two of them here that wouldn't -- her hand got close. And so. Engineers are frantically trying to get relentless. On Clinton I like that I wanted to get rid of the radio and keep it."

" Surely don't know sermons actually work by a D electrical properties of accidents which uses the closer you get. To an antenna. Its capacity changes and it's the same principle works. When you're driving out of electronic gate and the gate just automatically opens from your cars because basically. There's a capacity sensor under the road which senses the metal body. Which changes the capacity -- which isn't measured and then once it hits a certain points basically electronic tiny circuits as always there's something here and it opens. They also use those in. Stoplights -- you're waiting at a stoplight to newfangled stoplights which if there's no other traffic automatically change what happens is. There isn't a no weight sensor under the tar but it -- those censor which is basically just a big hunk of metal. And what happens when a living creature or a big metal body gets near another played it changes how much capacity it has to maintain -- charge. Which is how things work. -- growing up when I would hear Thurmond's mostly it was just it was like a noise toy you know that basically. They use it for movie factor something -- cuddling little Lola. But now there's more and more -- players would really -- the world that are actually playing it as though it were an instrument and."

" Yes really its really had a revival in the past. Tenure from -- a documentary came out and there's been. Large upsurge in interest and number of people now are actually and there isn't doing it as an instrument and and it's not a big group chairman. I think a little while ago right. Yes that was last year it. Disney Holland LA. To -- orchestra. Apparently in the this was in the twenties or thirties Leon Thurman in better. And a show at Carnegie Hall where he can Thurmond's states. All performing together so. The only philharmonic excellent. Recreate the water or something like."

" What are all the components. The experiment. And when your wiggling your fingers today I see you're you're you're moving your hands in two different directions how does a."

" It's we demonstrates don't. -- look at this volume. When you're headed -- actual event. -- himself when you put your hand away. And right -- pitch. It's -- now in this antenna the closer you are. The antenna the higher pitch up and down them. Then Hillary got the notes you have to do. Very precisely control. Through movements -- your fingers."

" She -- sort of a man told. Image. You know CD -- she ABC. Now it's not visual so visual and yeah. Really know what it. It's it's man -- muscle memory home I think terrorists or muscle memory to you know as they don't have to that you've got to learn. Yeah. Do this. There's so much and not -- and hear what all these knobs do."

" Its chairman has. -- Most of these are -- control it. Calls the wave form so you can that are really short sounding tone. Okay. So it's -- hesitant at all and then there's also and an object only -- so. They're three grand wizard world."

" Yeah. It."

" And then there's the final -- what is most important controls the -- from the same tendency. Can turn -- not in the Pittsfield changes where where it starts were the notes aren't -- But you can turn it and now and it's important for our. If you're playing a club or her place next to wall or something you know. It's going to be capacity into the wall -- the wires around where you're standing there that's going to change the field so. You turn the pension sort of in the feeling -- the rage where it's it's."

" Control. Different -- had different controls is that right so if -- it's not going to have all of these cool thing this as as this one does and so on and so forth right here certainly depends on the Q do you build your -- or do you buy the remainder."

" Com. This things premed the first one ever got that I have ever hear it it comes to kids to put together the."

" It's much electronics and personal time every Saturday. I don't know much about music -- at this. We'll figure out it was certainly a pleasure and -- them of course and so -- what's coming up for project memento. We have a number of gigs comin' up home you can find them on our website WWW. Project lamented come -- you have like albums and stuff their kids. We have to see these out and they're both available and we can't start determining -- starring -- myself from the rest of the making them. Actually. It's just yeah."

" We want to take some time out at bank one of the sponsors of this week's show he is dead space only the dead survive. Created by hand picked team of pork and addicts this is he -- survival horror game and it's so terrifying. They got an -- reading no kids all wow. Said in the cold blackness of deep space you pick up the role of engineer -- Clark aboard the mining shift USG Shimomura. Not long before -- wakes to a living nightmare when -- into the ship's crew. To a man has been ravaged by vicious alien infestation. Of riders master the art of strategic dismemberment personally that phrase -- take advantage of the zero G environment to blast your way through your enemies. In fact we were so inspired by the whole zero G thing system's going to attempt to create a pair of electro magnetic boots so what -- the ones used in game did navigate the week -- based in part. It space the game has also been a recipient of the critic awards best of E 32000. Feet for best action adventure game. You buy bed space in stores October 16 it. If you want to play possibly the most terrifying video game ever made pre order your copy online now -- space -- EA dot cop."

