TABLE OF CONTENTS 5... THEREMINI OVERVIEW GETTING STARTED 6... 6... 6... 9... 12... Unpacking Setting Up your Theremini Calibrating Your Theremini Setting The Note Range 13... 13... 14... 17... 21 ... Exploring The Theremini Front Panel Controls Setup Mode Rear Panel Connections 23... 24... 25... 28... Learning To Play Playing Exercises & Techniques Advanced Exercises THEREMINI FEATURES & CONTROLS PLAYING THE THEREMINI 29... A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THEREMIN 31... FAQ HELP 32...
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WARNING - WHEN USING ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, THESE BASIC PRECAUTIONS SHOULD ALWAYS BE FOLLOWED: 1. Read all the instructions before using the product. A. Keep these instructions. B. Heed all warnings. C. Follow all instructions. 2. WARNING: Do not use this product near water. To reduce risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this product to rain or moisture.
THEREMINI OVERVIEW Congratulations on the purchase of your new Theremini. PITCH The Theremin is one of the oldest electronic musical instruments*. As with all Theremin instruments, the Moog Theremini is played by interacting with two electronic antennae using subtle hand gestures. One antenna is a horizontal loop used to control the Volume; a vertical rod antenna is used to control the Pitch.
GETTING STARTED In order to get started, you will need to set up your new Theremini in a suitable environment and conduct the quick calibration procedure. For best results and the highest degree of satisfaction, please follow these simple steps before exploring your Theremini. UNPACKING Inside the box, you will find the following: • Theremini • AC Power Adaptor • Warranty Card • This User Manual • Quick Start Guide To begin go ahead and follow these few steps: 1.
If no stand is available, the Theremini can also be placed on a stool or table. Avoid using a metal surface, as this will interfere with the functioning of the Theremini’s antennae. The Theremini reacts to almost everything within its field of sensitivity, so keep it at least 4 feet away from any large metal objects or sources of movement. 2. Gently insert the Pitch antenna into the Pitch antenna slot, and ensure that the antenna is snugly seated.
3. Using the supplied power adapter, connect the cord end to the +12 VDC jack on your Theremini’s rear panel. Next, plug the supplied IEC cable into the power adapter itself, and then plug the IEC into a wall receptacle. 4. Press the POWER button on the Back Panel to turn the Theremini ON. And that’s it! Now you’re ready to calibrate your Theremini.
CALIBRATING YOUR THEREMINI Calibration allows the Theremini to adapt to its environment, as well as your body movements and playing style. Calibration MUST be performed before using your Theremini for the first time, and must be repeated each time your Theremini is moved to a new location, or when it has been sitting unused for a long time. Don’t worry about getting it perfect your first time. The automated calibration procedure is quick and easy, and can be performed at any time.
CALIBRATING THE PITCH ANTENNA HIGHEST NOTE POSITION Press the SETUP button and place your hand very close to the Pitch antenna, but without touching it. This will determine your hand position for playing the highest selected note. The display will count down, and then prompt you to proceed to the next step. LOWEST NOTE POSITION Press the SETUP button and place your hand about an arm’s length away from the Pitch antenna. This will determine the hand position for playing the lowest selected note.
CALIBRATING THE VOLUME ANTENNA MUTE POSITION Press the SETUP button and place your hand close to the Volume antenna, but without touching it. This will determine the hand position for muting the Theremini (the lowest volume position). The display will count down, and then prompt you to proceed to the next step. FULL VOLUME POSITION Press the SETUP button and raise your hand up over the Volume antenna. This will determine the hand position and distance for playing the Theremini at the loudest volume.
SETTING THE NOTE RANGE In the previous calibration procedure, Step 2 allowed you to define the hand positions where the highest and lowest notes will be played. Here, the Low and High note settings allow you to select the range of notes that can be played within these positions. Setting a smaller range of notes will make it easier to find and play the correct note. We recommend starting with a 3-4 Octave range. Setting a larger number of notes will make it more difficult to play accurately. 1.
THEREMINI FEATURES & CONTROLS The Front panel controls are kept to a minimum, allowing both hands to remain free to play the Theremini. The most frequently used controls— Volume, Pitch Correction, Effect Amount, and Presets—feature active knobs for fast access. Panel buttons allow quick selection of musical Scale, Root note, and Effect Preset. The backlit LCD screen displays visual feedback from a built-in tuner. The Setup button offers access to the Calibration procedure and other deeper levels of control.
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS This section offers an in-depth look at the Theremini’s front panel controls. The LCD screen in the center is used to display the various selected functions; during performance, the LCD also offers real-time information from the built-in tuner. HEADPHONE JACK The Theremini is equipped with an 1/8” stereo Headphone Jack for private practice. When the Headphone Jack is in use, the internal speaker is muted. Use the VOLUME knob to adjust the headphone volume level.
