I’m kind of intriged by the theremin. But how practical is it for an individual to own/play?
I’m a mediocre musician. I can amuse myself at a piano, and not drive others from the room. I enjoy singing. I read music quite well. I’m looking for something I can spend some time with, and amuse myself.
Is a theremin, in the hands of someone not totally devoted to spending lots of time practicing, interesting to play? As a stand alone instrument, can you do anything with it? Or is it like owning a cowbell, which has it’s place in music, but isn’t so hot as a solo instrument.
I think it’s more like a Kazoo. Fun to play for yourself with whatever talent level you have, but you’re probably not going to ever be asked to be the lead musician in a band on one.
I like messing around on mine, but I like the sound better after running it through a guitar distortion device (had an old Roland box, but the guy who owned it recently wanted it back, not sure what to get now).
I actually own a theremin. And yes, I bought it on a complete whim. In fact, I didn’t buy a theremin so much as I made one. (Note, that wasn’t the exact site I purchased mine off, but I can’t find that site now so it’ll have to suffice.)
Anyway: alone, my theremin-ing sounds pretty hilarious. But I spend a good week in my office with a theremin & Emmylou Harris CDs or Portishead CDs or whatever felt like a good idea, just theremin-ing along and, honestly, it was easier to pick up than you think. Plus, you look like a magician.
I’ve heard performances of solo thereminists (?) that are jaw-dropping, so it can be done. But for somewhere between $100 and $400, I’d recommend getting one. You’ll have a blast.
Theremin owner here; I own the Moog etherwave. The theremin is an easy instrument to make wacky noises with, and an incredibly difficult instrument to learn to play well in a musical fashion.
However, when you do see someone that’s taken the time to learn the instrument, it’s pretty much jaw-dropping, as in the case of Pamelia Kurstin. She does a jazz theremin thing as an extra on the moog documentary that’s amazing - she plays walking basslines and everything.
I think that the primary attribute you must have is an excellent ear. If you can’t tell a G from an F#, do us all a favor and stay far away from that torture device.
She blew me away in that. She was fantastic. The film, however, sucked ass. What’s up with having huge amounts of it in Russian, but with no subtitles?
Playing music well isn’t just a matter of how rapidly you can spit out the notes, or how many notes you can play at once. Apart from the evidence already given regarding Clara Rockmore, I have no doubt that the right person or people could play good music on kazoos if they wanted to. I’d think any a-capella outfit ought to be able to do instrumental arrangements on kazoos.
And there are probably very few virtuoso Theramin players, as well.
I wasn’t trying to trivialize the Theramin as an instrument, or elevate the Kazoo. I can name a dozen famous guitarists or pianists or drummers, but my list of famous Theraminists (?) is falling a little short.
Hearing it reminds me a lot of the violin. I think it’d actually be a very excellent instrument to front a sort of jazz ensemble. It’s a very weepy, sad sort of instrument.
The one I saw about 10 years ago had subtitles. I remember Prof. Termen himself, then in his 90s, spoke so feebly and in such thick English that even that needed subtitles.