" He never realized how complicated this is what's really cool is the way that. It's like he's playing the -- I really think that this is like a heart where you're just you're you're plucking strings except he's plucking strings in the air as and he just knows you know he's got this. This perfect sense of of relative distance -- like. Like gunslinger here in 93 I had you know and just just by doing this you know put holes importers from 200 yards. And he's just plucking and it's I can get blindfold is really cool really cool so we're we're gonna they're going to go from scratch I think we should go on from scratch but if we get that probably. Wouldn't get done for about three years. So we went out we looked at a couple different kits the thing that Robbie plays is a -- which is very nice kid. We want to something that basically had a little bit more do it yourself so it looked different -- Bomb and it's not quite from scratch -- full kit and it did have so problems with that you know it's not the perfect kid especially if you're a new B. And mrs. and you never got any sauter and experience -- like that. No matter what did you buy you're gonna have to deal with the fact that an experiment is not like guitar where he just put the strings out certain you know playing like that. There is a lot of tuning to the sermon no matter what kind of their menu by. There's a whole lot of knob tuning in things like the freedom and -- percent is basically if you can solder you can put together there if you could sauter and use a screwdriver you can put it together. But once the kids together worry whether you bought any given kind of kid or whether you've -- just purchased one off the shelf it's totally ready to go. There's still a lot. You know real real tweaking of the different parts inside. Because it's electronic judgment that your not touching so it's real hard to get to the point where you actually know that sticking your hand out in the middle space is doing something. Verses to keep your hand -- the middle is daisy mountain and got the other you parted after red light goes on to bring your hands for nothing happens and then out comes a screwdriver and you certainly just to protect educators and there's a lot of different and challengers inside. That need to be adjusted and the other thing is is that if you're not good with electronics. And you just screwed something up he's got a two part C need to know the -- work so there's a lot of problems in again. Testing it and reconfiguring it to make sure that that you've got a -- I mean after we are also -- you know run through the continuity tester everything like that. We had to sit there for awhile Leo screwing things around until we can get to make a sound and it was really it's difficult and again no matter what kit -- brand you buy. It's difficult to get it zeroed in such that you know that you're having an effect on it but it was really cool as were sitting there you know it's me and you and Camilla rivers we're screen together and then all of a sudden a script. So we went with the kit called the third max which was the least expensive kit available. But actually wanted to go that's kind of -- exactly. You know if it was on Rogers credit card and get run again. So I was about 250 bucks it's a good kid. A lot of the parts if you're not used to you resisters and things like that. They don't do a good job of pre sorting things have basically put out this big bag of parks especially resisters. And they have to sort those sites battle on timers -- just moving resisters around. To sort them out so that's one of the things that you did that people need to do if you're not good with saw ordering and you never got a lot of slaughtering of where this might not be -- Katrina. There's a lot of the good first project is out of the first project building headphone amplifier had yet where were there any good solder joint cold solder joints if you've done a lot of slaughtering you're gonna have no problem with this if you if you're very experienced and saw during this is going to be a piece of -- you're just gonna go through this project. No problem. 81012. Hours from the arsonists depending and the experience level of the person putting this together I think our total time in the workshop is really only about 45 hours truly is a lot of time. If this is your first project or you haven't got a project -- time. You can you can spend twelve hours on this it's also you know. We have a problem with the wood in terms -- we needed to re drill out some pilot holes put the case together -- pilot holes. There were no I don't know -- was the wrong size for Xbox will be out. And you know so it's it's just one of those things with the you know. Pay attention to the instruction book but also pay attention in part because they will vary. But overall. Even though there are few years in the kit over all it's still really good kid it's one of those things where they could probably clean up instructions a little bit. Go through them a little bit more there's one part in which instructions miss one entire big point which was. The volume control which is the little who. Thing on the side of things and they actually didn't put it in so basically -- putting it together exactly like the instructions. But it -- they like what we're that -- and it's not actually in the instructions they have to go back and an Internet."

