• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

I'm Building a Theremin

Peach Jr.

Critical Thinker
P
Joined
Feb 5, 2003
Messages
258
I'm not sure whether or not I'm posting this in the correct forum.

I'm an amateur electronics tech. I've repaired a lot of audio equipment, but have never built anything before. This year, the Mr. decided to let me(well, ok he made me) choose my Winter Solstice present. I chose a theremin kit. If you're interested, I'm buying it from here.

My question to any and all electronics folks: Am I crazy? Should I try the "build-a-crystal-radio" breadboard stuff before I attempt this? It looked fairly straightforward on the website, but I've been wrong before. Any help or advice would be welcome.
 
Theremins are fun. It should be no problem if it's from a kit.

Send us some samples of "woo-woo" music when you get it done.
 
Peach Jr. said:
My question to any and all electronics folks: Am I crazy? Should I try the "build-a-crystal-radio" breadboard stuff before I attempt this?
Click to expand...

I work in the electronics industry, and I think you'll be fine with this kit. I built one of paia's kits long ago, and it was quite easy. If you can follow simple, but lengthy, instructions, it should work. We all make mistakes sometimes, so it's a good idea to double-check your work against the manual before you power it up, just in case something's been overlooked.

Have fun with the kit, and let us know how it goes!
 
Peach Jr. said:

My question to any and all electronics folks: Am I crazy? Should I try the "build-a-crystal-radio" breadboard stuff before I attempt this? It looked fairly straightforward on the website, but I've been wrong before. Any help or advice would be welcome.
Click to expand...

I built one last year. It is straight-forward. You should have no problem if you can already solder and use a multi-meter.

I used mine with a digital delay pedal to make "spooky" sounds for the trick-or-treaters yesterday. But I'm not good enough to play a recognisable tune.

--Terry.
 
PAIA has been around since moses and thier stuff is great . I know someone who built this kit and they said it was EZ. First kit I ever built was a delay from craig anderton ( guitar magazine) and if I'm not mistaken they had one of the first computer kits as well.
 
Hey... it's their free plans 'o the month, if you want an early peek at what you're in for.
 
Don’t forget to find out all you can about the Russian Dr. Theremin it’s inventor.
 
Master Sargent Till here:.........Dress them wires son! Don't you know that the Freq and Volume component are controled by less then mV ??? Coax to the antenna makes the thing more stable besides =0

Hut Hut Is that a Metal encloser Boy?? It had better be !!!

Cool stuff mang =)
 
TillEulenspiegel said:
Master Sargent Till here:.........Dress them wires son! Don't you know that the Freq and Volume component are controled by less then mV ??? Coax to the antenna makes the thing more stable besides =0

Hut Hut Is that a Metal encloser Boy?? It had better be !!!

Cool stuff mang =)
Click to expand...

aw, but sarge, it works fine like it is ;)

Yeah, it could be tidier. But the antennas are connected with coax (teeny thin stuff). The base of the box is metal; the sides alas are wood. But that's why they gave us trim controls, right?

--Terry
 
WOW! VERY cool, Peach!
There's a great documentary on the Theremin that I saw about two years ago. If you have a TiVo, enter in "theremin" and you'll catch it.
It's such a great instrument, and the skill it takes to play it. The woman they had in the documentary was astonishing.
Let us know how it goes! That is so, so cool.
 
Terry said:


aw, but sarge, it works fine like it is ;)

Yeah, it could be tidier. But the antennas are connected with coax (teeny thin stuff). The base of the box is metal; the sides alas are wood. But that's why they gave us trim controls, right?

--Terry
Click to expand...
Man thats great I remember the feeling . Grats ++ =)
 
Dorian Gray said:
I'm picking up good vibrations.
Click to expand...
You're feelin' the excitations?

(seriously, Theremins are fun. I built one a LONG time ago out of a couple of 12AX7's and a 6V6GC)
 
Thanks for the encouragement everybody - it's most appreciated.

Yeah, I have some modest skills with a soldering gun/meter/oscillator, but it's been over a year since I've had the chance to use them. I may be a little rusty. But I feel optimistic anyway.

I saw the Plans of the Month on PAiA's site yesterday. Oh my it's tempting. I'm just afraid I'd get in way over my head and not finish - that's what I fear the most. The idea of using it as a controller sounds good too...but I'd sort of like to learn how to play it on its own also.

Oh yeah...good vibrations!
 
Peach Jr. said:
Oh yeah...good vibrations!
Click to expand...
Maybe not.
"Actually, based upon my research into the subject, what we all have generally concluded over the years is a Theramin on`Good Vibrations' was most likely a very similar instrument some called the Electro-Theramin," Sahanaja explains. "The Electro-Theramin was the creation of a Big Band-era trombone player named Paul Tanner, who, frustrated with the Theramin's inability to be played in a note-specific manner, built his own custom box with a volume switch and a needle-pointer, which could be moved along a stationary rod to hit selected notes as indicated by a standard keyboard reference. The original Theramin, which was`played' by moving your hands around the device's antenna-like oscillator, was fine for effects, but a real bear when it came to having to play actual notes with any sense of accuracy. Paul Tanner's mechanical-slide controller remedied this problem fairly effectively, and as a result, his variation of the instrument was widely used in studios around the time Brian was recording`Good Vibrations'."
Click to expand...
Gotta love a good Theramin controversy. ;)
 
Terry said:


aw, but sarge, it works fine like it is ;)

Yeah, it could be tidier. But the antennas are connected with coax (teeny thin stuff). The base of the box is metal; the sides alas are wood. But that's why they gave us trim controls, right?

--Terry
Click to expand...
Nifty job, Terry! Did you mean the sides making up the box itself, or the enclosure around it? I've got a reason for asking this...I had an idea of putting the (metal)finished kit inside a wooden "frame". The Mr. is supposed to help me with that.

If you don't mind my asking, what did you make the antenna from?
 
MoeFaux said:
WOW! VERY cool, Peach!
There's a great documentary on the Theremin that I saw about two years ago. If you have a TiVo, enter in "theremin" and you'll catch it.
It's such a great instrument, and the skill it takes to play it. The woman they had in the documentary was astonishing.
Let us know how it goes! That is so, so cool.
Click to expand...
I saw that a few years ago. That was a cool documentary - Theremin himself didn't have an easy time of it for many years, so that was kind of sad to watch. I think the woman's name was Clara Rockmore. She's just amazing! I think she was a violinist when she began working with the theremin. It definitely showed - she was just incredible!

I'll post w/some pictures when it's all done.
 
Peach Jr. said:

Nifty job, Terry! Did you mean the sides making up the box itself, or the enclosure around it? I've got a reason for asking this...I had an idea of putting the (metal)finished kit inside a wooden "frame". The Mr. is supposed to help me with that.

If you don't mind my asking, what did you make the antenna from?
Click to expand...

The enclosure is the optional enclosure you can buy from PAIA. It consists of four wooden sides, one wooden top, and a metal bottom. The antennas are made from welding rod, which comes with the kit (maybe with the case kit, I don't remember). It appears to be brass (that'd make it a brazing rod, then - but it doesn't have flux on it). Diameter is around 3mm (1/8 ").


--Terry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom