Strange Encounter/Strange Show --

[peter johnson]

If a moderator wishes to move this to another board, please feel free -- It doesn't seem to neatly "fit" anywhere so I'm putting it on the main board:
This past Sunday I did a very -- for me -- scary thing and performed a Theremin score of my own devising for a screening of Georges Melies' silent film epic "The Conquest of The Pole"(1912) .  Ultra-modern facility.  They screened it once for me to practice with, and everything went wrong.  I figured out I was standing too close to the machine.  When the actual screening took place, I stepped further back & it went even better than I expected!!  People applauded and cheered & laughed in the right places (I'd figured out how to make this goofy/wanky slide-flute "spin" sound for when the explorers get sucked up by the magnetic pole) & was an unqualified success.
On the way out afterwards, I was stopped by a man who introduced himself as the son of Louis Barron, the creator of the electronic music score for Forbidden Planet(1953)!!  He had never seen a Theremin played before, much to my utter shock.  Turns out, Theremins were considered too primitive and out-of-date, even by 1953 standards, so Barron never had one in the house!!  Talk about your odd encounters -- Anyway, he was fascinated with the instrument & we had a fine old time -- Got paid, too, which is always a worthy showbiz goal!!
peter WEEEEoooooWAAAAoooo/denny What's That Racket?

[Poogie]

I found this on YouTube....The Legend of Zelda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYho56INKU
There's more there too......this sounds really cool.   

[Andrew]

Ah, see, you have the time to discuss theremins with random sons of musical composers, but cannot even take time to have a beer with somebody you battered with a viewing of "RoboC.H.I.C."  I already had given you my promise that I would not harm you in any way...

Neat story and strange how they would consider certain instruments "too old fashioned" for a soundtrack.  I think that, properly used, you could probably use just about any instrument in a soundtrack.

[peter johnson]

Oh, Andrew, I am truly, dreadfully sorry I wasn't able to meet you in Denver that time -- You, and anyone else on this board, would absolutely FREAK over The Denver Museum of Nature and Science -- and there are the most amazing brewpubs, serving some real "Set Yo' Ass Down!" suds within walking distance --
As I've often said, I live in Longmont, Colorado, and would be very happy to meet anyone & everyone from this board were they to pass through the area.
I forget what messed up with my meeting Andrew, but it had to have been important, as I would most assuradly wish to buy gallons of our local Microbeer as an offering to our Fearless Leader!

Beer . . . Is there anything it can't do? . . .
PS:  Six more performances of The Solid Gold Cadillac/ends March 23.
peter crane/denny johnson

[Andrew]

It was mostly the fact that I contacted you out of nowhere and at the last minute, because I was in Denver after being stranded there (connecting flight) during a winter storm.  I did go to the Museum of Natural History for the day I was there and it was great.  Beautiful view of the mountains and all from the one room with the big staircase too.

[dean]

Congratulations on the paycheck and the chance meeting! I have the Forbidden Planet Soundtrack lying around here somewhere, and it's a creepy classic.

Nice to know that everything panned out well!  A Theremin score to any movie, be it an old Melies film, or a more modern one, is always worth a look in!

[peter johnson]

And thankyou Poogie, for the Theremin clip --
I'm not that good yet, but I do understand what the player here is doing -- Note the very quick left handed wrist-snaps -- these are essential to proper playing & deceptively difficult to execute properly.  Theremin is a very very technique-driven instrument.
I can certainly do some of this, but practice, practice, practice . . .
peter johnson/denny crane

[Poogie]

And thankyou Poogie, for the Theremin clip --
I'm not that good yet, but I do understand what the player here is doing -- Note the very quick left handed wrist-snaps -- these are essential to proper playing & deceptively difficult to execute properly.  Theremin is a very very technique-driven instrument.
I can certainly do some of this, but practice, practice, practice . . .
peter johnson/denny crane

You are very welcome.....it certainly looks fun. So when do we get to see you playing?     

[peter johnson]

Well, the techno-geeks/scientist types (AND THEY ARE OF COURSE ALL MADI tell you --
well, they took the digital film of me & I talked to them today & there may be some time before I get my own copy -- after that, it's a bit of a crapshoot, as I'm a technoidiot, as Andrew will tell you --
I don't know how to upload videos, etc. & will need someone to help me, but once I get the actual "tape", I'll be sure to try & get it "up" SOME-where!
peter johnson/denny crane

[Scott]

I've seen Peter Johnson post about the Theremin and couldn't imagine what it was. That video certainly made it clear that it could be used to make movies.

[Poogie]

I've seen Peter Johnson post about the Theremin and couldn't imagine what it was. That video certainly made it clear that it could be used to make movies.

I have never heard of it either,  but then I haven't heard of a lot of things, ha. I looked it up and the first one I saw was way different than the one above. I thought there might be some others who had never heard of it sooooooo I found the video above. When I heard that sound in movies  I thought it was the "Saw". I wouldn't mind learning how to play it. 

[Poogie]

Well, the techno-geeks/scientist types (AND THEY ARE OF COURSE ALL MADI tell you --
well, they took the digital film of me & I talked to them today & there may be some time before I get my own copy -- after that, it's a bit of a crapshoot, as I'm a technoidiot, as Andrew will tell you --
I don't know how to upload videos, etc. & will need someone to help me, but once I get the actual "tape", I'll be sure to try & get it "up" SOME-where!
peter johnson/denny crane

You couldn't be any more ignorant than me. We have only had a computer for about 10 months now. I'm learning by asking stupid questions on this forum, ha. Thank God there are very helpful people here. We didn't have computers in school. Now days (I'm old) kindergartners have them. Anyway I can't wait to see your video.......don't worry, I'm very patient. 

[peter johnson]

Funny, you look quite young and buxom in your picture . . .
Yes, there are in fact quite a number of different Theremin models, though the one in the video you accessed is the same one I "play", a Moog Etherwave Theremin.
The gal I admire the most as a Theremin player, Victoria Lundy of The Inactivists, plays a supercharged model that looks like a piece of Danish furniture/sculpture.  Definitely out of my league.
Tuning is a . . .(obscene swear word). . . but once you have it tuned, and you're standing in the proper place, the thing will DO YOUR BIDDING!!  Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!! 
Seriously, they are very addictive to fool around with -- I think everyone should have one, which was Lev Segeyavitch Theremin's dream/goal.  Look him up!
love
peter theremin/denny MMMMOOOOOOOGGOGGOGOGOGOOGO

[Mr_Vindictive]

I did a paper on Lev Theremin once.  He actually invented the precursor to the modern RFID chip, which I found to be quite interesting.

Peter, I gotta know, did you buy a pre-assembled theremin or do you build one from a kit?  I'm tempted to build one myself just for the fun of it.

[Dennis]

The wife and I have decided we would like to try our hands at the Theremin, it looks like fun and we might be able to get a duet going, piano and theremin, can you buy one at a music store, and what would you recommend for beginners?