The schematics page tends to be one of our most popular, yet we don't have much chatter about building the Theremin listed on that page here in the forums. I wonder if folks are finding what they are looking for or if I need to add something else to make the page more helpful/useful/relevant?
Ideas welcomed!
Perhaps a section where users could post reviews, if they tried to build the schematic, weather they got it to work at all, and if they did weather the resultant theremin was "useful" for their purposes or something. Probably you get a lot of random traffic, looking for a theremin project, they pick one at random, and never get it to work on breadboard. Some info, on how someone should go about picking one.
Barring that, maybe they could at least be organized into a few categories, like optical, simple, complex/professional, tube, and dubious, or something.
Great. Sounds like tags alone for classification aren't enough. I can certainly add categories, reviews and ratings, etc. I definitely also want to enable folks to upload their own new schematics too.
In the meantime, if you have files to share, just mail them to me and I will add them to the site. Jason(at)thereminworld.com
If a theremin design does not furnish a sound sample of the results the designer was able to achieve it should be "red flagged" as probably not having a musical sound much less playable.
A sound sample means a sweep through the range, not a pro performance.
The newbie builder needs to know that just because it says tube/valve does not mean anything special unless the sound furnished is pleasing to the builder. Tubes designs can whistle just like their cousin transistors and not have a throaty sound.
Some transistor theremin designs can sound better than tube/valves.
Theremins are like a box of chocolates "You know the rest of the story".
nieradka's rating system is a great idea.
When it comes to a newbie wanting a theremin I always cringe a bit as I know of something less than desirable with everything available. My thoughts are choose your poison wisely, for I imagine first theremin experiences are mostly short lived.
Edit: Just like the Photo Album there should be a place to upload a single sound byte, having no simple method to do this may be why so many avoid uploading. I just want the newbie to hear the difference between a square wave, sine wave and everything in between.
Christopher
I wish we had at least one Theremin design project here at TW that would:
1. Be simple to build with common, inexpensive, readily available components.
2. Require little or no fiddling in order to get it operating correctly (no scope).
3. Give satisfactory results in terms of linearity, sound, stability, etc.
Something designed perhaps by the group, or at least with group input. There's loads of design and playing talent here, the TW Theremin could potentially kick some serious ass.
Perhaps not a 1-5 star rating on all of them. Cost to build could be a flat estimate (a 3 star cost is not informative). Sound quality, a place to upload or link to sound samples would be ideal. Though ease of build and linearity/stability/functionality/general quality/playability are more subjective.
"the TW Theremin could potentially kick some serious ass." dewster.
That, my friend, is a great idea.
I firmly believe this site is home to the greatest theremin brain trust on the planet, with a combined IQ higher than an SR-71's maximum altitude.
I have design ideas, you have them, Fred has tons as well, and Thierry is even making a bit of cash from his designs. (I don't intend to leave anyone out, just keep this post at a reasonable size.)
We also have the greatest players in the world to test the prototypes.
Let's go for it!
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