The sound of invisibility
OBJECTIVES
- Discover the theremin.
- Learn about its history.
- Understand how it works.
- Think about how it is used in music and the cinema.
- Understand its potential in the digital era.
- Play simple melodies on the theremin and use it to control an external synthesiser.
- Try out mobile applications that simulate the theremin.
WHO’S IT FOR?
Open to all. Maximum number of participants: 8.
DESCRIPTION
The theremin was invented at the beginning of the 20th century and it is one of the most enigmatic and picturesque instruments of all. It was named after its inventor, Lev Sergueïevitch Termen (better known as Léon Theremin) and was one of the first electronic instruments. It was the precursor of all those that would appear in the 20th century.
The theremin produces a very simple sound resembling either the human voice or the sound of a violin. It has an unusual interface that uses an invisible magnetic field created by its two metal rods: paradoxically therefore, you play the theremin without actually touching it. Nowadays there is a digital version of the interface that adds other functions and broadens its scope of action and use.
This workshop of discovery takes participants on a journey through this instrument’s history, while providing a glimpse of its many possibilities and present-day developments.
CALENDAR
A two-hour session, which includes the history of the theremin and hands-on activities in the recording studio at the Lavoir Numérique.
