The theremin is a unique musical instrument with a long history. It’s the first electronic instrument, as well as the only one that can be played without the musician touching it. In 1918, Leon Theremin, an electronics engineer, invented this strange sound generator. It’s best known for spooky science fiction film soundtracks and Beach Boys pop tunes, but it’s still active in symphonies and rock ‘n’ roll.
Because he invented so many instruments, Leon Theremin is known as the “Father of Electronic Music.” In Russia, he first patented his theremin as the “Etherphone” in 1921. He had the impression that the musical sounds appeared out of thin air, as if magic. He wanted musicians to incorporate its otherworldly music into traditional orchestras, but “classical” composers were dismissive.
The theremin disrupts electromagnetic fields using the body’s capacitance, which is transmitted through the hands and arms. A theremin resembles a medium-sized box with two radio antennas, one looped and the other straight, extending from it. The electrical components that generate the proper electromagnetic fields and the amplifier that makes the signal audible are enclosed in the box, which is usually made of wood. The volume, or intensity, is controlled one antenna, while the pitch, or tone, is controlled the other. Oscillators generate waves of a specific frequency in the vicinity of the instrument. Hands change the capacitance and thus affect the frequency when they enter the field.
The theremin is played keeping your body and head perfectly still while controlling your hands and fingers. The tone is controlled the right hand’s straight antenna, while the volume is controlled the left hand’s closed antenna. The pitch is higher when your left hand is close, and lowers to deep octaves as it moves away. Moving your right hand closer to the speaker reduces the volume to mute, while moving it further away increases the volume. In some theremin models, the variation can be controlled to some extent.
Clara Rockmore, a classically trained violinist, dedicated her life to writing and performing serious theremin compositions. During the mid-twentieth century, she toured the world as an internationally renowned performer, attracting audiences to the strange box. As a teenager, Bob Moog entertained himself making his own theremins after electronics companies stopped producing them. Later, his well-known music company invented the seminal synthesizer and championed the cause of bringing the inspirational theremin back into production for a new generation.