SCALE BUTTON & ROOT BUTTON These two buttons work together with the PITCH CORRECTION knob, allowing the Theremini to play notes in a selected musical Scale and key (or Root) With Pitch Correction engaged, only the notes in your selected scale and key will be available on your Theremini. SCALE Press the SCALE button to advance through the Theremini’s available Scales. To advance quickly, hold the SCALE button and turn the PRESETS knob.
SETUP BUTTON The SETUP button offers access to a number of global features and settings that can be used to optimize the performance of your Theremini—including the Calibration settings. To enter the Setup Mode, press the SETUP button. Each successive press of the SETUP Button will advance to the next parameter. To quickly access a particular parameter, simply hold the SETUP button, and turn the PRESETS knob to scroll through available options.
SETUP MODE Setup Mode contains important global settings and operational features that can enhance the performance and capabilities of your Theremini. To access the parameters in the Setup Mode, press the SETUP button. Each successive press of the SETUP Button will advance to the next parameter. To quickly access a specific parameter, simply hold the SETUP button, and use the PRESETS knob to scroll through the available options.
TUNING Normally, the tuning of the Theremini is set to A4 = 440Hz. However, this can be changed if you need to play in concert with another instrument that is not or cannot be tuned to A4 = 440Hz. Adjust the tuning using the PRESETS knob. MIDI CV SETUP The MIDI CV SETUP menu offers access to parameters that allow the Theremini to send and receive MIDI messages, and to transmit CV (Control Voltage) signals.
CV OUT CONTINUED MODE Use the PRESETS knob to choose the proper Control Voltage output scaling to match your analog equipment, either 0~5 Volt or 0~10 Volt. Press the SETUP button to advance to the next parameter. APPLY PITCH CORRECTION Use the PRESETS knob to select whether the current Pitch Correction setting is applied to the Control Voltage output, or if it is not. Press the SETUP button to exit the MIDI CV SETUP Menu.
PITCH ANTENNA LOW NOTE: Press SETUP and bring your hand back towards your body, far from the Pitch antenna. This will determine your hand position for playing the lowest selected note. The display will count down, and then prompt you to proceed to the next step. VOLUME ANTENNA MUTE LEVEL: Press SETUP and place your hand close to the Volume antenna, but without touching it. This will determine your hand position for muting the Theremini (the lowest volume position).
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS Although your Theremini is a complete instrument on its own, it can be easily connected to amplifiers, computers, tablets, recording equipment, or other analog instruments. Here is a detailed look at the rear panel connectors available on the Theremini. 4 SHORT LONG AUDIO OUTPUTS L (LEFT), R (RIGHT) To make the most of the onboard stereo effects, the Theremini is equipped with stereo outputs. Each line level output is equipped with an unbalanced 1/4” jack.
USB MIDI CONNECTION The Theremini provides a full-speed USB 2.0 Mini-B jack that allows MIDI data to be transmitted and received between the Theremini and a compatible computer, tablet, or MIDI device. The MIDI function and CC# can be specified in the MIDI CV Setup menu. KENSINGTON LOCK SLOT For security, a Kensington lock slot is provided as part of your Theremini. POWER SWITCH This push-button switch turns the Theremini power ON and OFF POWER JACK Connect the Theremini power supply to this jack.
PLAYING THE THEREMINI HIGH LOW LOUD QUIET The Theremini is played by interacting with two electronic antennae using subtle hand gestures. The horizontal loop antenna is used to control the Volume. The vertical rod antenna is used to control the Pitch. Bringing your hand near the volume antenna will decrease volume, while bringing your hand near the pitch antenna will increase the pitch. Those are the basics, but as you can imagine, there is a little more to it than that.
LEARNING TO PLAY VOLUME ANTENNA The Volume antenna controls the volume level of the Theremini. Lift your left hand up away from the Volume antenna to raise the volume of the Theremini. Lowering your hand, or increasing its proximity to the Volume loop, makes the Theremini quieter. When your hand is very close, the Theremini’s volume will be muted. You can use changes in the volume to accentuate, play, or not play notes.
Notice that it only takes incredibly small movements with your pitch hand to play related note groupings. Subtly moving a knuckle or slightly extending your pinky is all that is required to move to the next note, while opening your fist and spreading out your fingers can raise the pitch of your Theremini a full octave. Clara Rockmore, widely regarded as the most skillful Thereminist in history, utilized a technique with tiny knuckle extensions.
