Snowdon Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hey all ,I was wondering how one would imitate a theremin sound {think Good Vibrations], without having to go and buy a theremin. Does any of you know of a good sample source to be able to help me. It doesn't nessecarily have to sound exactly like a theremin Im really after a massive pitch bend [sweeping range]. like a octave sweep. Hope this makes some sense. Thanks heaps. Snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Attached is a .zip file of a song with three quickly made Theremin sounds: Select track 1 to hear an EXS-24 version (no samples needed!) Select track 2 to hear an ES2 version, slightly brighter than the EXS version Select track 3 to hear a mellower version of the ES2 sound You'll probably want to adjust the glide rate, attack, release, vibrato rate, etc. to get exactly the sound you want. Note that all of these produce vibrato automatically. If you want to use the modwheel to introduce the vibrato you'll just have to do a little extra programming to get that to work. All totally modifiable, but perhaps enough to get you started. (Oh, and pardon the cheezy reverb -- it's just a Space Designer instanciated on an Aux and no actual reverb selected). Basic construction of the Theremin sound: a sine, triangle, or square wave (low pass filtered) to give you a predominantly pure tone. Glide (portamento) and vibrato are the chief pitch characteristics. Slightly slow attack, and most importantly, monophonic operation (one note at a time). Play legato. For some reason the EXS version glitches every once in a while even though it's set to a legato monophonic mode. Still, if you can deal with that, the "feel" of the glide on the EXS is particularly good for Theremin imitations. I know you want Beach Boys, but for a more "sci-fi" sound from the ES2 versions, add distortion or filter drive, and/or select a brighter waveform (like square) but don't close the filter down on it quite so much -- just enough to give the sound a little edge. There are a million ways to get variations you can give to the tried-and-true pure-tone Theremin sound. theremin basix.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowdon Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Thanks heaps Ski I really appreciate it your quick reply. Im looking forward to having a go at this.Looks like heaps of fun. Ill let you know how I get on. Cheers Snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowdon Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Thanks Ski. Exactly what I needed. Cheers. Snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 very cool, i like the 1st track best. will definitely find some use for those. i busted out my theremin last week and came to the conclusion that: in my hands it is only useful for bizarre noise. thanks a bunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingle Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Brilliant stuff. I've just spent two hours looking for theremin plug ins and virtual theremins that I can use with logic but nothing seemed to work. I've got a very tight deadline for this piece of work and I'm not good with synths, you may have just saved my sci-fi bacon. thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2 Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 here's a track that I did with ski's theremin. it sounds really great, thanks ski. i just added a bit of delay, added some overdrive and wiggled the pitch wheel while i played. if you like theremin, grab this preset. http://www.imeem.com/people/Js3nomQ/music/Aqu06xwK/mount-st-helen-close-the-doormp3/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingle Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Cool, great song, I'll have to look for more of your band. Really like the theremin sound I'm gonna have a go at recreating that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2 Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Cool, great song, I'll have to look for more of your band. Really like the theremin sound I'm gonna have a go at recreating that now. thanks, actually no band; just me having a whack at things when i can find a moment of free time. yea, that theremin is really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Hi Michael, I'm r e a l l y pleased that you liked the Theremin sound so much! I'll have a listen to your track in the next day or so, but in the meantime I just wanted to let you know that you made my day with your posts! Thanks to everyone else who's commented and used these sounds. Glad you found them useful/inspiring. Best, -=sKi=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoSatis Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 These sound great. Thanks ski. Michael: FANTASTIC F***ING song dude. Amazing. I LOVED it. HAve a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonscribe Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Ski, first of all thanks for posting your theremin patch. I'm still on Logic 7 and when I tried to use it -- I got an error message that I couldn't because it was made in another version of Logic or something like that. Presumably it was created in Logic 8? Does anyone know of a workaround that will allow me to use it in Logic 7? Does Logic 8 provide an option to save a file in a manner that is backwards compatible? (I have not upgraded because I need midi-clock support which was abandonned in Logic 8.) Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Yes, it's a Logic 8 file, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franckten Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Hi Ski your project with my add ES1 theremin Another one theremin but for complet your set theremin basix 2.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Very nice Franckten! Has a nice "bite" to it. Cheers!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonscribe Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Franckten is yours also a Logic 8 file or, by any chance, did you make it in Logic 7? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanislasmorell Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 HI, sorry for being a newb, but how do you add the theremin to your library? Thanks for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlon Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Just download and open the arr posted on this page. Then open the esx 24 and click copy in top right corner of the sampler. Then just click paste on the esx 24 you are using in your own song. This is also a way to get it going even if you don´t have Pro as Express does not include the space designer reverb. Thanks for the theremin sound btw !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apoplexia.music Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 wow! thanks for the great Theremin emulations! i only have a tiny problem with your EXS24 sound, ski. when i opened the project file, i tried the EXS24 one first, and then the other two, and when i went back to the EXS24, no sound came out! it's like the setting just vanished...what should i do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickwolf Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 wicked. thanks for this. i can't wait to get to my midi controller with an expression controller for authentic volume swells! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trompetenick Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Very nice. Thanks a lot. Been playing a bit with this. Add Destination/Glide time+source(inverse)/velocity, raise time to 600ms, in matrix editor. Assign a knob or modwheel, to LFO1. Plays like the real thing Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarandy99 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 awesome thanks~! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptrickf Posted November 14, 2010 Share Posted November 14, 2010 love these - thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjornio Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 thanks for sharing these ski. Im gonna go and get my 1970s spooky sounds going on now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aleos Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 just wanted to say thank you for this. I just popped into my head that I need a theramin sound for a track, then I searched here, and viola. Exactly perfect! thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rydizzle Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Hey Michael2 your link just takes me to myspace? I'm curious to hear it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2 Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Hey Michael2 your link just takes me to myspace? I'm curious to hear it forgot that Imeem went out of business and that they diverted you to myspace. here it is. a little rough around the edges but you get the point: http://www.macjams.com/song/51425 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon.le.King Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I only have MainStage installed at the moment. Is the Theremin sound from ski a setting or an instrument for the EXS24? Either way, can someone save the setting and send me a link so I can use it in MainStage. Apparently it's pretty amazing! I don't want to miss it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Is the Theremin sound from ski a setting or an instrument for the EXS24? ski described it in his original post: Attached is a .zip file of a song with three quickly made Theremin sounds: Select track 1 to hear an EXS-24 version (no samples needed!) Select track 2 to hear an ES2 version, slightly brighter than the EXS version Select track 3 to hear a mellower version of the ES2 sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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