Electro-Theremin (1958)

Paul Tanner Playing the Electro-Theremin

An Electro-Theremin is the creation of actor/electronics wizard, Bob Whitsell. It is a mechanical
controller of an audio oscillator. Whitsell invented the first one in 1958 and it was with this instrument
that Paul Tanner recorded Music from Heavenly Bodies. Several weeks later, Whitsell began designing
an improved version, one that was played in a straight, linear movement of the hand (as opposed to the
first version's arc-like movement). It was with this instrument that Tanner recorded the numerous TV and
movie soundtracks as well as the LP, Music from Outer Space and the three Beach Boys' tunes.

The Electro-Theremin is a mechanically controlled electronic musical instrument. It uses a mechanical
linkage to control an audio oscillator. This makes the instrument extremely accurate. The traditional
theremin is a space-controlled electronic musical instrument. It has two antennas, one for pitch, the
other, for volume. It is the distance of the performer's hands from the antennas which determines how
high or low the notes are, and how loud or soft the instrument is.

In addition to the physical differences, the Electro-Theremin and traditional theremin differ in the tones
they produce. The traditional theremin's tone is rich in harmonic content, producing an almost string-like
quality in the low to mid registers, and a human soprano-like quality in the upper register. The
Electro-Theremin, on the other hand, utilizes a sine wave as its tone. The theremin's tone is earthy and
organic. The Electro-Theremin's tone more easily conjures up imagery of space and of the heavens.

Inventer Bob Whitsell.

Here, we see the first proto-type instrument: