Moog Music THEREMINI User`s manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5... THEREMINI OVERVIEW

6

... GETTING STARTED

6

... Unpacking

6... Setting Up your Theremini

9... Calibrating Your Theremini

12... Setting The Note Range

13... THEREMINI FEATURES & CONTROLS
13

... Exploring The Theremini

14... Front Panel Controls

17... Setup Mode

21... Rear Panel Connections

23... PLAYING THE THEREMINI
24

... Learning To Play

25... Playing Exercises & Techniques

28... Advanced Exercises

29... A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THEREMIN

31... FAQ HELP

32... SPECIFICATIONS

33... MIDI DATA

35... RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING - WHEN USING ELECTRIC PRO DUCTS, TH ESE BASIC PRECAUTIONS
SHOU LD ALWAYS BE FOLLOWED:

1. Rea d all the i nstru ction s before using th e product.
A. Kee p these i nstru ction s. B. Heed all wa rning s. C. Follow all in struc tions .

2. WARNING: Do not use this product ne ar water. To reduce risk of fire or ele ctric s hock , do not ex­pose this product to rai n or mois ture. - F or examp le, but not limited to: near a batht ub, washbowl,
kitche n sink, in a wet bas ement, or nea r a swimm ing po ol or the l ike.

3. This produ ct, in co mbin ation with an amp lifier a nd hea dpho nes or speake rs, may b e capa ble of
produ cing so und leve ls that co uld ca use permane nt hea ring lo ss. Do n ot operate for a lo ng period
of time at a h igh volu me level o r at a level th at is unc omfor tabl e.

4. The p roduc t shou ld be located so that its locatio n does n ot inter fere wi th its pro per ven tilation.
Do not bl ock any ve ntilati on ope nings w ith any items including b ut not limited to ne wspap ers,
table -cloths, curtains, etc . Install in accorda nce with the instructions in this manu al only.

5. The p roduc t shou ld be located away f rom heat sourc es such a s radia tors, h eat reg isters, or
other produc ts that p roduce heat . No nake d flame s ources (such as ca ndles, lighters, e tc.) shall be
place d near th is prod uct.

6. The p roduc t shou ld be con nected to a power s upply o nly of the type described in th e opera ting
instructio ns or as marked on t he prod uct.

7. The power-supply cor d of the pro duct s hould be unpl ugge d from th e AC mains s ocket-outlet
when le ft unused for a long pe riod of time or du ring li ghtnin g storm s.

8. Ca re shou ld be taken so that objec ts do no t fall and liquids are n ot spill ed into th e enclosure
throug h open ings .

8. Cle an only with a dry cloth.

9. This produc t shoul d only be se rvice d by quali fied pe rsonn el for issues including but not limited to:
a. The p ower sup ply cord o r the AC mai ns plug has been dama ged.
b. Obje cts have falle n, or li quid ha s been s pille d onto the p roduct.
c. The p roduc t has be en expo sed to wate r or othe r source of moist ure.
d. The produc t does n ot appear to operate no rmally or exhib its a marked
chang e in per formance.
e. The produc t has be en drop ped or the encl osure damaged.
INST RUCTION S PERTAINING TO RI SK OF FI RE, EL ECTR IC SHOCK, OR INJ URY TO PE RSON S:
Do not op en the chassis. There are no user ser vicea ble pa rts in side. Refer all servicing to q ualified
personnel only.
GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS: This product must be ear th-g round ed; if it s hould m alfu nctio n or
breakd own, ea rth-grou nding provide s a path of le ast resistance for th e elec trica l curre nt to redu ce
the risk o f elec tric shock. This prod uct is e quip ped with a c ord having an equipme nt grou nding
conne ctor an d a ear th-g round ing plu g (plug w ith a third p rong). The plug m ust be p lugge d into an
appro priate socket ou tlet that is properly install ed and e arth -grounded i n accordance with
all loc al codes and or dinan ces.
DANG ER: Improper con nection of the e quip ment ’s ear th-ground ing con necto r can result
in a risk of e lectric sho ck. Ch eck with a q ualified electrician or serviceman if you are
in doub t as to whether the p roduc t is properly e arth -grounded . Do not m odif y the plug
provided with thi s produ ct – if it wi ll not fit in the socket-outle t, have a pro per ou tlet ins talled
by a quali fied el ectri cian .

NOTE: t his equipme nt has been tested and fo und to comply with the limi ts for a cl ass B dig ital
device , pursu ant to pa rt 15 of th e fcc rul es. Th ese lim its are d esign ed to provi de reas onable
protec tion ag ainst h armf ul inter ference in a res idential ins tallation. T his equ ipme nt generates ,
uses an d can ra diate ra dio fre quen cy ene rgy and , if not in stalled and used in a ccorda nce with
the ins tructions, may cause harm ful inte rfer ence to ra dio com munication s. However, there is n o
guara ntee that inter feren ce will not occur i n a particular insta llatio n. If this equi pment does cause
harmf ul interfere nce to rad io or tel evision reception, wh ich can be deter mine d by turni ng the
equip ment of f and o n, the u ser is en coura ged to tr y to corre ct the interfe rence by o ne or mo re of
the foll owing measures:
—Reo rient o r reloc ate the re ceivin g anten na.
—Inc rease th e sepa ration b etwee n the eq uipment and receiver.
—Con nect the equipm ent into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is con necte d.
—Con sult th e dealer or an exp erie nced ra dio/tv te chnician for help.
CAUTION: please note tha t any chang es or modifications mad e to this prod uct not exp ressly approved
by Moog Music Inc. Could void the user ’s authority gran ted by the fcc to oper ate the equ ipment.

