Carolina Eyck, renowned superstar of the theremin
35 comments
·May 3, 2025alexjplant
"Good Vibrations" was actually recorded using an Electro-Theremin [1] (emphasis mine). It was essentially the same but sported more traditional knob controls. Also if you ever hear a Theremin-esque noise in an Elmer Bernstein soundtrack like "Heavy Metal" it was actually an Ondes Martenot [2] which is distinct from and less similar to the classic Theremin.
I'm a lot of fun at parties.
fxj
There are still several companies who build it. Get one from Doepfer (German Manufacturer) here and connect it to a modular system or a semi-modular synth like a mini moog.
https://www.thomann.de/de/doepfer_a178.htm
live in action: https://youtu.be/1mIferngPqY
or from stylophone:
https://www.thomann.de/de/duebreq_stylophone_theremin.htm
live in action: https://youtu.be/NNn-se0S4Ww
Al-Khwarizmi
As a now inactive theremin player (but I will go back at some point!) I'm sad to learn that Moog isn't making real theremins anymore (the theremini isn't one).
The Moog Etherwave (Standard/Plus) wasn't the best theremin, but it was always extremely solid in terms of bang for the buck, a standard, easy to set up, reliable option with lots of other players you could ask for help, accessories (carry bag, mods, etc.) so it was the most logical recommendation for most newcomers.
There were (and probably still are) great choices from smaller makers as well, in fact I own one in addition to my Moog, but they were more adventurous choices that didn't offer the reliability and newbie-friendliness of the Moog at a comparable price. Many players would have their pet underdog theremin that they would personally use and prefer to the Moog, but would still recommend the Moog to newcomers because you just couldn't go wrong with it, and others were either expensive, fickle, unsupported, inconsistent quality, difficult to set up, difficult to source, etc. I don't know if newer options will have changed this.
Intermernet
OpenTheremin is great. I have a v3 (which I'm trying to port to TinyGo for fun) but v4 is apparently awesome.
tgv
Lost Volts too: http://lostvolts.co.uk/
dewster
The "digital one" Carolina refers to is my open source D-Lev design: https://d-lev.com/
srean
"The Thing" Requires a mandatory mention [0]. Same principles and same designer.
It was a very sophisticated covert listening device (bug) for its time that went undetected for a long time. It did not have a conventional power source such as a battery or mains connection.
My first intro to this was the fascinating book The SpyCatcher.
[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device)
pdpi
Rob Scallon did a video with Carolina a few years ago, where they go into a bit of detail about how you play the thing and how it words. If you’re interested in the theremin, it’s a pretty good watch.
perilunar
The theremin is a fully electronic instrument that could sound like anything at all — so why does it sound so unpleasant?
afandian
Originally because it produced sound by heterodyning two sine waves.
Modern ones (the Moog ones I saw 20 years ago) have tunable waveforms but still hark back to that original sound.
I like the sound. In the sonic tradition of the cello.
Al-Khwarizmi
Depends on which theremin, in which hands, with which effects, or lack thereof.
Does this sound unpleasant to you? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=62lT9XsZVio (maybe it's subjective, but it sounds very pleasant to me).
tpm
To me it does sound unpleasant, like out of tune in a bad way (and I love untuned, atonal, experimental electronic music and use my own modular synth often, as a point of reference). Like the OP, I never understood the appeal of a theremin.
pmags
The synth company SOMA has an interesting new theremin-like synth called Flux, that uses magnetic "bows". See:
totikom
Fun fact: there in was used in recording Teen Age Message to extraterrestrial civilizations: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teen_Age_Message
BrtByte
What stood out to me most is how personal the instrument is. The idea that the theremin tunes to your body and environment - that you become part of the instrument - feels almost mystical
Al-Khwarizmi
Indeed. The drawback is that it's kind of a solitary instrument. No one can move near you or they get you out of tune :)
opminion
I recently watched her live, introducing to the Theremin "for families", with a pianist. It was ok but too verbose and dumbed down (probably not by her, by her hosts). I'd try to attend her shows for grown ups instead, even with kids.
This was a case where the novelty of the instrument stood in the way of the performance.
lars512
And here I thought it would be the antagonistic undecagonstring...
https://archive.ph/Trcww