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Early
Electronics & Acoustics
were a specialty of Lev Termen
As simple electronics
and natural analog
music are taking a back
seat to synthesizers, computers and software,
perhaps the era of musical oddities with
peculiar shapes, boxes with sliders, knobs to
twiddle or simply the act of music making with
strings or reeds is drawing to a close.
To recognize again
the natural analog sound, which is becoming lost,
why not make your own electronic oddity with
natural sound, it can be found in the
"true voiced theremin".
Beyond Lev, two
people that would have the greatest influence in
advancing theremin interest met briefly in
early 1960. Creatively they would each try
something different with the theremin to make
it more playable. One falsified the method of control and the
other counterfeited the theremin
voice. Today these would be considered
half theremins, hybrids or replicants, but "not tinker
toys". Can you guess who these two men
are? (see
below)
Let's transform a theremin whistle into a "natural" musical
sound,
using
basic components and acoustic materials found "in-the-home" .
A low powered amplifier is connected to the Ultimate 2b audio
output. Computer amplified speakers work with an external speaker
plugged into the spot where the extra left or right
channel cable plugs in.
A set of 6" Speakers like those used in car stereos.
Piezo Element
Radio
Shack 273-073 $1.99
usd Sand
off the side with the hole to remove the side. The
piezo needs the microphone input
of an amplifier to work properly or a simple pre-amp
to use computer speakers. Computer sound cards are a
microphone input.
The TLC555 IC chip
on the Ult-2b board is use to add a bit of
edge to the sound.
I record MP3's with Audacity
an excellent "freeware"
program.
The Poor Man's Sound Processor (This
method has shown excellent results)
Try various materials like thin wood, paper, foil, plastics, etc.
laid directly against the front of the speaker
to enhanced the resonance which can be picked up using the piezo element
secured against the same material.
Flute 1 .mp3 (97k)
My Cello
sound is generated with the piezo & speaker mounted
in a 1' x 1' x 1' (30cm x 30cm) wood cubicle. ult5_17
.mp3
(208k)
Use Imagination;
One Angel
.mp3
(297k)
was created using my Ultermen 5 and a speaker in the largest chrome bucket seen in the above picture. It's not an effective method
of sound modification because resonance spikes occur
when using reflection.
The Sound of Clara
Rockmore I have studied this the past year and
concluded why transistors don't sound like their
cousin tube/valves. At first
I thought it was rich even harmonic overtones,
no it is something else.
RS Theremin tried for four years to explain how the
voice comes about and never heard anyone echo it back.
Maybe it comes from my madness and no one hears it or
maybe it truly is my gift from Lev. He never allowed
Clara's voice in the RCA models for various reasons
and when others tried to find it in Clara's instrument
Lev returned it to paradise.
Finding
Clara's Voice
thevoice16.mp3
(225k)
RS Theremin -
On the Path to Paradise
*
Acoustically & mechanically it is possible to
sound as if
using a tube/valve. tube-or-tran7.mp3
(260k)
08.07.05
* Prevent
Overdriving the theremin audio waveform
feeding into the power amplifier which flattens the sine wave
peaks.
Use the Attenuator
circuit on this page.
* I have experimented
hundreds of hours using acoustic tricks.
It's fun,
it's like treasure hunting . . .
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