Tue 19 Aug 2008
Wooo-eee-ooo!
Posted by anaglyph under Gadgets, Geek, Music, Sound, Technology
[21] Comments
For reasons I’m not at liberty to disclose just yet, I ventured today into the depths of my storage unit to retrieve my beautiful Big Briar Model 91C Theremin. I thought you’d all like to see it.
You can read about how I came by this beautiful instrument here.
And for Atlas, a sample of my less-than-perfect technique:
21 Responses to “ Wooo-eee-ooo! ”
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[…] remember that a couple of weeks back I retrieved my beautiful Big Briar Model 91C Theremin from storage for an unspecified outing? Well […]
Oh my Simple Graphics God, that thing is so very beautiful. Oooooo-waeeeeee-laaaaaaa.
What? No sound clip? Tsk.
So when the Beach Boys come to your side of the world do they ask you to sit in with the band?
Hey, K-9 Mark IX
Cissy Strutt: Yes indeed, a beautiful thing.
Atlas: Rectified.
Mike: No, my ego is too big for them and they won’t let me wear a tux on stage.
(It’s a widespread myth that Good Vibrations features a theremin. What you hear in the song is in fact an electronic instrument invented & played by Dr Paul Tanner, dubbed at the time ‘The Box’, but later christened the ‘Tannerin’. The story that it was a theremin has been widely propagated, not least by Brian Wilson himself in the film Theremin – An Electronic Odyssey, where he recalls playing it on the song’s recording. We can only assume that Brian’s brain is still processing his chemical excesses of the ’60s. Read about Dr Paul Tanner and his invention here. What is true is that later Beach Boys’ tours introduced a theremin onstage to be used in live performances of Good Vibrations. C’mon, you know that you visit The Cow to learn this kind of ephemera!)
Malach: With a much less annoying voice.
Thanks for the audio. Very cool sounding device you got there. Will it fit in the Mysterious Corner?
I have been toying with the idea of building a Theremin-like concept. Basically, something that could go into the effects loop and control something like pitch shift or even as a send to some other outboard effect. I think if you ran one of those through a couple 12au7 tubes in a preamp, you could have something fairly cool.
But I have a lot of crazy crap to build before I can think about that. I’ve been reverting to the analog lately.
That’s fantastic – it sounds just like Lotte Lenya!
Hang on, are you playing Youkali?
Atlas: It’s a bit large for Mysterious Corner. It needs a corner all of its own. Theremin Corner, maybe.
Casey: The theremin puts out a standard 1v per octave control voltage, so it’s simple to control analogue synths with it. And pretty much anything else that sees a cv. I also have a Fairlight Voicetracker (thanks King Willy) which will control the theremin’s sound – I’ve yet to put it into practice, but it’s something on the To Do List.
Pil: >>Hang on, are you playing Youkali?
Not intentionally…
Wow, so it could control something like a pitch shifter (easy to make) or even a univibe. Who knew someone would be thinking about such coolness in the 20s.
Wow! I’m not jealous, no really I’m not….
Casey: Ha! Well, to be accurate, the control voltage concept came via Bob Moog in the late Fifties/early Sixties. Moog began his career in making electronic instruments via building bespoke theremins. That lead him to the keyboard controlled oscillator concept, using voltage control. The rest is history, as they say.
Matt: Yeah, well, I was in the right place at the right time, what can I say? Those kinds of opportunities are very special life circumstances and I treasure them!
Shit your theremin’s way bigger than my radiotronics!!!! Though I have spotted an old Halicrafters on Ebay – is this gear envy again I ask myself. Damn this being a male – it’s a real bitch, and I always told myself I’d travel light to gigs in the future.
The King
King Willy: Size isn’t everything: you can get a portable theremin designed by Dr Moog, if you’re really keen. It’s the Moog Etherwave. I have one of those too.
Paul Tanner link fixed, thanks.
NOW you’ve done it!
Excellent! Maybe we can do dueling theremins!
As long as it’s not in the backwoods of Georgia.
Mate, that is a real instrument.
Noice.
Hello, just perusing a Theremin Google search today and came across your post. Sooo, do you still have your Theremin? Are you still playing? I play Moog’s Etherwave Theremin. I love playing. I am in a band called WaveSauce. Anyway, love the 91C. It would be a dream to have one. Cheers, Cookie