Show us your instrument! ... Stop that, it's silly.

[chrispenycate]

Don't remember but (s)he promised a photo.

Wonder if it's a Moog (Big Briar) theremin, or an original tube (valve) model (worked with one of those, once; glorious, it glows and it drifts all over the scale (reminds me of a B & K BFO {beat frequency oscillator, not what you thought} I once worked with)

I'm now going to have to learn virtual instruments; by this time next week there will be an Omnisphere and a Neuron WS in the studio,

Posting might become a little erratic.

(Best to get the later ones tho with better MIDI implementation-they have a 's' after their name)

That one got stolen, and was replaced by the Mk.II FD, which is still here, though it hasn't been used much recently. Present set up is Emu IV keyboard, Korg/sequential WS, Proteus, Morpheus and Kawai rack modules and Akai MPC 2000.

Can always bring in lots of older modules, and the Kurtzwiel and Yamaha keyboards if we need them.

[Interference]

I hope we haven't lost her/him in
the recent crash's scary bin,
which though saved by an heroic and rare admin,
might deprive us of a pic of the theremin.

(must -- stop ---- rhy-ming)

Can you still get theremins? Are they stoopid expensive?

Why am I asking? Where's me eBay link .....


(later that morning)

Okay, for anyone who's interested, there are a few on eBay, ranging from (surely not!) 50 sterling for what appear to be home made ones. Only one (today) looks to be anything like the ones we know and love, so I'm guessing the rest only deal with pitch, and not attack/decay. None of them looks older than a couple of weeks I'm amazed at the interest there is in these machines, given that about ten years ago I knew people who'd never heard of them - but should have.

[chrispenycate]

When Bob Moog lost control of Moog Music and started his own company (Big Briar) he made Theremin kits, going back to his roots, as you might say.

But a real Theremin shouldn't need attack or hold; volume, pitch and harmonic structure are all defined by the player's position, and how well he's earthed (grounded) and his body capacitance.
Very interreactive.

[Majimaune]

Okay here is my guitar. I've had it for a few years now (I think it is about six or seven years). I like it though it does need a few new strings and I wouldn't mind getting myself a pickup for it. Sound it pretty good usually but I haven't played it too much lately because I haven't replaced the strings for a couple of years :S

I was writting some stuff when I took this photo. I took the oppertunity to take hold of my sister's camera.

[Urlik]

here's my Les Paul


(and judging by the wristband, this photo was taken at one of the Wasted festivals)

[pyan]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

But a real Theremin shouldn't need attack or hold; volume, pitch and harmonic structure are all defined by the player's position, and how well he's earthed (grounded) and his body capacitance.
Very interreactive.

For those that have never seen or heard one...

YouTube - The Legend of Zelda Theme on theremin

Amazing!..

[Interference]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

But a real Theremin shouldn't need attack or hold; volume, pitch and harmonic structure are all defined by the player's position

With no first-hand knowledge, and only having seen a couple of YouTubey bits, I can see that the type available for so little dosh on eBay has only one external aerial-like structure, as opposed to the areial/robbie-the-robot-circular thing that the fully grown ones have. Players I've watched seem to have used this region for swell, expression and dynamics, which I erroneously short-handed to attack and hold because that's how the hand appeared to be moving. The vertical aerial appears to me to be pitch.

The cheapos may have something like this inside the case but sensitive enough to detect hand movements outside it, but I'm doubtful.

Anyway, I have purchased one of these with two ideas in mind:

1: to see if it works and can contribute anything to my music
2: to give to my brother for closer investigation if it can't do (1). From identifying modern construction techniques and with a study of any available schematics, I'm fairly confident my bro could produce something similar to the original Theremin, possibly incorporating aspects of this 21st century version, which seems to be to its anscestor what the Stylophone was to the Moog - and I still had plenty of fun with the grown-up version of the Stylophone (the one with the selector switches and eight (?) sounds) and a range of guitar effects pedals

Actually, I only mentioned this at all because I kind of half-wondered if Chris had ever owned a Theremin or played one? I know its usage went through a considerable hiatus before what seems to be its current state of resurgence. It seems a most impressively expressive device in the right hands.

