How I Set Up My Theremin

This is a step-by-step description of how I set up my theremin for video recording. When I started making this video I expected it might be 7 or 8 minutes long including the performance of the Rodgers & Hammerstein song, YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME, which comes at the end of the talk. It turned out to be almost 15 minutes long, and I still had a bunch of things I wanted to cover!

I recorded the spoken portion of the demonstration in the above video using the videocam built-in microphone, but when I began to play the theremin I recorded to the ROLAND, mixed the song, burned a CD, and replaced the soundtrack on that portion of the video with an mp3 of the performance (using iMovie and iTunes on my Mac). With iMovie, you can import audio (in mp3 format) from your iTunes library, sync it with your video, and then mute the live audio from the original clip. It's quite simple and I can do it in just a couple of minutes.

I apologize for being so long winded and I hope that people who are interested in the theremin will find something of value here. If you have any questions post them to the "comments" section or send me a message.

Thanks for watching. Enjoy.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• moog
• etherwave
• pro
• theremin
• millennia
• stt-1roland
• vs-2400cd
• peter
• pringle
• younger
• than
• springtime

[aerphonic]

AERPHONIC HERE: A remarkable and informative trek, sans rod and gun, through the jungle of the delicious peripheral gear that brings your rich theremin sound to life as only you can. I particularly like the positioning of the Claratone speaker behind you giving you a virtual halo. This angelic-like artifact is in keeping with your showmanship and is worthy of your heavenly talents. You are "better than springtime" to theremin enthusiasts the world over.

Much love from,

AERPHONIC

[copperleaves]

@aerphonic

Hi aerphonic,

Thanks for the compliments, but that "angelic" look and associated halo are entirely due to the illusion of parallax. Believe me, there ain't nuthin' angelic about me! As for the theremin, anyone who has ever tried to play one will tell you, IT'S DIABOLICAL!

[GordonCharlton]

7:20 Loved the Bob Moog quote at 7:20 - I couldn't agree more!

Thank you for showing your aspirational set-up.

[cf18]

@0o0o0ok Aha! So it's: Etherwave Pro > amp > Claratone speaker > AKG mic > Millenia > desk - got it.

[RoboticusMusic]

@0o0o0ok If you think that is an "eq box" no amount of explanation will help you. Good luck.

[copperleaves]

@0o0o0ok

If you were hearing the theremin on its own, and you were actually in the room listening to it live, it would sound very full and dynamic. Hearing it recorded to a videocam using the camera's built-in microphones, that same sound would be highly compressed and "thin", lacking the richness and range of the live sound. With the setup I demonstrate above, I can maintain much of what would have been removed from the audio by conventional videocams.

[0o0o0ok]

@RoboticusMusic ive watched the video thank you. it doesnt answer my question of what it sounds like on its own. i know the EQ box is important but i still don't know *exactly* how much effect it has on the sound

[0o0o0ok]

@cf18 he said it wasnt the "camera" microphone