4

THEREMINI OVERVIEW

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Theremini.

The Theremin is one of the oldest electronic musical instruments*. As
with all Theremin instruments, the Moog Theremini is played by interacting
with two electronic antennae using subtle hand gestures. One antenna is a
horizontal loop used to control the Volume; a vertical rod antenna is used
to control the Pitch.

PITCH

VOLUME

Due to the nature of these antennae, the Theremini is very sensitive
both to the player AND its environment. Special care should be used
when preparing a space to perform with your Theremini. Use the simple
calibration procedure each time you move your Theremini to ensure a
flawless performance.

The Moog Theremini is an ideal first Theremin. Unlike traditional Theremins
that play a continuous sweep of pitches, the Theremini’s Pitch Correction
system allows the Theremini to play the distinct notes and steps of a
musical scale; 22 Scales are available, beginning on any of 12 Root notes.
This Pitch Correction can be added in any amount, effectively changing
the Theremini’s level of playing dif ficulty to match any performer’s skill.

The front panel hosts a multi-function LCD screen that makes it easy to
choose a preset, change settings, and quickly edit parameters. The built-in
tuner uses the LCD to display both the note being played, and to indicate
whether the note is being played sharp, flat, or perfectly in tune. This
provides an excellent tool for improving pitch accuracy.

The Theremini features a built-in speaker, plus a headphone jack for private
rehearsal. Based on Moog’s award-winning Animoog synthesizer, the internal
sound engine offers 32 presets, each providing a distinctly different tonality,
or timbre. In addition, an onboard stereo effects section is provided, adding
lush trails or spaciousness to the overall sound of your Theremini.

*Curious? A brief history of the Theremin can be found on page 2 9 of this manual.

5

GETTING STARTED

In order to get started, you will need to set up your new Theremini in a
suitable environment and conduct the quick calibration procedure. For
best results and the highest degree of satisfaction, please follow these
simple steps before exploring your Theremini.

UNPACKING

Inside the box, you will find the following:

• Theremini

• AC Power Adaptor

• Warranty Card

• This User Manual

• Quick Start Guide

To begin go ahead and follow these few steps:

1. Remove your new Theremini from the box and packaging.

NOTE: Save this box in case you ever need to ship your Theremini back to Moog.

2. Remove the AC power adapter from the box and packaging.

3. Remove the Pitch antenna from its storage slot on the bottom side
of the Theremini. Simply press the catch tab to release the antenna, and
then gently pull the antenna out.

4. Register your Theremini to be notified of new sounds, features, and
updates as they become available. Visit www.moogmusic.com/register

SETTING UP YOUR THEREMINI

1. The ideal placement for your Theremini is on a microphone stand or
camera-style tripod. Attach the Theremini to a suitable stand using the
built-in 3/8” threaded mount located on the bottom of the unit.

6

If no stand is available, the Theremini can also be placed on a stool or table.
Avoid using a metal surface, as this will interfere with the functioning of the
Theremini’s antennae.

The Theremini reacts to almost everything within its field of sensitivity, so keep
it at least 4 feet away from any large metal objects or sources of movement.

2. Gently insert the Pitch antenna into the Pitch antenna slot, and ensure
that the antenna is snugly seated.

7

3. Using the supplied power adapter, connect the cord end to the +12 VDC
jack on your Theremini’s rear panel. Next, plug the supplied IEC cable into
the power adapter itself, and then plug the IEC into a wall receptacle.

4. Press the POWER button on the Back Panel to turn the Theremini ON.

And that’s it! Now you’re ready to calibrate your Theremini.

8

CALIBRATING YOUR THEREMINI

Calibration allows the Theremini to adapt to its environment, as well as
your body movements and playing style. Calibration MUST be performed
before using your Theremini for the first time, and must be repeated each
time your Theremini is moved to a new location, or when it has been sitting
unused for a long time. Don’t worry about getting it perfect your first
time. The automated calibration procedure is quick and easy, and can be
performed at any time.

NOTE: As your technique develops , you may wish to update your There mini’s calibration

To access the Calibration menu, press
and hold the SETUP button until the
Calibration screen appears. Then
press the EFFECT button to begin
the Calibration process and just
follow the on-screen prompts.

4 Feet

Press the SETUP button and step at least 4 feet away from the Theremini.
This will allow the Theremini to adjust to its environment and tune the
oscillators. The display will count down, and then prompt you to proceed
to the next step.

9

CALIBRATING THE PITCH ANTENNA

HIGHEST NOTE POSITION

Press the SETUP button and place
your hand very close to the Pitch
antenna, but without touching it.
This will determine your hand
position for playing the highest
selected note. The display will
count down, and then prompt
you to proceed to the next step.

LOWEST NOTE POSITION

Press the SETUP button and place your
hand about an arm’s length away from
the Pitch antenna. This will determine
the hand position for playing the lowest
selected note. The display will count
down, and then prompt you to proceed
to the next step.

10

CALIBRATING THE VOLUME ANTENNA

MUTE POSITION

Press the SETUP button and place
your hand close to the Volume
antenna, but without touching it.
This will determine the hand position
for muting the Theremini (the lowest
volume position). The display will
count down, and then prompt you
to proceed to the next step.

FULL VOLUME POSITION

Press the SETUP button and raise your
hand up over the Volume antenna. This
will determine the hand position and
distance for playing the Theremini at
the loudest volume. Wait for the LCD
countdown to finish.

Your Theremini is now calibrated. In order to make playing easier, the
next steps will show how to set the Note Range.

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