THEREMIN Vs HELICOPTER EXPERIMENT

[Chickenkeeper24]

Just one thing to note, you need to set up the trim controls on the helicopter to prevent it from spinning wildly when you try to fly it, which would give you finer control when doing the experiment

[ThomasGrillo]

@Chickenkeeper24 Actually, I tried that. Later, I discovered the tail rotor's motor was not working right, and there was a dust bunny caught in the shaft, but she's not been able to fly right ever since. :(

[Chickenkeeper24]

@ThomasGrillo If it isn't a problem with the motor itself, is possible to take out the tail rotor if it needs cleaning. You just have to be very gentle and careful to make sure you don't pull out the motor and snap the connecting wires. I have one and have done it many times when things get trapped in the tail rotor when I show off and end up crashing it into the ground :)

[ThomasGrillo]

@Chickenkeeper24 Thanks. I'll give that a go. :)

[shannonrae39]

Ha ha! This vid makes me smile every time I watch it. There's a part where the toy helicopter flies a little further into the pitch field, and its movement makes the theremin sound kind of irritated, as if it were saying, "You silly toy, back off!" I love it!

[ThomasGrillo]

@shannonrae39 LOL. :)

[ThomasGrillo]

@thefunguy8000 Thanks, and no worries on the speling. ;)

[dfgremnants]

This guy is the boss.

[IqSNarwhalZZ]

haha, I love it, I love how you joke around about your flying skills in the credits, but the talent part should not have a question mark, for you have lots of talent kind sir.

[ThomasGrillo]

@IqSNarwhalZZ Thanks for the kind words. ;)

[gtq838]

no ground is needed. everything has an electrical capacitance except LH2 so grounded or not any object will infact alter a electro magnetic field. particularly large things or things with magnets in them like your rc chopper

[ThomasGrillo]

@gtq838 Thank you. :)

[BassLegend481]

i believe you should attempt this experiment again while standing on a plastic crate so you are no longer grounded

[ThomasGrillo]

@BassLegend481 I'll give that a go. :)

[BassLegend481]

@ThomasGrillo yah, plastic or possibly a wooden crate would disrupt the movement of electricity, which should either change how it sounds.... or possibly cause ur hair to stand, both would be fun

[ThomasGrillo]

@BassLegend481 Indeed. I have tried playing the theremin while jumping, and noticed the theremin still makes sound when I'm off the ground. My floors are wooden by the way. :)

[kotarotacon]

sounds like a overdriven guitar shredding to me :)

[ThomasGrillo]

@kotarotacon Yeh, that was the helecopter's rotor blades creating that effect. :)

[sexyliciousmexican]

you speak at a weird pace...

[ThomasGrillo]

@sexyliciousmexican Really? I'm I typing too fast for you now? :)

[sexyliciousmexican]

@ThomasGrillo haha

[dodo4hire]

@ThomasGrillo hahaha, that comment made my day!

[PerfectSaga]

@sexyliciousmexican Yeah, I can't really tell if it's slightly too fast or too slow compared to conventional speaking paces. It makes me feel uncomfortable.

[ThomasGrillo]

@PerfectSaga Truth be known, I was trying to read a script from a teleprompter. I'm also legally blind which made the job that much more challenging.

[chipmunx]

Now what if you flew the helicopter near the Theremin from another room in your house or outside? Remove more possible confounding variables to produce more SCIENCE!

[ThomasGrillo]

@chipmunx We've talked about that at thereminworld at one point. I've yet to take the theremin out to a very wide open area, and perform that experiment. Nearly forgot about that one. Thanks for reminding me. Might make a good sequal to this.

[chipmunx]

@ThomasGrillo Not a problem! Considering what I've read about Nikolai Tesla's work with "wireless energy," I am genuinely curious if your grounded status IS being transfered via radio waves.

[ThomasGrillo]

@chipmunx Indeed. There are several things that could still taint the experiment in the way of grounding. Those are, the power cord, the stand, and anything metal that's too close to the theremin. I'd love to use a battery powered theremin for the experiment.

[willis420247]

i want one

[ThomasGrillo]

@willis420247 Cool. Check my channel for a list of theremin manufacturers. :)

[jKazej]

Science!

But seriously, a very creative experiment.

