[sdiy] Modular Theremin or Heterodyne VCO

[Paul Perry]

There are really two different things here - the question of getting a CV 
derived from a theremin (for whatever reason) and secondly, the question of 
"theremin tone" or the generation of a "theremin sound" from a CV.

I'm pretty sure that much of the tone character of a theremin(of the 
traditional heterodyne type) is derived from complex interactions as the two 
oscillators interfere with each other - it is manifestly impossible to make 
the fixed and variable oscillators totally independent in a normal theremin 
construction.
I have asked before whether anyone has any idea about how the theremin audio 
waveform varies with frequency, and whether the waveform changes momentarily 
as the frequency is being modulated quickly... I don't think I got much 
response to these questions.
Certainly, the idea that a theremin just generates a uniform waveform that 
varies in frequency, is a hopeless oversimplification. I would very much 
like to know exactly how it is varying over time - maybe someone with 
recordings (or an actual moog theremin) could investigate this.

paul perry Melbourne Australia