Explore the Theremin and Its Inventor

http://www.nashville.net/~theremin/TSounds.html
Invented in 1919 by Russian scientist Leon Theremin, the theremin is has a sound that is similar to a female voice, but there is no mistaking its electronic nature. The person playing the device moves his or her hands around two antennas. Played by an experienced player, the result can be quite musical. You'll find several listening examples of music played on the theremin at this site.

http://www.uwlax.edu/LS/Music/theramin.html
At this site, you will see and hear the theremin played by one of its most accomplished performers, Clara Rockmore. Notice the horizontal antenna by her left hand, which controls volume, and the vertical one by her right hand, which controls pitch.

http://www.nashville.net/~theremin/TSounds.html
Russian inventor Leon Theremin was highly acclaimed for his contributions to the world of electronic music. At this site you can download a movie of the master himself performing at Carnegie Hall. (Note: the movie file is large and may take several minutes to download.)

Electronic Music

http://www.uwlax.edu/LS/Music/rca.html
Synthesizers combine, subtract, and otherwise modulate (change) simple electronic waveforms to create complicated sonic textures. At this Web site you will see an early RCA synthesizer. Notice that with all this equipment, it doesn't even have a piano-style keyboard. Notes could be selected with knobs and dials!

http://www.uwlax.edu/LS/Music/wave.html
Creating electronic textures can often be quite complex, but it basically consists of the interactions of a few elementary electronic waveforms—the sine, sawtooth, triangle, and square waveforms. Each waveform has its own, unique sound. At this Web site you can see and hear examples of the basic waveforms. The overall tone, or color, of many sound waves joined together in succession produces the sound we hear.

http://www.uwlax.edu/LS/Music/moog.html
Renowned electronic instrument inventor Bob Moog created several popular styles of synthesizers, many of which are still used today. At this site you will see an early Moog synthesizer from 1968 and hear an early recording featuring the Moog synthesizer reproducing a piece of Baroque classical music.

http://www.vintagesynth.com
Moog synthesizers are capable of making unusual, nontraditional sounds. From the top menu bar at this Web site, go to the "Audio Archive," then click "Moog" to download Real Audio files of Moog synthesizers. In particular, listen to the "Concertmate" audio files.

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