Moog Theremins

Description

The Moog Etherwave theremin is an authentic adaptation of inventor Leon Theremin's original design (The "theremin" is one of the oldest electronic instruments, and the only one known that you play without touching. Pitch and volume are controlled by moving your hands in the space around its antennas).The Etherwave is a quality theremin with a design that retains many characteristics of the original theremins, including a five-octave pitch range and reliable spacing between notes for sophisticated playability. Antennas are nickel-plated 3/8' brass tube and cabinets are furniture-grade hardwood, finished black.The Etherwave is fitted with an adapter for mounting on a standard microphone stand.What is a Theremin?The theremin is one of the oldest electronic instruments, and the only one known that you play without touching. Moving your hands in the space around its antennas controls pitch and volume. Like the Ethervox, the Etherwave is an authentic adaptation of inventor Leon Theremin's original design.The EtherwaveThe Etherwave is a quality theremin with a design that retains many characteristics of the original theremins, including a five-octave pitch range and reliable spacing between notes for sophisticated playability. Antennas are nickel-plated 3/8' brass tube and cabinets are furniture-grade hardwood, finished black. The Etherwave is fitted with an adapter for mounting on a standard microphone stand and is designed for use with a musical instrument amplifier such as the Moog TB-15.The Etherwave ships with two videotapes: Clara Rockmore: the Greatest Theremin Virtuosa, and Mastering the Theremin, featuring Lydia Kavina. Power supply is included.Understanding the EtherwaveHow the Etherwave WorksThere are several resonant circuits, or tuned circuits, in the Etherwave theremin. Since resonant circuits are not as common or accessible in today's electronic gear as they used to be

Features

• An authentic adaptation of inventor Leon Theremin's original design
• Five-octave pitch range and reliable spacing between notes for sophisticated playability
• Antennas are nickel-plated 3/8" brass tube
• Cabinets are furniture-grade hardwood, finished black
• Fitted with an adapter for mounting on a standard microphone stand

Reviews

The current standard Theremin instrument

by Thomas Farrell from Massachusetts, United States on 2005-02-22
The Moog Music Etherwave has rapidly become the definitive instrument for Theremin beginners, for good reason: it's solidly made and has excellent performance. Theremins are an inherently difficult insturment to begin with, and a poorly made instrument can easily make the difference between "incredibly difficult" and "completely impossible". Unlike most cheaper Theremins, the Etherwave is definitely playable, and professional musicians do use it both on stage and in the recording studio. It has a thick, solid wood shell, and two detachable chrome antennas which seem more solid in person than they do in a photo. The unit is relatively lightweight, and I'd guess it weighs about the same as my laptop. As for its sound, it has a fairly classic theremin sound... some people complain it's a bit thin, but I've found that depends a lot more on the amplifier and (if applicable) equalizer used than on the instrument itself. When hooked up to professional gear, my Etherwave sounds rich and fat. My Etherwave has appeared at several major science fiction conventions. I like that I can throw it in a small bag over my shoulder, pack a small amp in another bag, and use a standard microphone stand that's borrowable at most performance venues if I don't want to carry one. (I have a folding stand I can bring along, too.) Probably over a thousand people have toyed with my Etherwave, and most of them told me they had fun with it. The instrument's difficulty does not subtract from its fun value. Don't forget that at a minimum you'll also need to get an amplifier (a keyboard amp: the Etherwave is a bit too powerful for a guitar amp although one can be used in a pinch), a stand (a microphone stand, as I said, without a boom arm), and an audio cable to connect the Theremin to the amp (a standard inexpensive "guitar cord" with 1/4 inch male connectors at both ends).

Don't take up this instrument lightly. It's easy to play but much harder to master.

