[sdiy] Theremins

[Brett Maddaford]

Not cv\gate as I wanted but has anyone heard these?
http://people.aapt.net.au/~fwhite/theremin/

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Perry [mailto:pfperry at melbpc.org.au] 
Sent: Tuesday, 24 May 2005 2:53 PM
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Theremins


> Samples from some of the theremins that I've heard have sounded quite 
> different.  Perhaps just a result of how they were played?
> 

One might think that since the theremin is a totally monophonic
instrument, the only differences could be how played  (accepting that
some designs might limit how you can play) or the waveform, whihc varies
(in different ways) with frequency.. BUT!! I think therecan be more to
it than this! Because, if you have a beat frequency system, heterodyning
two oscillators, in practice there is complex interaction between the
oscilators as they get close in frequency (easy to see on a scope that
something is going on, not so easy to say exactly what!) and, this is
influenced by how fast the two oscillators approach each other.. so,
there is more audible difference than one expects between instruments.
Plus all the usual analog mojo (I don't mean this perjoratively!)

paul perry (eating homemade fruit salad in Melbourne Australia)