It's not something I think about often, but at least I can now say I know what it sounds like when a helicopter plays a theremin.

[ThomasGrillo]

@jKazej Yes, it does sound strange. :)

[williestratton]

great idea!

[ThomasGrillo]

@williestratton Thanks. :)

[BCSasqwatcher]

There is only one way to prove this ... well two ways but Sheldon would scoff and walk away anyhow ... at any rate, get a bird to fly through the field ... Eagle, Hawk ... oh an Emu would do if you can toss it far enough! Good job though.

[ThomasGrillo]

@BCSasqwatcher LOL! :) Yeh, rright! That emu would rip you to shreds if you even got close to it. LOL. I did actually have a mosquito fly into, and bounce of the pitch rod at a restaurant gig once, and it sounded just like a bullet bouncing off a wall. I hated that it happened, but it sounded funny though. :)

[williestratton]

@ThomasGrillo that's awesome!!!

now i only think...

what if one set up a theremin in the middle of a locust swarm?o.O

[ThomasGrillo]

@williestratton More to the point, how'bout several theremins in the middle of a swarm. :)

[mycahman]

now i want you to play flight of the bumblebee with the helicopter

[ThomasGrillo]

@mycahman Yeh, right. :)

[gootch420]

where did you get the helicopter?

[ThomasGrillo]

@gootch420 Target. :)

[gootch420]

@ThomasGrillo awesome

[Thereminized]

I love theremins, too. As soon as I power up and step into that electro-magnetic field, I feel great! The theremin has helped me to compose better music on bass guitar, too. I listen to music more attentively now that I've taken up theremin. If I can ever find the time to burn a demo between working at the factory and visiting You Tube, I'll send it to you, Mr. Grillo. Theremins rule!!!

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks. I've also become a more antentive listener my self after starting to play the theremin back in 06.

Cool channel name too, by the way. :)

[Thereminized]

Thank you! You've only been playing four years? You're aerial fingering technique is great. I'm OK when I'm going up the scale using the four position method, but when I have to move down the scale, say, play a B below middle C when I'm in the key of E minor and the scale starts with an E two notes above mid C. I also like your posture. I tend to sluch, but working on that. Can't be sloppy with the theremin. I like that you're nice to your fans. Love your website, too. ;) ;) ;)

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks for the kind words. :)

You may want to just practice descending scales slowly at first for a bit. :)

[slugjerky]

Think about getting a drum-set.

[ThomasGrillo]

Had one.

Got tired of it playing the same note all the time. LOL :)

[slugjerky]

Percussion is the bane not the playing.

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed.

[Fluere22]

Thank you, Thomas. Honestly, thank you. I live in red china, and steal wifi from Eddie. The theramin is the only thing that keeps me going. And going. Some time i think it the only thing worth pursue. i speak english little only, but we all speak theramin. please never make no more videos. theramin video end? i am done. no more. i build own theramin in sweatshop i live. i steal parts every day to build one. maybe two! ever try to play two theramin? i try soon!

[ThomasGrillo]

Hi. I understand what you are saying. :)

I will certainly continue to make more youtube theremin videos.

I wish you all the best with your theremin building projects.

All the best.

[randyblouster]

nice flying, youre not bad at all. Keep training and you might be professonal someday. Thanks for good day, I had kind of bad day but you helped me trough it. You are true gladiator soul. I falled in love to theremins today .

[ThomasGrillo]

You're welcome. :)

I'm glad I could help brighten your day. :)

[ZippoZappa]

i love theremins so mutch. In iraq i got 7 theremins and i have a theremin band with my brother. I work as a cleaning expert in public toilets and theremins is the only thing that gives me reason to live. I wanna live in america.

[ThomasGrillo]

I feel the same way about theremins. :)

I wish you all the best with your desire, and quest to live in America.

[Beamshipcaptain]

That looks and sounds so much fun. I must have a Theremin for my Group Motion dance workshops, and my band. You rock!

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks. It is fun. :)

[Beamshipcaptain]

Practice hoverin the thing, and then you could do some really cool demos. Best theremin playing Iv'e seeen and heard, regardless! Do the flightsim!

[ThomasGrillo]

I never could get that chopper to hover very well, as I have terrible depth perception, lol. ;)

I'm much better on the flight sim though.

