I <3 Theremin

Technogen

He's a commie spy!

Messer

ugh. i could only watch about half of that. i mean, kudos for... i dunno, learning a weird instrument, but it seriously sounds like some 12 year old kid singing "wahw wah wah wah!!"

it hurts my ears so.

Aristeia

@jakebathman: The best place these days for Theremins is Moog Music:

[www.moogmusic.com]

frigg

His Crazy video is beyond impressive. This one I need to deduct some points for playing the actual song in the background, which covers for a lot of inaccuracies.

Hiphopopotamus

I want one. Now.

jakebathman

Sounds like a retarded cat started a music career

UniComp

omg is that how Peach sounds like???

parcaelum

@thebigcheese:

I know quite well how a theremin works, thanks. I do realize perfect pitch is difficult to achieve and numerous sources describe this instrument as being the most difficult to play in the world.

That doesn't change my opinion as to what it sounds like.

UniComp

I'd be more impressed if he hadn't mixed in an actual copy of the soundtrack at such a high volume.

Props for being a theremin prodigy, but don't tease us with the notion that it's a theremin version of the song and then make us listen to same old sound waves that are permanently burned into our cochlea.

stellar678

@jakebathman: @frigg: Check out eBay. I bought an Etherwave for $120.00 in perfect condition. I can't play it, but that's immaterial. I have a Theremin in my living room to scare my dogs!

@frigg: Also, that shot of the guy running his Theremin through all the Mooger Foogers kinda made my pants a little tight.

badhatharry

@UniComp: I think if you knew more of the specifics about how the instrument works you would be impressed. You don't actually touch anything to make the sound, you just kinda wave your hands around. It's a pretty cool thing, but I imagine rather difficult to play on pitch.

thebigcheese

Yea, I'm sure this thing is hard to play but I could only listen to half of this thing before It was unbearable to listen to any longer. It's like some irritating person humming in the cubicle next to me....Oh, wait a minute. *looks over cubicle panel*

BiZarRroBALlmeR

@UniComp: We know you love retarded cats.

SinAmos

@UniComp: Most difficult to play in the whole world? Umm I think that this might be a little easier than a piano, or um a violin, or a harmonica, or a kazoo, or any real instrument. At least other instruments don't cause physical pain. That sounded like a dying dog.

mizunoer

@mizunoer: Easier than a piano or violin, sure. Maybe easier than a harmonica. But a kazoo? Look, I know that all-kazoo orchestra gig didn't work out for you, but there's no need to be bitter about it.

bluemonq

Yeah, so really annoying with the theme song overlayed on it. And it sounds more like him humming it then an actual theramin.

chrisaroz

that's 1 minute and 54 seconds of my life I will never get back.

Notrevo

@mizunoer:

Every instrument's easy to play, but to play well? And in tune?

UniComp

@Aristeia:

+ Watch video

rabiddachshund

begin: grammar nazi

BTW, the correct spelling is "Bros." not "Bro.s".

end: grammar nazi

Zoidbert

@rabiddachshund: That guy looks like he is boring himself to death...

kickassy

I thought it was pretty impressive so i did what he asked and looked up his YouTube profile and found this...

+ Watch video

Now this i was even more impressed with...

KylejvT

Very impressive. The Theramin proves once again to be the most difficult way to create terrible "music."

davehimself

Oh god it's awful. How do you folks listen to more than 30 seconds of it?

Clever though.

tommo

@Notrevo: I mean this in the best possible way, but I can't help but to feel that if you A) read a technology blog on a Saturday and B) were initially interested in 20-year-old video game music rerecorded in theremin form, your time might not be all that valuable.

DGUW

theremins are cool but they're not really practical for playing a melody like that...put a theremin in front of the effects i use for my often spacey-sounding guitar and you have a really cool sounding instrument for adding textures to your music.

@mizunoer
it would be REALLY hard to learn to do that. violin hard.

piano's have keys that make the same notes...learning to play the piano is basically memorization. first where the notes are and then the muscle memory to actually play them. (the same thing you had to do to learn to type on a keyboard) its not THAT hard. obviously it gets harder as you go along but you can always count on the middle C making a C when you play it.

Harmonica's are obscenely easy to play. They are literally tuned so that you cannot play a wrong note...you literally breathe in and out. (assuming you're using a harmonica in key with the music) playing melody's gets a little trickier but you can still count on breathing in on the 7th hole making a (insert harmonica dependent note here).

With a violin and a theremin you not only have to memorize the correct hand positions but you have to be able to replicate a gesture (fingering a violin, waving at a theremin) exactly. you have to be able to hear the correct note so you can make the noise. you can't just memorize middle C is middle C...you have to hear a C to within a few cents of 440 (or at least in tune with the rest of the melody) or you're going to sound really, really bad.

playing a melody on a theremin well is much more difficult than playing a melody on a kazoo.

chriscrob

I like it :)

dna

@chriscrob: I agree with pretty much everything you say. I play piano, sax, bass, and drums. I bought a theremin a few years ago, but gave up on trying to play it. Very hard to be musical with it. Even a violin has four set notes on open strings that a beginner can count on, the theremin has none.

liquidsoapdispenser

maybe it's hard to do, but it still sucked. mine ears hurt.

Spartanical

I think this is something that you either love or hate. Personally, I think it's awesome and could listen to it for a while, but a lot of you feel like your ears are going to explode after half.

Platypus Man

theremins need more lovin in the world

although I do agree that they are more for layering then featuring, the effects they do can add a lot

as far as the song goes, it was pretty cool to see a thermin used for a melody like that instead of the tradtionaly use for layering and effects, but I couldnt listen to it like that for more than ten or fifteen minutes

Jakelshark

Wow, have any of you seen the million other theremin videos on YouTube?

The first 1 second of this one cracked me up.

+ Watch video

liquidsoapdispenser

Someone get that bee out of the plastic cup!

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

I can't believe no one mentioned Jimmy Page (Led Zep) and his use of the Theramin. Also, the Beach Boys used it on a song - Good Vibrations - at the end. It has a place in music, as does the cow bell (need more cowbell!)