Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Is this instrument your invention ?

Answer 1: It is quite an old idea, belonging to the Russian Lev Sergeivitch Termen (Anglicised to Leon Theremin). He invented the instrument immediately after the first world war (in 1919 actually) while a student at the University of Petrograd. At that time electronics was still very close to its beginnings. Theremin’s invention was, in fact, the first synthesis of an acoustic sound using electronic circuits. That’s why Leon Theremin is now recognised as being the parent of other electronic musical instruments (analog and digital synthesisers). As you probably realise, the instrument is not my invention, but it is 100% my own design (see the explanations concerning my style of play – the Answer to Question 10).

Question 2: What is the name of this instrument ?

Answer 2: It is called theremin, coming from the name of its inventor. The instrument was initially called the ‘aetherphone’, then the ‘thereminvox’ and finally it received the name of its inventor.

Question 3: How does it work ?

Answer 3: The theremin is based on the ‘beat frequency oscillator principle’ or heterodyne effect. The audio signal arises from the difference between relatively high frequencies of two oscillators - one having a fixed frequency and the other one a variable frequency. The variation of the oscillation frequency for the second oscillator is determined by the variation in capacitance of only a few picofarads between an antenna and the player’s hand. Two such pairs of oscillators are used in each theremin: one is to control the pitch and the other one is to control the volume. The player uses his (or her) hands to control simultaneously the pitch and the volume.

Question 4: Is the theremin sensitive to any body or hands movements around it ?

Answer 4: Yes. The theremin ‘feels’ the presence of any body, hands or even fingers (not only of the player, but of any other person or animal!) moving in its proximity.

Question 5: Is it difficult to play the theremin ?

Answer 5: Yes. The theremin is, in my opinion, the most difficult instrument to play. One difficulty comes from the fact that the performers have to move their hands in real time (sometimes with the precision of a millimetre or even less), the only control being the results of these movements. Another difficulty comes from the fact that, when the performer has to play higher and higher notes, the ‘spacing’ (or distance between hand positions in space corresponding to successive notes) becomes smaller and smaller, thus making the intonation of achieved notes less and less accurate.

Question 6: Does the player touch the theremin while performing ?

Answer 6: No, not at all. The player only touches the knobs for tuning the instrument before performance, but not during playing. The theremin is unique in that it is played without there being any physical contact whatsoever between the performer and the instrument. Therefore the theremin performer plays without the benefit of any tactile reference. Unlike, say, a violinist, who is in continuous contact with the instrument’s fingerboard, the thereminist feels no shape or force when moving from one pitch (or volume) to another. The performer is constantly moving his or her hands, listening carefully to how the resulting sound changes, and then intuitively ‘trimming’ the precise position of the hands to get the desired pitch and volume. The process is one of continuous feedback. Notably playing the theremin can produce music of great expressiveness. The player leaves his personal mark on the rendition.

Question 7: Does everyone have chances to become a good thereminist ?

Answer 7: Unfortunately not. There is a minimum of conditions without which it does not merit to try: you must have a perfect ear for music and a very precise control of hand motions.

Question 8: Anything else?

Answer 8: Yes. Practice, practice and again practice until you will be able to move in real time your hands for faster and faster melodies in order to play them with correct intonation. Even more practice (years and years) will be required until you can play with feeling (to be capable of transmitting a sentiment from your heart to the heart of those in your audience).

Question 9: Are there different styles in playing the theremin ?

Answer 9: Yes. First of all, as for any other instrument, there are right and left handed players. But not only this. Most people play the theremin in the 'classical' style. For the classical theremin the pitch antenna is placed vertically in the right hand corner of a wooden or otherwise non-conducting cabinet. The volume antenna, usually shaped as a loop, is normally placed horizontally on the left hand side of the cabinet. The player changes the pitch of the sound by moving the right hand in a horizontal plane near the pitch antenna. The closer the hand is to the antenna, the higher the pitch of the generated sound. The player controls the loudness of the sound by moving the left hand in a vertical plane near the volume antenna. When the hand is close to the antenna the instrument is silent and maximum volume is obtained when the hand is moved away from the antenna. As you will see below, in playing the theremin I use my skills as a musical saw player and I have my own style, which I believe is unique in the world.

Question 10: Is it important how you place in space the pitch and the volume antennae ?

Answer 10: No. In order to avoid the interference between the two antennae you must place them in perpendicular planes. What is different in my style of play is the fact that I have changed the configuration in space for the pitch and volume antennae in comparison with the 'classical' style. For my theremin I use two pitch antennae, placed in horizontal planes, of the same length but different thicknesses. This arrangement allows me to improve the ‘spacing’. In order to control the pitch I can play low notes by bringing my left hand from my body nearer to the lower antenna, and higher and higher notes by moving my hand from the low to the high antenna. The way of controlling the volume is inverted when compared with the ‘classical’ style. The volume antenna looks like a simple plate - placed in the vertical plane. When my right hand is away from the plate the theremin is silent and the volume increases to the maximum when my right hand is moved closer, to within two inches of the plate.

Question 11: What about the tone produced by the theremin ?

Answer 11: The tone of the theremin depends on the instrument model used. Some people prefer the tone of theremin made by RCA (Radio Corporation of America) in the nineteen-thirties using electronic tubes. The tone of this model is close to that of a violin. Some other people like rather a smooth ethereal tone. I personally prefer the second one which is likened to that of a musical saw.

Question 12: Is it possible to use the theremin to create sounds other than that of the theremin itself ?

Answer 12: Yes. You can interface your theremin with other (digital) sources of sounds (sound modules, samplers, computers, etc.) using a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and command with your theremin these devices to generate sounds of a large timbral variety. The only requirement is to own a fast and accurate enough MIDI device.