The 1937 Philip Stout Theremin

In January of 1998, I had the opportunity to visit vintage theremin expert Reid Welch at his home in Florida. During my short stay, I shot three videos of Reid describing and demonstrating some of the tube theremins in his collection. The theremin in this video was built in 1937 by Philip Stout. That's "Petey" the dog in the background, sitting on top of a beautifully restored electrical mechanical violin and piano machine called a "Violano Virtuoso" (this was another of Reid's fascinating restoration projects).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• theremin
• synthesizer
• electronic
• music
• vintage
• stout
• reid
• welch

[southerner66]

You're certainly correct that matching a speaker to a tube amplifier is very important to the final sound. I wonder if any Theremins were made with speakers that use a field-coil rather than a permanent magnet.

[AerialTheShamen]

This theremin (and Clara Rockmore's) sounds very cello-like. On the web I yet heard others with timbre more or less like slide trombone, tuba, female opera voice, flute, oboe or saxophone.

Reid Welch says here, making theremins is like making violins. Is it true that the mechanical placement of coils etc. (not just the numerical values) is most important for the generated timbre due to RF interference? Would it make sense to construct one with user-moveable coils (levers) to change timbres?

[joshbobak2]

is your dog on that china cabenet?wtf

[ortew1]

Thanks for the explanation!

[alexktard]

Dog on the top of the cabinet? loll just curious why it would be up there haha...he definitely didnt jump up like a cat

[EvangelionFan]

well i must thank peter as well ^ ^

[ReidWelch]

Credit goes to Peter Pringle, ever so much more than myself. He should have been Clara's best friend, and would have been had he been there a year or two earlier on the scene. She would have adored him, and did, because I extolled to about the talents and generosity and aid to myself, of Peter. But, by that time, her life was nearly solitary. She was letting go from life. He did as much for me as Clara; am so grateful for Peter, and his works and persistence of vision. He is a great man.

[AR1264]

Reid, without you, we'd have nothing of this at all.

[ThomasGrillo]

How could I have missed this vid when it went up?

Thank you so much for the detailed information. I'd dearly love to play this instrument. :)

Keep up the great works!

[AR1264]

Thank you Reid, what wonderful tone you have achieved. I'm sure Mr. Stout would be pleased with your refinements.

Thank you Peter for videotaping Reid and this unique instrument and posting it here.