[Beamshipcaptain]

Hi. You totally rock on the Theremin. I desperately want one for Christmas, along with the new MOEBIUS MODELS 18" Jupiter-2 model kit (I saw it at CHILLER THEATER convention in Jersey halloweeen weekend. Please check out my Airwolf heli videos, and my band videos of me and my band: PHILLY ROCK. We want theremins! you are a great teacher, and I have taught guitar for 30-years, and bass for 14-years. Please, sir, I want some more, to paraphrase Oliver Twist!

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks for the kind words.

I'll certainly check out your videos. Thanks.

More, you shal have then. :)

[BatmansJournalist]

You could just toss a baseball through the Theramin field. :-)

[ThomasGrillo]

Done. No affect. :)

[kyo765]

But the helicopter has a battery which has a negative pole, which acts as a ground, right?

[ThomasGrillo]

Quite true. An interesting observation. :)

[jamesthecatfield]

I'm sorry but not, the negative pole doesn't act as ground 'cause the circuit ground of the theremin and the circuit ground of the heli Rc are not connected so they're not the same ground. The small effect the hali have on the pitch it's just because the little RC has a small mass, making very small variation in the electromagnetic field of the pitch antenna. a bigger mass makes bigger variation in antenna's capacity.

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks. :)

[bobodino1]

haha you have the Same heli as me

[ThomasGrillo]

I think I'd have done a better flight if I had a coaxial type craft. :)

[vortexxman]

Have you ever tried doing a duet, with 2 people playing 1 theremin? Would that work well? Is the theremin capable of producing 2 or more pitches at once?

[ThomasGrillo]

This has been nicely demonstrated by youtube user carport888. He shows how he, and his lovely assistant can play the same song at the same time. Both were using the same pitch field. Enjoy. :)

[vortexxman]

I just watched it. I was actually thinking more about polyphony. For example, playing Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on theremin, with 2 or 3 people (since there are several melodies being played along with the subject.) Or have 1 person play the melody, and the other playing the harmony part.

[ThomasGrillo]

Ah, sorry for the missinterpretation.

You were talking about a theremin ensemble. :) Yes, multiple theremins can be played in the same room at the same time. However, you have to be careful not to have like models of theremins too close to each other, or they'll interfere with each other. Best to have different models, still spaced at least 5 or 6 feet apart.

[vortexxman]

Basically, yes, but with 1 theremin, it would be difficult to play this way?

[ThomasGrillo]

With one theremin as in carport888's vid, and multiple people playing the same theremin, you're only going to get monophonic sound as with one person. It's also very difficult as you saw.

In an ensemble, with multiple theremins, it can also be difficult for technical reasons. This is why you normally find one theremin with an ensemble of different conventional instruments. :)

[werwertuu]

i think its like on an "flash" nothing happens when youre not touchin the ground ,but when you are you will die

i know my english is not the best ;P

i want to buy the "gakken theremin" do you think it´s good enough??

this would be my first theremin :)

do you know better ones, under 120 euro-175 dollar?

[ThomasGrillo]

I would save your money for a better instrument like a B3, or moog Etherwave theremin. I've heard lots of bad things about the sound quality, and you have to wear a wrist strap.

Oh, don't worry, you won't get grounded in any kind of dangerous way with the theremin. ;)

[m3ta4r]

a few butterflies in an aquarium might be interesting?

[ThomasGrillo]

Yes, it would. :)

[Alvren]

Hahaha! I'm not an expert on theremins, or on flying toy helicopters, for that matter, but that did seem like a lot of fun! :)

[ThomasGrillo]

Yeh, it was a hoot! LOL. :)

[spaceman1x]

Ha ha ha ha. Quite mad, but you make a good point about space and it's electrical mysteries. Thanks again. Very interesting.

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed. Thanks for the comment. :)

[Elijafir]

What is your floor made out of? What are the soles of your shoes made out of? I'm not an expert on theremins.. but you're probably not grounded.. and probably don't need to be to use a theremin. From what I have seen the theremin produces a static field and then flucuations in that field are electronically translated into an audible tone.

[ThomasGrillo]

The floor is wood. The shoes are casual dress shoes.

You're very close on your assumption as to how theremins work.

