New Etherwave Plus User: startup questions

Share your theremin experience: tips, tricks, techniques, favorite theremin moments.
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Phusana
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:53 pm

New Etherwave Plus User: startup questions

Post by Phusana » Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:22 pm

I just acquired this, a gift for my artist/musican daughter. I'm an experienced electronic musican myself but have no theremin history. I plan on helping her find her way around this. I was hoping for some insight into what I may be doing wrong getting started. Puchased pre-owned and it looks to be in perfect physical condition. Both antennas are attached per instructions.

From the instructions, "Touch the pitch antenna of the ETHERWAVE and slowly rotate the ETHERWAVE's VOLUME tuning knobclockwise. A high note will be heard." I hear no sound at all just touching the pitch antenna and manipulating the volume. No sound until I actually touch and release the volume antenna. When doing that I hear a quick note when touching AND releasing the volume antenna while holding my right hand in the pitch antenna filed (or touching it). I am getting some right hand pitch adjustment.

Does this sound like a calibration issue or a hardware issue? ANy tips much appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help!

JimF
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:18 pm

Re: New Etherwave Plus User: startup questions

Post by JimF » Tue Apr 23, 2019 4:17 am

Hi Phusana,

obvious things first:

1) Is the theremin on a mic stand or similar, or sitting on a table - possibly with metal underneath it? Metal in the surroundings can throw the capacitive response of the antennae so far off that nothing works.

2) Are there any cables hanging too near the volume antenna? Same effect; we often throw the output cable over the volume antenna to mute the instrument.

Non-obvious:

a) when you manage to make a sound somehow, does moving the left hand have any effect at all?

b) when you get a sound somehow, does holding the left hand wherever it is and moving the right hand produce a change in pitch?

If so, then the oscillators would seem to be basically working, and there seems to be a calibration problem. This may or may not be simply a matter of opening the instrument and recalibrating a couple of the inductor slugs - procedure is probably described in the documentation that (hopefully) came with the theremin. Otherwise check Moog website, web search for Moog Etherwave calibration instructions etc. It's easy to do, I've done it at various times on my Etherwave.

If pitch etc don't change, it may be a component problem somewhere - for instance, an inductor going open-circuit. This happened to my Etherwave Pro once. If this is the case, then the instrument needs to be service by a competent tech.

Can you make a short video of what you've done? Maybe this would help me or someone else to help further. You can PM me if you like.

Best regards,

Jim F.

PS You might be interested in a concert I played last November with my wife, for shakuhachi, theremin and live electronics. Full video here: https://youtu.be/Aw11FMeJo08

Phusana
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:53 pm

Re: New Etherwave Plus User: startup questions

Post by Phusana » Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:59 pm

Thank you so much for the informative tips! All sorted out!

Yes, rookie mistake. It was sitting on a desk with some hidden metal supports. Once I moved it to the center of the room it was good to go. It's working as it is suposed to. I should have done more research before panicking that I may have purchased adefective instrument. I'm looking forward to my daughter digging in to learn this. She plays bass, viola, guitar, but primarily a visual / multimedia artist.

Also, thank you for the concert video. Great performance and very helpful technique example. I will share that with my daughter as well.

JimF
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:18 pm

Re: New Etherwave Plus User: startup questions

Post by JimF » Wed May 01, 2019 3:45 am

Hi Phusana,

Glad it turned out to be an easy fix. Enjoy the aether!

Jim

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