Pitched Turntable Virtuosity on Vestax, and More Theremin Tunes
Speaking of going beyond traditional instruments like keyboards, the urge to reinvent pitch interfaces continues. Via comments, we’ve got some additions. tripmastermonkee points us to this demo by DJ Woody on the Vestax Controller One, the turntable with pitch control and pitch buttons seen previously on CDM:
Sure, there are other ways of acheiving the same result (there usually are), but there’s something wonderfully material about seeing it done on a turntable, and the results sound really unique. PS: said it before, but will say it again, Scratchworx is an awesome DJ web publishing powerhouse.
And if you just can’t get enough Theremin cover tunes:
Heck, even White Castle is getting in on the act. You know, they used to say doing commercial music took away some of the integrity of the music. No way, man. Sometimes you gotta sing about the Sliders. And if you do, you might as well get paid:
Via Metafilter, thanks to Andrew Cordani.
And, yeah, I still think the Crazy cover was the best Theremin video yet.
12 Comments
Leave a Commentel paolo
Please, pleeease tell me someone else who reads this blog is tired of Theremin videos. The only cover I want to see is the Dr. Who theme, in which the tone and sliding are actually appropriate. I’m not dissing CDM here…not at all…I just really think theremins sound terrible. Ack.
June 25, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
Peter Kirn
Theremins can sound really beautiful; as with any instrument it depends on the sound, and all the more so with this. I think these novelties are fun, but I don’t think they’re the best examples of Theremin technique. In fact, I hope someone uploads some really great “classical” Theremin — if anyone has some links, please send along. And, naturally, in a digital age Theremin is just one choice — one that demands a great deal of practice. (That’s why I stay away from them myself. And violins. Unpleasant sounds result when I touch those things — or, erm, don’t touch in the case of Theremin.)
June 25, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
University Update - YouTube - Pitched Turntable Virtuosity on Vestax, and More Theremin Tunes
[...] Yahoo Link to Article youtube Pitched Turntable Virtuosity on Vestax, and More Theremin Tunes » Posted at Create Digital Music on Monday, June 25, 2007 Speaking of going beyond traditional instruments like keyboards, the urge to reinvent pitch interfaces continues. Via comments, we’ve got some additions. tripmastermonkee points us to this demo by DJ Woody on the Vestax Controller One, the turntable with pitch control and pitch buttons seen previously on CDM: Sure, View Entire Article » [...]
June 25, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
el paolo
True, true. I’ll shutup now. ;) Nice work on the Robotspeak video, btw.
June 25, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
Mick Bordet
How much more ‘classical’ can you get than THE great thereminist, Clara Rockmore. Loads of YouTube goodness HERE. Nobody has surpassed her yet.
June 25, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
el paolo
Ok, yea, better in classical music. I certainly can imagine the skill involved, and Clara’s videos visually demonstrate the precision needed…but I guess I’d rather just hear a stringed instrument.
Anyone ever run one through some distortion and/or another kind of effect?
June 25, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
sillicon
lol @ the above..
June 26, 2007 @ 3:50 am
vandeloow
about theremin artists:
she performce the theremin very well:
http://www.myspace.com/doritchrysler
enjoy!
btw: peter, your blog is great, thanks!
June 26, 2007 @ 4:31 am
Mick Bordet
Jon Bernhardt uses a MoogerFooger on the Video Killed the Radio Star clip above (3rd one down). If you’re using anything other than reverb or delay then distortion of some sort is almost essential to create some harmonics to work with - the raw sound is very pure and doesn’t really work with filters, etc.
June 26, 2007 @ 10:34 am
dead_red_eyes
Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius) can play the hell out of a Theremin. He’s got wonderful pitch control … he can feel the notes just like Clara Rockmore can. Not many people can play the Theremin like that, it’s very impressive.
So bring on the Theremin onslaught please!
I like to run my Theremin thru a chorus, delay, and fuzz pedal … sounds seriously wicked.
June 26, 2007 @ 10:37 am
richardn
For those tired of lame theremin covers…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=b5cOdZh4zK8&mode=related&search=
she really does rock more.
June 29, 2007 @ 9:24 am
Daniel
It’s always nice to hear keyboards with great sound. Nice videos.
July 6, 2007 @ 10:26 am
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