Moog Music Etherwave Plus Kit Owner's Manual
Moog Music Inc.
554C Riverside Drive
Asheville, NC 28801
SETTING UP AND PLAYING THE MOOG
INTRODUCTION
The theremin is an electronic musical instrument played by the free movement of the
performer's hands in the space surrounding it.
This method of playing gives the theremin tone
its unique ethereal and dramatic quality, while
at the same time allowing the performer a
measure of artistic freedom that other musical
instruments do not offer. The techniques of
playing the theremin can be mastered by
anyone who has a good musical ear, and who
is willing to invest a modest amount of
practicing time. Two motions are involved.
Movement of the right hand toward the pitch
antenna controls pitch, while movement of the
left hand toward the volume antenna controls
loudness or volume.
The Moog ETHERWAVE theremin is powered by
a special adapter which plugs into a standard
110-125 volt grounding power outlet. It is
designed to operate with a wide range of
amplifier-speaker combinations.
ETHERWAVE
preparation are listed in the order in which they
are to be executed.
a) Placing the instrument on a stand: The
ETHERWAVE theremin requires either a standard
microphone stand (preferred) or a small table
36" to 42" high. If a table is used, no objects on
the table should be within a foot or two of the
theremin, and the theremin itself should be
positioned so that the the volume antenna will
overhang the edge of the table. Whichever
type of stand is used, the ETHERWAVE should be
securely mounted, and away from walls and
other large stationary objects.
b) Attaching the two antennas: The pitch
antenna, which is the long straight tube, is
placed in the elbow (right angle) fitting on the
right end of the instrument, with the brass
compression ring down. The mounting nut is
slipped over the antenna and screwed onto
the fitting. The nut need be only finger-tight, but
should be tight enough so that the antenna is
firmly in place.
THEREMIN
PREPARING THE
ETHERWAVE
THEREMIN FOR
PLAYING
Your ETHERWAVE theremin is completely
assembled. Only the following preparations for
playing are necessary: a) Placing the
instrument on a stand, b) attaching the two
antennas, c) connecting the power adapter,
d) connecting the amplifier-speaker with an
audio cord, and e) setting the panel
adjustments. Each of these steps will now be
described in detail. Note that the steps of
The volume antenna, which is the tubular loop,
is placed in the straight fittings on the left end
of the instrument, with the bulge in the loop
facing forward and down. The mounting nuts
already on the antenna are screwed onto the
fittings. The nuts need be only finger-tight, but
should be tight enough so that the antenna is
firmly in place.
c) Connecting the power adaptor: The
ETHERWAVE
which is grounded to the power ground and
which supplies 14 volts AC to the
is powered by a special adaptor
ETHER-WAVE
itself. Plug the round three-pin 'DIN' connector
on the adapter cable into the mating power
socket on the back side of the ETHERWAVE.
(That's the side opposite the control panel and
the player.) Then plug the adapter itself into a
grounded power receptacle, or into a threewire extension cord which provides a good
ground connection. The ground connection
stabilizes the ETHER-WAVE's operation.
d) Connecting the amplifier-speaker: The
ETHERWAVE may be used with a wide variety of
musical instrument, stereo, or public address
amplifier systems. The nominal level of the
ETHERWAVE's audio output is one-half volt RMS
and the nominal output impedance is 2.4
Kilohms.
We suggest a small but high-quality portable
'keyboard amplifier' of the sort that synthesizer
players frequently use for practicing. Use a
shielded audio cable with a conventional 1/4"
phone plug on one end, to be plugged into
the ETHERWAVE's audio out jack. The other end
of the cable should be equipped with
whatever kind of plug your sound system
requires, and should be plugged into a jack
labeled line in, instrument
sound system. Do not plug it into a microphone
or guitar input, as these inputs are designed for
much weaker audio signals.
, or aux on your
control on your sound system so that the tone is
as loud as you will want it to be.
Now remove your right hand from the pitch
antenna. Turn the ETHERWAVE's PITCH tuning
knob fully counterclockwise. You will hear a
high pitch. Now slowly turn the PITCH tuning
knob clockwise. You will hear the tone's pitch
go down. When it is about an octave below
middle C, step back from the instrument. You
should hear the pitch decrease further until the
tone stops completely ('zero beat'). Adjust the
PITCH tuning knob carefully so that, when your
right shoulder is about 24" from the pitch
antenna and your right hand is down at your
side, the tone's pitch is audible but lower than
two octaves below middle C. (Two octaves
below middle C is the lowest note on a cello,
and slightly below the lowest note on a guitar.)
PLAYING THE
ETHERWAVE THEREMIN
Pitch and volume of the ETHERWAVE sound is
controlled by the free movement of the
player's hands in the space in the electric fields
which surround the two antennas.
e) Setting the tuning adjustments: Turn on both
ETHERWAVE
the
loudness or volume control on your amplifier
about one third of the way up. Touch the pitch
antenna of the ETHERWAVE and slowly rotate
the ETHERWAVE's VOLUME tuning knob
clockwise. A high note will be heard. At one
setting of the VOLUME tuning knob, the volume
will be at a maximum. Starting from this setting,
turn the VOLUME tuning knob counterclockwise
until the loudness of the tone begins to
decrease. Now bring your left hand near the
volume antenna. Note that the tone's loudness
decreases smoothly, and finally becomes silent
when your left hand is two to three inches from
the volume antenna. Then remove your left
hand from the volume antenna but, still
touching the pitch antenna, adjust the volume
and your sound system. Set the
Changes in pitch are produced by moving the
right hand nearer to or farther away from the
pitch antenna. Moving the right hand nearer to
the antenna raises the pitch; moving it away
lowers it. Changes in volume are produced by
moving the left hand nearer to or farther away
from the volume antenna. Bringing the hand
nearer the antenna weakens the sound;
moving the hand away from the antenna
strengthens the sound.
Since any moving body will influence the
theremin's pitch and volume, it is important that
only the player be near the theremin when he
is performing. Other people should be at least
four to six feet from the pitch antenna.
Timbre, or quality of the tone may be varied by
changing the settings of the WAVEFORM and
Loading...