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Theremin

PSellersPSellers 157 Posts
edited April 2005 in Strut Central
Hi,This is my first question I think. Anyway I have taken quite a recent liking to the sound of a theremin an aquired taste i think. I was wondering if anyone knew any good records using a theremin preferably staying slightly away from scifi sound tracks although recommendations of that nature are welcome. I just want to hear something a little different using a theremin so if anyone can give me some advice and point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.Thanks

  Comments

  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Jon Spencer Blues Explosion used to use one live but I don't know if it ever made the records (I used to have a shirt that read THE WORLDS NEWEST INSTRUMENT or something like that with a pic)

    You've seen the movie right?
  • rape_donkeysrape_donkeys 615 Posts
    beach boys 'good vibrations' is the obvious one
    add n to (x)
    blues explosion used it a lot
    iqu (this band was dope, are they still together?)
    buffalo daughter also was into it on one of their records
    the need killed it with the demented circus shit
    man... or astroman relied on it way too much
  • mcdeemcdee 871 Posts
    did you watch that moog documentary posted earlier? in this thread. there was some great live footage of a group using a theremin in there.
  • handcorkscrewhandcorkscrew 255 Posts
    One from my hometown are the Lothars. It's a group of mostly theremins.... definitely "an acquired taste" but maybe you will dig. They have lots of listening samples.

    http://www.wobblymusic.com/lothars/
  • PSellersPSellers 157 Posts
    I will check that link later when I get home from work. cheers for the comments.
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    Theremin in pop music is pretty easy to find, as folks have listed, I would add Portishead, Jimmy Page used one on "Whole Lotta Love" and "No Quarter," Pere Ubu, Barbez, and others listed here: http://www.thereminworld.com/bands.asp?s=257


    It's fairly easy to make your own theremin using your sampler. All you need is a sine wave, some LFO, modulation, reverb, and a little envelope filter tweaking.
  • djdazedjdaze 3,099 Posts

    iqu (this band was dope, are they still together?)

    The one on K records? I have no idea if they're together anymore, I picked up their album Chotto Matte A Moment but that was like 4 years ago.
  • CosmophonicCosmophonic 1,172 Posts
    My father??s old teacher (R.I.P.) played with the NY Philharmonic when they "premiered" the instrument. Imagine an entire classical orchestra where nobody??s ever heard anything like that before sitting there watching the soloist unpack the thing...


    getting the "stick" set up...


    playing for ten seconds...











    the entire orchestra falling of their chairs in laughter.


    They played the concert with GREAT difficulty and never had a theremin in there again.

    - J
  • JoeMojoJoeMojo 720 Posts

    iqu (this band was dope, are they still together?)

    The one on K records? I have no idea if they're together anymore, I picked up their album Chotto Matte A Moment but that was like 4 years ago.

    Yeah, they're still around and gigging.
  • Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
    There's actually a great documentary about the inventor of the theremin, I believe his name was theremin. Also, if you're really into it, I've heard from people who have made their own theremin, and that it is really not hard to do.
  • DenmarkVZDenmarkVZ 397 Posts
    beach boys 'good vibrations' is the obvious one
    add n to (x)
    blues explosion used it a lot
    iqu (this band was dope, are they still together?)
    buffalo daughter also was into it on one of their records
    the need killed it with the demented circus shit
    man... or astroman relied on it way too much

    Yusef Lateef
    Cornelius (sp?)
    Lothar and the Hand People
    Clara Rockmore
    Led Zepplin
  • bluesnagbluesnag 1,285 Posts

    i was at a party a few years ago and somebody had one of those things. i was super stoned and messed with it for a long time. it's hard to make the thing make the sounds you want. i'm kinda drunk and wish i had a theremin right now.
  • parsecparsec 5,087 Posts
    IQU put out a second album a couple months back, finally! Kento can play the theremin like nobodys business. Makes that shit sound like an opera singer. (unlike JSBX and Add n to x, who just use it like a toy)
  • rape_donkeysrape_donkeys 615 Posts
    glad to hear that. always thought they came with some interesting shit. i remember their live show blowing my face off when i was about 16. that shit they did with miranda july was also dope.
  • parsecparsec 5,087 Posts
    yeah their old shit rules. IMO they were at their best live when that dude from Old Time Relygun was playing up right bass with em. He just kills it. I don't know how Kento manages to play guitar, theremin and beats simotaneously (sp?)
    so well. Their new albums a lot more disco sounding than their first lp btw.
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