by Bryan J. Peterson from Twin Falls, Idaho United States on 2009-08-29
Take the warning to heart. I'm definitely glad I never went in expecting to master the theremin in a day or two or even a few months or years. If I had I would definitely have been in for a nasty shock. It's amazing that an instrument made in the early 1900's could be so sophisticated, both in its sound and in its method of playing. The theremin is the only musical instrument in existence that one plays without actually touching. THe Etherwave, manufactured by Moog Music, is by all accounts one of the more popular models. Unlike the now discontinued Pro model, the standard Etherwave does have some issues with unevenly spaced notes, but you can get around that. I purchased my Etherwave in January or February of 2009, having developed an interest in theremins and electronic instruments in general thanks to the music of French composer Jean-Michel Jarre. I purchased it along with a Moog TB-15 amplifier [...], but since discovering that Amazon also sells them I thought I'd leave my two cents here. First off let's get one thing straight. You definitely want plenty of space around the instrument when you set it up. This is because the electromagnetic energy fields that the instrument generates and by which it's controlled, need plenty of room to expand. If not, they'll be compacted so tightly around the antennas that you won't have much freedom of movement. This is why you should also leave your unit on for about fifteen minutes, maybe even just a little longer, before you actually start playing with it. You can start with it immediately if you're just playing at home, but if you're giving aperformance you'll want to let it warm up, otherwise you'll have problems. Also, if there's a lot of furniture, particularly furinture with metal components, that'll play havoc with the theremin as well. It probably wouldn't actually harm it but since it's such a sensitive instrument, such things can easily interfere with it. Needless to say it's extremely hard to play in my rather cramped studio apartment. It's true that if one has the right electronics knowledge one can open the cabinet with the included plastic tool (never use metal!) and adjust the inner components to make it less troublesome and more playable in smaller spaces, but this should not under any circumstances be attempted without the proper electronics knowledge and careful reading of the Etherwave's manual. I lack the proper knowledge, so I don't dare attempt it myself. Even so, the theremin has been a lot of fun for me. I do have a cat critic (LOL), but I get the feeling he could care less when I get the thing out. I'm glad I spent the money on it and I do hope someday to be, if not as good as Lydia Kavina or even her granduncle Leon Theremin himself, at least competant enough to play in front of audiences. When played well the theremin is actually quite a pretty instrument. I encourage anyone with the interest, time and patience to give this marvelous instrument a try. It's hard to play but fun as well.

Great Quality At A Reasonable Price

by Thaddeus MacGregor from on 2007-12-18
The Moog Etherwave Theremin is a great instrument. Robert Moog had been designing and building theremins since high school, and this model is the result of those many years of experience. And the price is quite reasonable considering you're getting a real professional quality instrument. Anything less is more of a toy.

Very easy to play, impossible to master!

by Mark H. Rosengarten from Wallkill, NY USA on 2008-02-09
This theremin does not have a linear scale, unlike the (now defunct) Etherwave Pro. It is easy to set up (all you need is a mic stand and an amp), and a LOT of fun to play. You have control over the sensitivities of the volume antenna and the pitch antenna, you can control the waveform and the brightness of the sound, which gives it whatever character you want. It is tremendous fun to play, but one of my cats does not like the sound of it and tries to stop me from playing it within minutes of my starting. Endless hours of fun, if you don't have a cat/critic.

Description

The theremin is one of the oldest electronic instruments, and the only one known that you play without touching. Moving your hands in the space around its antennas controls pitch and volume. Like the Ethervox, the Etherwave is an authentic adaptation of inventor Leon Theremin's original design. The Etherwave is a quality theremin with a design that retains many characteristics of the original theremins, including a five-octave pitch range and reliable spacing between notes for sophisticated playability. Antennas are nickel-plated 3/8 inch brass tube and cabinets are furniture-grade hardwood, finished black. The Etherwave is fitted with an adapter for mounting on a standard microphone stand and is designed for use with a musical instrument amplifier such as the Moog TB15. The Ether wave is shipped with a DVD that contains two Video tutorials: Mastering the Theremin with Lydia Kavina, and Clara Rockmore, the World's Greatest Theremin Virtuosa.

Features

• Power Rocker Switch - switches on and off the AC power to theremin
• Audio Out - standard 1/4 in. phone jack, which delivers line level output to your amplifier
• Pitch Range: 5 octaves (3 above and 2 below middle C)
• Timbre: 2 continuous rotary controls for waveform and brightness
• Power Input - receptacle for the special AC adapter that comes with the Etherwave. 110 volt and 220 volt adapters are available

Reviews

The most playable of the modern Theremins

by Michael A. Duvernois from Minneapolis, MN United States on 2009-01-31
I built a kit theremin (from Paia) that has excellent sound, but the distance between the notes tended to wander as the unit heated up. The Moog unit is much more stable and playable musically (as opposed to spacey "wooo-wooo" sounds). Good quality, with a good DVD of instruction and inspiration. If you think about the electronics in this, the price is rather high, but the quality is good and the quantities are low.

This is the coolest thing I've ever bought

by Daniel D. Ortega from Berkeley, CA USA on 2010-01-03
The theremin looks great, sounds awesome, has a relatively flat learning curve, and is totally unique. It arrived almost immediately, took less than two minutes to assemble, and everyone who sees it wants to play it. The product quality looks very high (the wood box that holds the circuitry is very nicely finished), and the controls are simple and sturdy. The vendor is quick to ship and has great customer service. My only regret is not having discovered this sooner.

I LOVE MY MOOG!!!

by Jeny A. Stackhouse from a forest called... Palmyra? on 2010-08-05
I have been having so much fun learning how to play my Theremin!!! Its a great sound, the video teaches so much, but i found some even better videos to learn how to play on You Tube. I love it so much that i made a custom speaker for it! Moog is always a great company, and this Theremin goes to prove it! Definitely worth the price.