Good morning,
Before buying a Theremini, I'll like to know the posibilities of controlling some VST virtual instruments like Monark, Ondes Martenot, ...
Can someone post or send to me a Midi file recorded from a theremini with no pitch correction, please? (.mid file or Ableton project file)
Thanks in advance!
Theremini MIDI file
Re: Theremini MIDI file
Perhaps you have the wrong idea of what the Theremini can do. It's not really a MIDI controller. You can control most of its parameters through MIDI CCs but it does not output Note On/Note Off MIDI so you can't play say the Sonnicouture Ondes Martenot library from it if that is what you are thinking about.
Now I have used the Theremini to control MIDI like this, but I do it by taking the Theremini CV out which does support continous pitch and throw it through a CV to MIDI converter and control MIDI devices directly that way (but the Theremini only has the one CV out). Same thing for the Etherwave Plus - only there I can get CV outs for pitch, volume and gate as well so it's a more flexible controller - and I connect the theremin CVs into a Doepfer CV to MIDI module that can translate the CV Note/Gate into MIDI notes.
I'm waiting for Moog to support MIDI notes from the Theremini, but when you think about it, it's not an easy issue. Yea if you throw the Theremini into completely pitch corrected mode, that translates to MIDI notes well. But with the Theremini in non or partial corrected pitch mode, it would have to use CCs to interpolate portamento between the notes in different ways depending on the % of pitch correction. I assume that would have been tricky. Not sure how the Ethervox did it. I would love Moog to come back with that wonderful instrument. I got into the theremin too late.
Now I have used the Theremini to control MIDI like this, but I do it by taking the Theremini CV out which does support continous pitch and throw it through a CV to MIDI converter and control MIDI devices directly that way (but the Theremini only has the one CV out). Same thing for the Etherwave Plus - only there I can get CV outs for pitch, volume and gate as well so it's a more flexible controller - and I connect the theremin CVs into a Doepfer CV to MIDI module that can translate the CV Note/Gate into MIDI notes.
I'm waiting for Moog to support MIDI notes from the Theremini, but when you think about it, it's not an easy issue. Yea if you throw the Theremini into completely pitch corrected mode, that translates to MIDI notes well. But with the Theremini in non or partial corrected pitch mode, it would have to use CCs to interpolate portamento between the notes in different ways depending on the % of pitch correction. I assume that would have been tricky. Not sure how the Ethervox did it. I would love Moog to come back with that wonderful instrument. I got into the theremin too late.
Re: Theremini MIDI file
Thanks for your reply, it makes things much clear now, and, as you said, it's a shame Moog didn't implement yet the midi in, maybe we are lucky and they do it in a near future.
But, just to make sure I understand well, you can get midi out of the Theremini, but everything will be CC messages with the pitch and volume values, nothing else you can play back, is that ok? In any case if that is the case, maybe processing this data with a computer/arduino/whatever thing we can translate this values to notes and pitchbend CC values, not an easy thing, but maybe possible?
Just researching before buying
But, just to make sure I understand well, you can get midi out of the Theremini, but everything will be CC messages with the pitch and volume values, nothing else you can play back, is that ok? In any case if that is the case, maybe processing this data with a computer/arduino/whatever thing we can translate this values to notes and pitchbend CC values, not an easy thing, but maybe possible?
Just researching before buying
Re: Theremini MIDI file
Yes but playing the Theremini with MIDI is another matter. I was talking about playing a MIDI instrument from the Theremini. You can do all kinds of nice things by having a computer send CC controls to the Theremini. I have used it like a synth by placing a stationary object in the pitch field to create a constant tone and then send it CC transposition messages. Here's an example of the theremini being played by Cubase using it's transposition CCs.
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/playing-t ... elude-in-g
Pretty boring here as there is no timbral variation but but doing stuff like playing your self and then having a computer or pedal control filter parameters or pitch correction in real time can get some very interesting results.
It all boils down to if you want to work in the MIDI domain or in the CV domain. No other Theremin out today I know of will give you MIDI control like this one but frankly the Etherwave Plus is more useful if you want to do CV control from the theremin. You really need to ask yourself are you interested in experimenting with computer interfaces, want a much wider set of sounds the theremini can give you, want the ability to set all those parameters in the app - or are you more interested in becoming a thereminist and want the "touch and feel" of the analog theremin.
Unfortunately there are not a lot of people posting Theremini examples - but check out Beat Frequency - just posted this theremini piece I think is extremely inventive: https://soundcloud.com/beat-frequency/arachnomancy
Rick Reid has some nice stuff with Theremini if you search Soundcloud.
And you CAN play melodically on it with practice. Here's an example playing with Theremini filter settings and also some processing on the computer in Cubase after recording. It uses a bit of pitch correction when playing to better zero in on notes but not so much to lose pitch flexibility. (Only the melodic line is the Theremini)
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/missin-le ... ni-version
And finally here's an example of using the Theremini CV out to control some Eurorack Modules along with a Theremini overdub. Not great music - but gives you an idea of possibilities.
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/pentatheremini
Personally I love both the Etherwave and the Theremini. Two different animals that can do different things.
Good luck in your Theremini journey.
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/playing-t ... elude-in-g
Pretty boring here as there is no timbral variation but but doing stuff like playing your self and then having a computer or pedal control filter parameters or pitch correction in real time can get some very interesting results.
It all boils down to if you want to work in the MIDI domain or in the CV domain. No other Theremin out today I know of will give you MIDI control like this one but frankly the Etherwave Plus is more useful if you want to do CV control from the theremin. You really need to ask yourself are you interested in experimenting with computer interfaces, want a much wider set of sounds the theremini can give you, want the ability to set all those parameters in the app - or are you more interested in becoming a thereminist and want the "touch and feel" of the analog theremin.
Unfortunately there are not a lot of people posting Theremini examples - but check out Beat Frequency - just posted this theremini piece I think is extremely inventive: https://soundcloud.com/beat-frequency/arachnomancy
Rick Reid has some nice stuff with Theremini if you search Soundcloud.
And you CAN play melodically on it with practice. Here's an example playing with Theremini filter settings and also some processing on the computer in Cubase after recording. It uses a bit of pitch correction when playing to better zero in on notes but not so much to lose pitch flexibility. (Only the melodic line is the Theremini)
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/missin-le ... ni-version
And finally here's an example of using the Theremini CV out to control some Eurorack Modules along with a Theremini overdub. Not great music - but gives you an idea of possibilities.
https://soundcloud.com/rk53-1/pentatheremini
Personally I love both the Etherwave and the Theremini. Two different animals that can do different things.
Good luck in your Theremini journey.
Re: Theremini MIDI file
Great show of different kind of sounds to get from the beast, thanks a lot!