" It's time now for a where it -- spots thanks. Different by choice. -- can be number one German accent there hasn't actually it's the beer of choice for the month of October. This fall. Faiths want to give you an opportunity to win a trip to Germany at the part of that within the -- that's right then they announce the news tonight that's about it. In my mind that he's going to get people the full if you management Germany well you just kind of -- with. So register my -- for one week trip to Germany courtesy of next. On his cellphone -- thanks. Two Beers to automatically register or log on to that state of conflict will be."

" So this Eartha -- basically you start by building the internal from certain port which is a lot of small parts and again don't be afraid of all baseball -- particular time to make sure you're using a race component in your putting it in the right place. After that then you sort of look around and you build the the actual control panel here. I think my biggest complaint about the instructions is is that your running wires any first. Put them onto the -- circuit board and then you run amok here. And it realistically a TV a lot easier for somebody without a lot of experience if they start with the wires appear and and they run mr. Burnett just sort of the way all of the components together. It would be a little bit easier. I'm not. Basically if you're gonna with a soaring and if you're reasonably decent you can do all of this major stuff it in 34 hours tops. You know be careful. Making out everything go but basically what you're done it's it's fairly easy and and you some -- the -- box. Patrick for the -- together again they're couple issues with this but you know. It's an inexpensive -- get what you pay for an end not everything is perfectly. Lined up so it and the bottom plate is actually a lot longer so we end up with a -- here. If you're gonna be if her professional musician who's interested in in really good Thurmond you might want to go with a more expensive movie. Which actually has much more sturdy. Rods but if you're going to experiment with something like this this is probably a better kit for experimentation. -- somebody who's not really that serious a musician."

" But the cool thing is is -- true bond with that."

" I'm out of school is Robby Gordon. I'm a musician either you can really quickly do you sexier. -- Seeing how to pitch changes. And --"

" Here are going to need external speakers are -- something like that we're just using our our computer desktop he's he's had you can use headphones anything it just uses a standard audio Jack. So if you look at the front here."

" You can see all of our different controls. How how we can operate the machine here. Time and if you're the kind of musician who wants to use external controls you've got all of these -- extra foot pedal type -- And of course you got to break Chinese LETs which you know always makes things cool. Yeah and if you like."

" To work what would you can stain that would you know probably going to put this in our handy dandy laser that your system's process the top and stuff like that. It's it's a formal looking at you know for 250 bucks if you -- in his sermon -- this is probably the way to. It's just yeah."

" She's completely with a final adjustments. So we just -- a jumper and retreat shelter that jumper basically one year. Celebrating it initially you jump a way to volumes to make sure that you can get this any kind of pitched sound whichever that venue recalibrate the volume."

" With the volume up here. Well Patrick is adjusting election helped broker -- what Patrick is just -- well. --"

" And our control her. And you just control here and."

" And hey if we look at the -- you can see that basically can play with things like velocity -- Russia and move out of range. Here. So. --"

" But it. More complicated after you both hands so now -- So you can see -- we -- just that the antenna was wiggling. They're going to Justin timber. You can hear your little -- changes that are."

" This evening. -- The velocity. And Robbie -- clintonian when velocity wasn't quite got the end. See like there's any difference. --"

" Obviously neither pat and I are musicians so we're gonna have a little problems with this."

" We like to take a moment now for a short message from the United States -- sports."

" O'Donnell Wagner. Six air force the the commander reported that wants of course water. You know about one of the part of this program and the -- forces. Exciting place you just bad we'll who don't realize you air force base program is equivalent -- massive size and scope and most cases mark. The shuttle launches about once a month. And I've got real losses here in the next thirty days so if you want to be in the space program reports released this."

" So you think this home practice or is humiliating and it Camilla are -- intern is going to get -- she has laid claim to it apparently she -- open -- the beer bottle that you can play the sermons got a -- it you know we all have failures opening cans and bottles until a few that are taking it wouldn't but she's -- actually perform a song that is a good idea on a future episode of system Camilla are sufficient turned. Will be performing the star worst team. Or Mary had a little lamb Mary had a little animals were put up or the ever popular the Volga boatman. And it would actually be cool if the people at home were actually build their own Germans are ready Ernie got -- Good dad problems and you two video and post -- form. Alike that thought got hideous comments or suggestions do newspaper mile system revision three dot com. And what are those forms Andover activist the forums that revision 3COM slash forums and visitor archives of revision 3COM slash system -- all the older episodes and -- me -- do not."