PITCH HAND EXERCISES 1) Hum a note, any note. Moving only your pitch hand, try to find that same note. When you find it, hold it steady and hum another note just a few tones higher. 2) Now gradually extend your fingers to raise the pitch and ‘glide’ to the new note. This glide is called a glissando. 3) Now slide back down to the first note. NOTE: You can use the Theremini’s built-in tuner as a visual aid to help guide you, but more importantly, listen to the change and distinct sound of each note.
VOLUME HAND EXERCISES Now that you’ve gotten your pitch hand in shape, let’s work on your volume hand. We will be keeping our pitch hand still and use only the volume antenna to articulate notes. Play any note and slowly raise your left hand to raise the volume. Gradually lower your hand toward the volume antenna to reduce the volume. NOTE: Keep the motion mainly in your wrist as opposed to raising your whole forearm. Practice making your movements as smooth as possible.
EXPRESSIVE VOLUME There is a wide range of loudness that the Thereminist can employ to liven up his or her playing. Try playing with your volume hand about three-quarters of the way up. From here, just a casual raising of your hand or fingers makes the volume swell; dipping your fingers or wrist slightly makes the volume drop. This variation in volume adds articulation and depth to your playing, while also highlighting specific notes or passages of music.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THEREMIN In 1919, electricity and radio waves were the cutting-edge technology of the time. Back then, a young Russian scientist named Leon Theremin was hard at work using radio waves to develop a device that could measure the density of different gasses in the air. Theremin realized that his own body was interfering with the device, producing an audible tone that changed pitch as he moved around the room.
go-to source for otherworldly sounds and was featured prominently in many classic Sci-Fi films. At that point in time, the only Theremins produced were the rare RCA units. In 1954 a teenager with a keen interest in electronics began to develop and sell his own Theremins. That teenager was Robert Moog. He had been fascinated with the instrument as a child—building his first Theremin at age 15. He soon began publishing his plans and selling kits, eventually moving on to completed models.
FAQ HELP Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions or issues that may arise. A simple setting can cause your Theremini to behave improperly. Take a moment to double-check the relevant settings discussed below. 1. “I HAVE NO SOUND.” If you don’t have sound coming out of the speaker or headphones, try the following remedies: a) Try turning up the front panel VOLUME knob. b) Check the Master Volume setting of the Setup menu.
6. “MY THEREMINI WON’T STOP MAKING SOUND.” If your Theremini continues to drone when it is not being played, you may want to use the Auto Mute feature. Auto Mute will cause the Theremini to stop making sound when you are physically away from your Theremini’s Pitch antenna. To activate Auto Mute, press the SETUP button to enter the Setup menu and keep pressing SETUP until you reach the Auto Mute page.
MIDI DATA All implemented controller numbers 0 - 31 have corresponding LSB (fine) controls at locations 32 - 63. Certain controllers adjust parameters which can be negative or positive. For these controllers, sending 0 sets the parameter to fully negative, 64 sets it to 0, and 127 sets it to fully positive. CC NO. FUNCTION EFFECTIVE VALUE RANGE 7 Master Volume 0 - 100% 9 Wavetable Scan Rate 0 - 32 Hz 12 Delay Time 0 - 0.83s (approx.
SCALES ROOT NOTES VALUE SCALE VALUE NOTE 0 Chromatic 0 C 1 Ionian 1 C# 2 Dorian 2 D 3 Phrygian 3 D# 4 Lydian 4 E 5 Mixolydian 5 F 6 Aeolian 6 F# 7 Locrian 7 G 8 Major Blues 8 G# 9 Minor Blues 9 A 10 Diminished 10 A# 11 Major Penta 11 B 12 Minor Penta 13 Spanish 14 Gypsy VALUE WAVEFORM 15 Arabian 0 Sine 16 Egyptian 1 Triangle 17 Ryukyu 2 Super Saw 18 Wholetone 3 Animoog 1 19 Major 3rd 4 Animoog 2 20 Minor 3rd 5 Animoog 3 21
PRESET NAME CHANGE (SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE) F0 04 0B 06 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn 00 00 00 F7 nn are the 13 ASCII characters in the name. Use UPPER CASE characters only! EFFECT NAME CHANGE (SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE) F0 04 0B 06 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nn F7 nn are the 13 ASCII characters in the effect name.
WARRANTY AND SERVICE INFO LIMITED WARRANTY Moog Music warrants that its products will be free from defects in materials and workmanship, and shall conform to specifications current at the time of shipment, for a period of one year from date of purchase. During the one- year period, any defective products will be repaired or replaced, at Moog Music’s option, on a return-to-factory basis. This Warranty covers defects that Moog Music determines are no fault of the user.