What Makes Up a Theremin?

Part of the Video Series How to Build & Play a Theremin

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Learn what components and modules make up a theremin, including coils & oscillators in this free instructional video clip on electronic musical instruments.

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Video Transcript

What Makes Up a Theremin?
On behalf of ExpertVillage.com my name is Mark, and we’re going to talk about what makes up a Theremin. A traditional Theremin is made up of several modules that work together. There are Theremin kits that aren’t real Theremins it’s just in a device that makes noise when you put your hands near it. The traditional Theremin uses working radio frequency, if you’ve ever put your hand near a TV antenna on the old kind of rabbit ears set and you see the picture change that is similar to the effect – that is what a Theremin does. The individual modules of a Theremin are the two oscillators that generate the pitch, if we look at this chassis, we have two coils that are similar size, and those compromise the pitch oscillators. The smaller one is a higher frequency, therefore it’s smaller, the electricity travels through it faster, and that is used for the volume circuitry. In the particular Theremin that we have here in front of us, I’ve gone with two chassis; this is the oscillator circuitry and the power supply amplifier circuitry. The power supply and amplifier is similar to a guitar amplifier of that era, you put in a signal and you get it on an amplified signal and it also supplies the power to the upper unit.

About the Expert

Expert: Mark Keppinger has worked with electronics for 15 plus years. He currently works at a science museum creating and maintaining the electronics in the museum exhibits - the perfect job. Read More