Does anyone have any links to music they've done using these instruments in the various pictures? I, for one, would love to hear how Chris's various keys sound, not to mention the pedal steel and a whole lot of others on here.

Why can I never seem to write briefly and concisely?

[chrispenycate]

The theramin I worked with (for Musique contemporaine), one of the original tube (valve) ones, had two quite big plates monted on bakelite columns as its detector region, but you didn't touch them, just waved your hands around in the space defined. The same musician (musicienne, actually) played Ondes Martenot, and I had hellish problems with interference between the two, in the live concert (studio was easy; just put them on opposite sides of the room.
The keyboard and the equitempered scale are severe limitations for some kinds of music, but alternative synthesizer controllers have never really caught on, making people think of them as pianos/organs – and playing them the same.

We'll probably be throwing out a lot of the old stuff soon; there will be a new hypercomputerised system coming in next week (A keyboard with Windows - Oh, joy) and we just haven't got the space.

Unfortunately attachments doesn't accept audiofiles or I'd post bits and pieces.

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

Unfortunately attachments doesn't accept audiofiles or I'd post bits and pieces.

Do you have albums? With all that equipment you've gotta have some AMAZING records my man!
Gosh, what I would record with all that stuff.

Actually, I'd probably get sidetracked with it all.


I just picked up one of these:



It's awesome.

So much fun. And it's batter powered, so I can take it anywhere.

[sloweye]

I never did, re post these. this is some,but nowhere near all.

[chrispenycate]

New toy, and established rack.

[quote]Do you have albums? With all that equipment you've gotta have some AMAZING records my man![I'm building a website to sell them, but somehow I don't think Brian would appreciate my publicising it here.

Anyway, it's not finished yet, and the Emu's otherwise occupied.

And you're right; too much choice can be as damaging to the music as too little. How many people have I recorded on twenty-four track who would have been better on eight?

[D_Davis]

I'll swap you some albums.

I've got 14 written and recorded, on my way to having a 20 album box set.

Just give me a PM if you want.

On my next album, which is being recorded under the best band name of all time, even if I do say so myself, all of the original sounds are going to be generated by battery powered electronic devices less than 2 feet long.

I like setting limitations for myself - it really helps with creativity.

I'm thinking of ditching my DAW altogether and working on my old cassette four-track.

[Interference]

Is anybody else impressed by the quality of cheap guitars these days or am I getting old? (Answer the first question first, please ) When I bought my first electric, it cost a week's wages and sounded like it was playing through several layers of cotton wool.

But I just bought three guitars for about €150 including postage and, apart from replacing a bridge and pick-ups on one, the other two just needed a bit of basic set-up and they sound, and now play, (I think) brilliant for the money.

The Strat copy is quite remarkably good-sounding, which is a bit of a relief as this is the one I'll be giving as a Christmas present to a friend's beginner-daughter.

[sloweye]

yeah, i have a few cheapie one's, my yamaha pasifica sounds great as dose the B.C.Rich from the cheaper end of their range. i think the yamay was 130 down from 199 and the BC.Rich was around 150 on sale.

[Interference]

I know what you're saying, Sloweye, and I have a sneaking respect for Yammies, anyway, but I'm talking about three un-badged guitars that cost me 50 each - new price!

Okay, given that the build in all three cases could be better, and given that the finish is pretty naff all round, the guitar I'm giving away has a brilliant, pure single-coil sound that I'd defy anyone to identify in a blindfold test as not coming from a guitar five or ten times the price.

And one of the ones I'm keeping, the one I changed the pups on, is fast becoming one of my favourite jamming guitars.

Er ... you know, defy in a nice, non-confrontational way, of course