" Is this week's Texaco case you didn't know actually host another little show on the network -- dot com it's your destination for technology information and advice with. Roger rightfully -- style and a whole lot of line between Barack and I hope -- basically go after the toughest questions we can find. Sent -- you the viewers of the alphabet network -- just bought or just what advice which MP3 players picked up. -- divided on -- you showed every Saturday morning 12 PM Easter. All right that the president was I want -- thank -- virus again for helping us out you can learn more about his wonderful work if project -- comedy and pick up the -- so until next time I'm papadore and I ended -- and that's it for this episode of system."

" He should."

Serafina

Started discussion: October 6, 2008 @ 3:39pm GMT

Episode 72 - Make Electricity Sing: Build a Theremin [Discussion]

Synthesizers are cool, but the theramin is the original electronic instrument. We show you how to build one, and a master theramin player shows you what you can do with it.

Watch and download this episode here

haku
about 1 year ago
Build a Thermian ?


Ohh, Theremin!

;)


Whilst I'd like to have a go with a theremin one day I don't particularly feel the need to spend $250+ on a tricky kit with missing instruction parts to build something that could take years to master - especially if your idea & ability to make music is pressing play on an mp3 player.

edit: Forgot to say, enjoyable show though - glad it's another build-it rather than install-it episode.
phogan
about 1 year ago
For the sake of accuracy:
http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot20081006215120sg7.jpg

Are actually intermediate frequency(IF) transformers not potentiometers.


Since it is an RF circuit, I imagine neatness counts.
ieatpunk
about 1 year ago
This was a great episode! It would have been cooler IMO to make the circuit board with the acid etching like you did in a previous episode and then bought all of the electronic componentry separate.

I realize you guys talked about how it would have taken too much time to do such a thing, which I understand. Just sayin' it would have been 13373r. But it was still eleeb. Later.
mikec
about 1 year ago
The first time I saw one of these was in the movie "The Song Remains The Same" back sometime in the '70's. Jimmy Page used them with Led Zeppelin.

In the movie "Moog", about the synthesizer pioneer there was a section about his Theremin's.

Cool device but I have trouble with a guitar, this thing probably would drive me to serious booze use.
lik
about 1 year ago
this was really cool, i never heard of seen such things before. good episode.
samureye
about 1 year ago
In reply to lik:
this was really cool, i never heard of seen such things before. good episode.


What he said!
OrangeBugPro
about 1 year ago
Hey I built one of the Paia Theremax kits a while ago!

Couple notes:
Adjusting the field is annoying :p anything that conducts electricity can disrupt the field. You adjust the field so when you are standing next the Theremin there is no sound coming out. if you put say, a screwdriver 2" closer to the antenna, it changes the field and you have to recalibrate. Even wiggling the wires within the Theremin will change the field.

Learning how to play a Theremin requires Perfect Pitch
Because of the constantly changing field, the player must be able to Hear the changes in pitch, and adjust his hands accordingly. I've got Relative pitch, so I can play simple tunes, but playing along with anything is extremely hard.

I would post a video of me playing my Theremin, but I pulled out of a closet one day and it quit working. :( The electronics on the board are so sensitive that anything can kick them out of whack, or fry them.
gamerfreak
about 1 year ago
In reply to phogan:
Since it is an RF circuit, I imagine neatness counts.

Yep.

I find it hard to believe that they're was working with the wiring like that. Our wires interrupted the frequency when jumbled as in the image.

Bit of a disappointing episode IMO -> "Here is a theramin, here is a theramin kit, here is a theramin kit after we built it." There really wasnt much content.
Dosbomber
about 1 year ago
In reply to gamerfreak:
Bit of a disappointing episode IMO -> "Here is a theramin, here is a theramin kit, here is a theramin kit after we built it." There really wasnt much content.


At least they actually built the thing. What did you want them to do, hand grind the carbon to roll their own resistors? Home-brew some capacitor dielectric goop in their kitchen? Weave and stack fiber sheets saturated with epoxy to build up their own PCB substrate? ;)
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