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Why not? a Theremin...


albpower2seq4sid
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Hi everybody! today i was thinking ( sometimes i did ) and seeing schematics of theremin's so I thougt: why not? and more... with a microcontroller?? after all... what kind of mistery is a theremin? what does it include? a crystall oscillator? we know about that... a variable oscillator? we also know what it is ( are we fan's of VCO's ? ) a mixer of both osc? ( fixed and variable ) but can we control the overall process with a microcontroller ( In this case please help!!! ) ? it sounds interesting...

well i was searching and i saw this site:

http://www.gaudi.ch/OpenTheremin/

and different stages: ( fixed osc, microcontroller improvement, prototype with wooden case, etc )

http://www.gaudi.ch/OpenTheremin/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=58

http://www.gaudi.ch/OpenTheremin/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=59

http://www.gaudi.ch/OpenTheremin/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=86

For the case i think a router case with two antennas could be used... well my mind speed increases with this idea! ( although it is a little slow! i'm speaking of my mind of course!! )

And what about of controlling a PIC with two antennas? ( pitch and volume ) maybe trough de ADC inputs? and output it as MIDI ? sounds great...

It seems to me very interesting issue,

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Is the idea to get a Theremin MIDI controller or to build a Theremin with a micro controller?

Some say only a unit using valves can be considered a Theremin.

Think you are probably better off asking at Theremin World.

The basic idea i imagine is moving hands around the device it could generate midi code control, to play any midi device

although at first it sounds good i need to figure out the dificulties to lead it to a practical design, one a DIY could build

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Ah OK, there are plenty of things like that on the net, here are two:

Jaycar MIDI Theremin

Arduino based

I have the Jaycar MIDI Theremin, don't use it much, but from memory, it was fun for a while.

If you've never played a Theremin, the cheaper ones especially, its like trying to play a concert on a rubber band, its difficult and only a few can do it:

Some of the performers at this concert were very good, others not quite so hot. I know because I was there!

Generally, something like you are describing would use light dependent resistors or infra red sensors. The Jaycar uses a more "traditional" Theremin approach, but that might explain the high price.

HTH

S

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A RING MODULATOR to combine both signals ( mathematically ) and then a Low pass filter ( would be better a VCF? )...

see this...

BIG B00BZ WOMANZ...

EXHIBITZ EXZEPTIONAL THEREMIN PLAYIN SKILLZ

Edited by Smithy
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If you've never played a Theremin, the cheaper ones especially, its like trying to play a concert on a rubber band, its difficult and only a few can do it:

Some of the performers at this concert were very good, others not quite so hot. I know because I was there!

Generally, something like you are describing would use light dependent resistors or infra red sensors. T

HTHS

Ok, i notice the dificulties seeing the videos and a few performes achieves good tunning notes, although volume control (like a VCA ) is less critical, but hear detects very little pitch changes or interval ratio when moving around the pitch change antenna.

Ah, really interesting the use of sensors at light or infrared range, thanks for the data

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its difficult and only a few can do it:

Some of the performers at this concert were very good, others not quite so hot. I know because I was there!

I saw the video! Lydia Kavina seems to be good!

By the way the video shows some people watching this event, can I see you there? the video cam focuses at some faces

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You can indeed see me on the video, I am at 5.57 in the blue T-shirt, sort of upper right, back row of audience.

The gent with the black hair and pale face on the same row is Dave Vanian, lead singer with Punk legends The Damned.

Re: Big boobed woman playing Theremin, there was a photo floating around the net showing just that.

It's actually a fairly common reaction when someone sees a Theremin, they will often try to make a noise with some other part of their body.

As you can see from the video and others on the net, the instrument does attract arty experimental and "wanna be" types, while there is nothing wrong with that, sometimes the end result isn't always very pleasant to listen to. Slow clasical string pieces seem to be the norm, although the guy playing Video killed the radio star at the beginning also belted out Should I stay or should I go and a couple of Ramones tunes, very different and very entertaining!

S

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  • 4 months later...

Hello, sorry for reviving an old thread but I am (if all goes well) in the process of buying this:

Elettrorama´s Heterodyne

The midi out is optional. Of course I asked for it.

I do not know much about midi (and zero about DIY) so no chances for me to make one before my hands will start shaking for oldness.

And anyway I am happy to buy this one because it is very beautiful, full of features, and quite cheap for all what offers.

And it is DIY, which means, I am supporting the work of a DIY maker, which if in the past was not a alue for me, now, thanks to the people of Mutable Instruments, I have understood better the DIY world, where I will enter soon, building a Shruthi-1...

If you want more info I suggest you to contact directly Elettrorama.

I just know what I read there (theremin based on Paia, midi on Moduino).

I am also planning to buy their Weird Sound Generator (based on MFO but far more beautiful than any other I have seen, and with some extra), which has got 2 cv out and 1 gate out and so I can connect it to the theremin, which is cool!

:)

Cheers

Edited by Ser_Yo
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Hello Ser_Yo, thank you for reviving that old thread, it's a really interesting issue for me, but i couldn't see the link here at work due to restritions in the access to some sites, implemented in this institution because they say Internet it's only for academic use here, tonight at home i will see it.

By the way, in my native language "Ser_Yo" sounds like "it's me", although in this case it must be "Soy_Yo", please, what country are you from?

thank you again for sharing this information

cheers!!

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By the way, in my native language "Ser_Yo" sounds like "it's me", although in this case it must be "Soy_Yo", please, what country are you from?

cheers!!

Que tal che? Buena onda?

I am italian but I speak Argentinian Spanish very well because I lived there many years. My name is Sergio, which in Italian does not sound much different from how you Agentinian people would pronounce Ser Yo (which I would translate as "being me", which is quite cool :D)

Let me know what you think of that theremin.

I find it extremely beautiful, and the sound from the clips seems very good (after all it is a Paia based).

Moduino midi implementation is told to be good too.

I can´t wait to have it and see what I can do with it, and with the WSG connected to it! :)

Sergio

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Piacere!!

Todo bien che, te lo digo de onda!!!

ok, I have two citizenship, argentina, and italian, 'cause my mother was italian so i love Italy and their people and history, i have italian aunts and uncles living in Australia and i call them often

Well, as soon as i could see the theremin, i'll write you back to tell you what that theremin seems to me

Salutti!!!

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Let me know what you think of that theremin.

I find it extremely beautiful, and the sound from the clips seems very good (after all it is a Paia based). Moduino midi implementation is told to be good too.

Hello Sergio

I saw the schematics of paia theremin and they seem very cool because their simplicity and quite good design, typical paia design, very interesting the concepts of signal math processing and... distortion... ( not harmful, if not beneficial in order to get great sounds!! ) and quite pretty design of case and front panel, besides that the midi module adds some interesting features to the system, so enjoy it!!

Have fun!!

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