Monthly Archives: June 2013

The theremin’s portamento, i.e., “slide,” is often given a bad rap. But under close examination, it’s revealed as a wonderful means of self-expression.  

As thereminists, we tend to think of the volume loop as the place where expression is lent to the pitches and music we produce; some of us even refer to the volume loop as the “expression loop.” It’s true – note articulation, the dynamics of loud and soft (crescendo, diminuendo, pianissimo, etc.) all happen using [...]

Having explored vibrato as a technique in many of the lessons, you can now move into using it as a means of true self expression. It finally makes the transition from purely mechanical to interpretational; its character now depends entirely upon what you as a thereminist feel. Rather than jumping into music, you first work [...]

This is the final segment of Moving Toward Free Flow. Here, the challenge is to begin to channel true emotion, bring it to the surface, and allow it to come through in the sounds you make. This is the last boundary, the point of departure that makes the difference between a thereminist playing the notes [...]