The field controls a vraiable beat frequency oscilator, one of two. The other is fixed at 200,000 Hz. The combination of the two produces the tone we hear at the speaker.

A ground is required for theremins to work. But you're likely correct in your assumption that the musicean doesn't need to be "the" ground for it to work. It is our capacitence that does make it work.

[nonbink]

its because of the oscillator on the reciever side on the helicopter toy,,, the reciever is also producing local oscillation for the frequency, hence it is picked up by your theremin.

[ThomasGrillo]

I thought the same thing, but then when I just turned off the toy, and tossed by the antenna, it still affected the theremin.

[13salsas]

Sos lo mas

[killerbeenl]

Is it also possible that the static electricity is influencing the field. Because it has a plastic rotor witch moves trough the air at high speed and a foam body??

[ThomasGrillo]

I had at first wondered about that myself, but then I tossed the model closely by the antenna, and got the same response without the rotors spinning.

I do know that as you indicated, the rotors would produce a static charge from the friction of the air molecules brushing against the plastic plades.

Interstingly, real helos produce dangerous levels of static charge through their rotors when they're spinning.

I wish I'd kept that out-take in the footage, now that you bring that point up.

[D1ovas]

wait... how r u blind.. ive heard u are and ur a great thereminist im just confused on how u see the helicopter and stuff

[ThomasGrillo]

I'm legally blind. Only my right eye has some vision, but very limited fields, and low accuity.

That's why I couldn't land the silly thing, and why they don't let me drive.

You know, they won't even let me have a pilots license. LOL :)

[21evilgrizz]

NOT EVEN A PILOTS LICENSE? Thats crap dude.

[ThomasGrillo]

Nope. Not even a pilots license. Heck, the way the airlines work these days, they might as well. They never leave the airport on time anyway, if at all these days. LOL :)

[rade70]

omg ure a white man with ure thermin omg seriously like chill out

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed. lol

[DarkAvatar1313]

you should try a helium balloon with a weight light enough to keep it from floating too high but not touching the ground. Then try using a fan or something similar to move the balloon at a distance.

[ThomasGrillo]

Yeh, an RC blimp would do nicely. ;)

[Penfold8]

:58 - 1:04 classic!

[syzahgee]

I had a housefly land on my Etherewave pitch rod. As you know, the rod has a plastic cap on top. The fly was cleaning himself and touching the metal part at the same time. He was playing the theremin by almost half a note. I was in the kitchen during this time looking for a beer. I thought the theremin had gone bonkers.

Jim

[ThomasGrillo]

That sounds like an incident a friend of mine had involving a june bug which landed on his pitch antenna during an outdoor event.

Only in your case, having landed on the plastic end cap, the fly was not quite in full contact with the rod.

Doobad there wasn't a camera at the ready for that. ;)

[Zoidberg227]

Clearly, Thomas, the next step in your experiment should be to test whether you can play Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries using the helicopter to control the pitch. I shall await with bated breath!

[ThomasGrillo]

Yeh. That'll happen. LOL ;)

Wouldn't that be a hoot, though?

That might actually be possible with one of the other models that use coaxial rotors.

[danielbarley]

hmm, one more thing I didn't know before, excelent

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks. ;)

[rayunseitig]

Yes fascinating, I wonder what a paper airplane would do. Or some object like a fishing weight or Christmas tree ornament if allovwed to swing to and fro over the theremin. That might be your rhythm section.

[ThomasGrillo]

A paper airplane lacks sufficient mass, and capacitence to trip the theremin. ;)

[agentvirgo]

For some reason I think of the puppet master from "Being John Malkovich" and wonder if someday people will do musical puppet shows using a theremin.

Anyway, interesting experiment. :)

[ThomasGrillo]

Hmm ,,,, ;)

[ThomasGrillo]

Well, perhaps not much of a ground, but I do like to stick to scientific methods. ;)

[DjC4]

AHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHA

You could try hanging it from fishing string and slowly drawing it in.

Awesome experiment. bwhaha

[ThomasGrillo]

The string would create a path to ground, and void the experiment. ;)

[gamebuster800]

i wonder what happend is you're carring a phone in your pocket while playing a theremin - and being called at the same moment.

If speakers/amp's are affected by them... what would a theremin do?

