Songs w/ Theremin

[Petary791]

What are some tunes with Theremin in them? I'm trying to get a good understanding of what it sounds like.

[Wrong Robot]

Well. The vast majority of theremin usage is almost solely to creating elastic sine wave type sounds that modulate in an up and down and in and out and funky manner. Usually, theremin is thrown into a noise-band or otherwise art outfit to give some spastic effects. Very rarely is the instrument actually used to produce tonal, recognizable music. In its relative short history, there have only been 2 or 3 'virtuosos' who really took the playing of the theremin to a crazy level.

So, right off the bat, an example bass players will likely get. Joseph wooten has a theremin solo on vic's "live in america" 2-disc set. I know he has a solo on "hormones in the headphones" on disc 1, I can't remember if he has another theremin solo.

Joseph is actually quite talented on the theremin as far as theremins go.

But, the real meat of theremin playing that I've heard. Would be this girl named Clara Rockmore. Her recordings are difficult to find, but if you manage to hear some, it will blow you away.

[Bass Boy]

In the PS2 game Timesplitters there is a theremin in the spaceport level.

[iamthebassman]

I have one and play it live on one tune, but as far as recorded songs with one, I don't know. I got mine because I'm a huge Beach Boys fan and had always heard that that was a Theremin at the end of "Good Vibrations" but have since learned that it is not.

[Matt Till]

If I recall correctly, Radiohead's National Anthem has theremin

[grunlohd]

Several tunes on the Bela Fleck and the Flecktones album "Little Worlds" use theremin... It's played by two different players, Pamelia Kurstin and Joe Wooten. Each has a different approach; Pamelia goes for the stacked harmonics, more sparse and classical sound, and Joe plays his through a wah pedal for a more blues-funk kind of feel. Highly recommended listening either way.

[stedtale]

I took some theremin once...whoa what a trip.

[elros]

Originally Posted by grunlohd

Several tunes on the Bela Fleck and the Flecktones album "Little Worlds" use theremin... It's played by two different players, Pamelia Kurstin and Joe Wooten. Each has a different approach; Pamelia goes for the stacked harmonics, more sparse and classical sound, and Joe plays his through a wah pedal for a more blues-funk kind of feel. Highly recommended listening either way.

Yes, you must check out Mudslingers of the Milky Way - it has some fantastic stacked theremin playing by Pamelia Kurstin.

[nappingcracker]

I got mine because I'm a huge Beach Boys fan and had always heard that that was a Theremin at the end of "Good Vibrations"

Technically it was an "Electro-theremin" instead of a "real" two-antennae theremin.

electro-theremin is controlled by sliders and knob for amplitude and frequency
theremin had its amplitude and frequency controlled by the resistance of ones body (closer your hand was to the anennae, more resistance. one hand controlled pitch, the other amplitude)
Only instrument you can play without touching!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrotheremin

vs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin

[relayer66]

Hmm...funny nobody has mentioned:
Electricity by Captain Beefheart (Safe as Milk album). How can you even discuss Theremin without bringing this one up???

[KPJ]

Jimmy Page used a theremin during the solo section of "Whole Lotta Love". He had one on stage with him when I saw him with the Black Crowes. It sounded horrible, but it was definitely cool!

[Ian Perge]

Nine Inch Nails' live DVD/CD "...and all that could have been" has keyboardist Charlie Clouser player theremin through a large amount of effects on a number of songs to very good use. Check out "Sin" or "Just Like You Imagined".

[jrthebassguy]

Where can you even find a decently priced theremin? All the ones I see on the internet are at unholy prices.

[fraublugher]

the beach boys " good vibrations "

Danny Elfman's soundtrack to "Mars Attacks "
"Ed Wood "... others maybe

Plan 9 from outer space

[fraublugher]

Originally Posted by jrthebassguy

Where can you even find a decently priced theremin? All the ones I see on the internet are at unholy prices.

didnt bob moog get his start with a theremin kit ?

they used o sell a build your own theremin kit.


there's also the bio film of Theremin [ called "Theremin" i think ] the inventor , who was russian and persecuted for being an enemy of the state

[Wrong Robot]

Originally Posted by jrthebassguy

Where can you even find a decently priced theremin? All the ones I see on the internet are at unholy prices.

You can get them for about $300-400 on average, that's hardly unholy. If that's too much though, your other option is to build one on your own. You can buy a kit for about $100.

[xush]

we've got a couple tunes with Theremin in them, it's a wacky beast- that's for sure.

You can hear it pretty prominently in the song Harpoon on our singer's Myspace page;

http://www.myspace.com/anstrom

The undulating, high-pitched tremolo-ish sound is the theremin, I think it pretty much starts right off at the beginning of the track.

Sorry to post such a self-centered reply, but it was the only way I could think to link directly to a song you can stream if you want to hear Theremin.

She's using a Moog Etherwave on this track, at about 3:10 you can hear it kick in for a solo.

There's also some Theremin in 'The Black Carriage,' on Tony's page. It's a more ambient track from our Nosferatu soundtrack, kinda have to wade through the intro till the 'song' kicks in. Theremin hits at 3:14

they're a strange instrument, to be sure. Only one you don't actually touch, as far as I know...
she's got some general info on her
Theremin page

[dave_p]

fu manchu use the theremin to good effect on the albums 'the action is go' and 'in search of'

star trek theme is a theremin too if im not mistaken

[Juneau]

Keller Williams uses one sometimes. I know Ive seen a few other bands use them live, but I cant recall at the moment hehe.

[Petary791]

So on the song "Bowing-Bowing" by Jean-Luc Ponty, there's a theremin solo in it right?