This year, as in the past, Phil Mann visited so that we could spend a week with all-things theremin. In our instrument repertory was Phil's Moog Etherwave(TM), along with his Digitech RP300 pedal board and Electro Harmonix EH-5000 "Frequency Analyzer," a somewhat overstated name for a ring modulator. I had my 147 and 633 theremins handy, and the rough-draft of my 126 vacuum tube theremin, which Phil thought was my best-sounding instrument to date. Since the 126 theremin happened to be in development during this conference, Phil and I had the opportunity to compare several circuit options for a tone control. Our consensus: The possibilities for tone modifications with external processing far exceed the limits possible with a simple control with a single potentiometer and a few other passive components (additional vacuum tubes being too space-consuming). As much as I desired to appease many critics of the instrument by including tone controls, I decided that a fixed tone might be effective for most purposes.
Aside from experimenting with these instruments in my studio, we also explored several performance venues, among which was the 94th Aerosquadron in College Park, Maryland. Their open jam was a standout. This gathering of some of the best blues musicians in the DC metropolitan area was a perfect venue for demonstrating the 147 theremin. With long-time associate Mike Winters on lead guitar, and Phil on electric bass, we received appreciative responses form the other musicians, as well as the audience. Among our repertory were two blues improvisations; plus "Red House" by Jimi Hendrix and "Summertime," by George Gershwin.
Phil had his theremin spot the following evening at the Berwyn Cafe, also in College Park, which has become an annual tradition for us. Mike Winters, featured this time on electric bass, provided backing. A unique post-processing arrangement, available with the Digitech, provided an uncanny vox humana for the Etherwave(TM). Phil put this to good effect for his performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" (Francis Key) and "Bess You is My Woman Now" (George Gershwin). He used various other processing for "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (Harry Warren) and "The Entertainer (Scott Joplin). Phil also performed on bass, with outstanding renditions of "A Day in the Life" (John Lennon and Paul McCartney), and the esoteric "The Cast and Crew," (Harry Nilsson) which stands as the only piece ever used for a motion picture credit sequence that literally names every member in the production. Phil also performed "They Never Met" (Martin Mull) and "Piyus," an Israeli folk song.
At Berwyn, Phil and I alternated theremins. I played renditions of the irresistible theremin standards "Over the Rainbow (Harold Arlen) and "Summertime" (George Gershwin); and Phil joined Mike and me for a blues improvisation, and "Smoke On the Water" (Deep Purple). Here, Phil's Digitech RP300 produced distorted parallel fifths, as well as drums.
In the studio, Phil and I discussed theremin technical perspectives, focusing on mapping variations for antenna responses, and interference issues that become apparent when similarly-tuned theremins are co-located. I took the opportunity to measure and graph the pitch-to-hand distance relationship of Phil's Etherwave(TM), and we compared its response with some of my theremins. We also talked about the merits and detractions of multiple theremins in live performance, concluding that a group of theremins under a conductor, and with rehearsed material, can play with some discipline and coordination, but also acknowledged that it is difficult for two independent thereminists to improvise simultaneously. To that end, our performance at Berwyn was different from last year's, when we attempted to harmonize. After all, a note's dissonance only becomes more apparent in the presence of another. Phil's remark that two theremins in harmony work best with a large octave divergence (open harmonies) was a point well taken.
This year, we gave some attention to the issue of volume. Thereminists tend to increase their volume until they can hear their instrument above the din of the band, an understandable strategy, since aural feedback is their only means of staying on pitch. Unfortunately, sound engineers usually address the resulting imbalance by increasing the volumes of the other instruments, and so a dangerous cycle of ever-increasing volume evolves. If a thereminist remains dedicated to practice, he will eventually learn to perceive the sound of his instrument in the high ambient conditions of live performance venues, without increasing his volume. In performance scenarios, it is important to learn the art of staying on pitch even with minimum perception of one's theremin output.
For some genres, including rock music, the use of live percussion often raises the minimum volume to uncomfortable levels, even without theremins factored into the mix. Fortunately for us, the repertory of jazz and blues musicians at the Aerosquadron included several fine drummers, who could control their volume impeccably, and we were happy to have one them back us. Most rock drummers, on the other hand, are almost dangerously loud, and I, in particular, being severely affected with tinnitus, have taken to wearing earplugs for these venues.
In the studio, Phil and I created original compositions with his Etherwave(TM), and my 147 and 633 theremins. The 633 has a selectable volume mode; the sensing direction can be made identical to that of the Etherwave(TM), which Phil found very convenient. The 633's timbre versatility also lent itself well to post-processing with the Digitech. Phil demonstrated the versatility of the 633, combined with the Digitech, in renditions of "Volare" (Domenico Modugno and Franco Migliacci), and overtures from the musicals "South Pacific," "Carousel," and "Oklahoma!" (Richard Rodgers); as well as "Kiss Me Kate" (Cole Porter).
Five days of discussion, experimenting, and recording still only covered a fraction of the topics that we will continue to pursue next year. Until then, each of us will continue our personal growth with the most amazing of musical instruments, the theremin.
Arthur Harrison
30 September 2002
©2002 by Arthur Harrison