[ThomasGrillo]

So far, I've not had a cell phone interfere with a theremin. I had one in my packet, and it was on the whole time I played a half hour concert at a local put here in Jackson, and it did go off, but nothing happened with the theremin. Check out the video "Theremin Jazz Concert" at my channel.

[rottingorange]

ha that looke dlike a lot of fun i'll have to try it with my theremin when it comes in tomarow,

[ThomasGrillo]

Now if I can just figure out how to land those things. ;)

[Makron5]

Landing a helicopter is easy its just the being able to take off again part that's hard.

[ThomasGrillo]

Well, it would be if my copler's tail rotor was working properly. ;)

[conquerearth]

Nice. Makes you wonder what other objects would be fun to try. hmm....

[Thereminstrel]

Interesting experiment. Thanks (Looks like you had fun with that!!)

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed. It was a hoot. ;)

[giant777squid]

haha, I've got that same helicopter!  Those things are really tough to control. I don't know which is more challenging, flying the helicopter or playing my theremin!

[ThomasGrillo]

Yeh, when I first got the chopper, it worked very nicely, but I still had to adjust that trim quite a lot. It's got worse over time.

[dallasphill]

What about the DC powered circuit board in the copter? Would it not create an electromagnetic field around the copter that the theremin could pick up?

[ThomasGrillo]

It's possible, but it's more likely that it's the metal content of the battery, motors, and certainly the fact that motors produce their own em fields could contribute to some small degree.

[deconstrained]

That looks like fun! How do you come up with stuff like this?

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed it is fun.

There was some discussion over at thereminworld . com, about this subject. Couldn't resist.

[CrimsonAce5]

I got one of those helicopters and they never stop spinning in circles while they're airborn. Great video!

[ThomasGrillo]

Yeh, there's a pair of buttons that's supposed to let you trim the yaw axis, but over time, as the tail rotor motor gets worn, it gets to where it won't compensate well.

Thanks for the kind words.

[elisazoot]

YOU'RE A GENIUS.

[ThomasGrillo]

. . . ;)

[Makron5]

Ever try going beyond the zero beat field or throwing a book through the field?

[ThomasGrillo]

I have actually tossed both nonconductive, and conductive items through the field. Nonconductive items like paper, or books don't affect the field. But, when I toss a small chain, or coins pass the antenna, it does trip the theremin. However, I've yet do conduct the other half of the experiment, which is to get my self well outside the field (I'd need a hanger), and then toss something metalic into the field.

Experiment 3 would be to conduct the test in zero gravity. Who's got 20 million? ;)

[Makron5]

Get a catapult to launch a toaster through the field.

[ThomasGrillo]

LOL, That would be funny. But very risky. ;)

[ming57]

If some of the butter splattered in the pitch antenna, would you be stuck with a really high pitch til you cleaned it off, or does it not have a field?

[ThomasGrillo]

Well, not there's a question to ponder. ;)

I have heard a story from another thereminist who did an outdoor performance, and had a bug land on his pitch antenna. It did trip the theremin to a high pitch note.

Something tells me the butter might not have the capacitence to trip the theremin. But rather, the copacity to make a mess. lol ;)

I'll get back to you on that.

[Pipistrello]

That was great. lol Imagine becoming a good enough pilot to actually PLAY a simple tune.

[ThomasGrillo]

If I had one of those co-axial rotaor jobs with the reaction control thrusters, perhaps I could indeed do that. lol ;) Mine has a bad tail rotor, so about all I could do was shuv it in the general direction and hope. ;)

[Bamargera18]

haha its very funny but make a new musik video with your dress i miss that greedings from germany

[ThomasGrillo]

Allready in production. With tux, ofcourse. ;)

[RoadRunnerLaser]

Oh.... Theramin Vs Helicopter ?

I think that the theramin won !

[ThomasGrillo]

Indeed. lol. But the experiment was a success. ;)

[RoadRunnerLaser]

Absolutely! Quite an enjoyable one too. I wondered if the theramin would have interfered with the "reliable control" of the helicopter but it survived better than I thought it might.

[RoadRunnerLaser]

Rotor tip collision with the pitch antenna of the theramin ?

A most unusual accident... ;)

[ThomasGrillo]

That was no accident. I meant to do that. lol

[jdstorms]

pretty cool... wireless ground theory 5/5