Is there any instrument which can be played without physical contact? Without physical contact??? “Are you fooling around us all?” I could hear your murmur. But I am not! Yes, there is an instrument which can be played without physical contact. It is Theremin invented by Russian inventor Léon Theremin. Theremin patented this instrument Theremin in 1928.
Theremin consists of two metal antennas which would sense the position of the hands. One hand can be used to control the oscillators for frequency and another hand can control the volume. The electrical signals are amplified and sent to loud speaker.
As there is no physical contact, it is difficult to master the instrument. One must have absolute pitch control as there is no key, fret, whole and absolute restrain over sliding between the unseen notes. Hats off to the players of this instrument.
Listen to the instrument played by the inventor himself.
Few masters of this instruments are Clara Rock more, Samuel Hoffman.
Listen to the following videos:
Theremin was also used in many movie soundtracks Spellbound, The Lost Weekend etc.
Answer for Last week’s Quiz: Mixolydian mode
Quiz for this week: Who is the tunesmith of the famous Kurai Ondrum Illai Marai Murthy Kanna.
‘Bale’ Sampat, a Chartered Accountant and a Carnatic Musician, lives in Chennai and teaches Piano.
Email: harsat9503@gmail.com, Mobile: 9884412230
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It’s marvelous. Is there any one who can teach this instrument in Hyderabad India.?
Hats off to Thermin !!
Thanks for Very interesting information
Thank you.
Thank you very much. By the way, are you one of Mambalam Sisters? A guess!
I feel this instrument best suited for Carnatic Music with its easy facility of sliding with fingers. If somebody takes this instrument in Carnatic Music in future, perhaps, I could be instrumental for that.
Thank you once again
Very interesting. Thanks for posting such rare information.