I Bought a Theremin.

[Derf]

As the thread title says, I bought a theremin. If Peter Johnson is still checking in every once in a while, he'd be happy someone else has caught the theremin bug. For those of you who have no idea what a theremin is, it's the first electronic musical instrument, invented in the '20s by a Russian professor named Theremin. It's the instrument used in all the '50s horror movies to make them spookier. The version I got is more a toy than anything else, but it's fun to mess around with and it is very effective in annoying my family  .

Here's a video of a geek playing a theremin (no, that geek is not me. I'm a much fatter geek.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-iUZD8wfjs&feature=related

[Couchtr26]

I always found them interesting.  They have an odd nature to them but seem like once you play a bit are more intuitive then at first glance.  Hope you enjoy.  I always enjoyed playing clarinet and violin back in the day.   

[Newt]

Derf you realise this tips your nerd quotient waaay off the scale and into 'cool' territory?   

[Flick James]

Derf you realise this tips your nerd quotient waaay off the scale and into 'cool' territory?   

I like the theremin mostly because it resides exactly in that line between "cool" and "nerdy."

[Derf]

Derf you realise this tips your nerd quotient waaay off the scale and into 'cool' territory?   

I thought it was nerdy just to know what a theremin is. But if you want to think I'm cool, I don't mind. 

[dean]

Man I want one too.  Theremin's are rockin'.  You need to post a video!!!!!!!!!

[Mofo Rising]

Good.

Good.

Good vibrations.

I'm pickin' up good vibrations. Woo-oo-oo! Good vibrations!

(A-wee-ooo-ooo-ooo.)

[Derf]

Man I want one too.  Theremin's are rockin'.  You need to post a video!!!!!!!!!

Maybe after I learn to play something besides the Star Trek (TOS) theme. Right now, everything I try to figure out somehow morphs into a very amateurish version of that piece. And the theremin I got was a Japanese toy model off of ebay, for about $100 American, including shipping (no way I could afford the Moog version since I just wanted to mess around with a new toy), so you, too, could probably get one, dean.

And very good, Mofo Rising, on picking up the "Good Vibrations" theremin part. I didn't have any clue that's what that was until I watched the theremin documentary on Netflix.

[Andrew]

It's an instrument that is well into the realm of cool geekdom.  And it also makes everything sound lonely and sad.  You should learn to play "Bittersweet Symphony" with it.  Hearing that on a theremin would probably make people sob involuntarily. 

[tracy]

Very neat! And if that's a nerdy instrument then so be it....I like them!

[zombie no.one]

good instruments, a few years back my friend bought one off e-bay and mic'd it up to his amp through various FX pedals and came out with some really weird noises...

I think I'm right in saying they're the only musical instrument that you don't have to touch in order to play, which is pretty cool   I certainly can't think of any others

[The Burgomaster]

Best Theremin scene ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTxTNof944I