Gakken Premium Theremin with Effects?

Hi all.
İm new in the theremin world and i bought Gakken's premium theremin.
This is my first theremin and there are many things im curious about.
Can i use the effects with my premium theremin? 
İ have a electro guitar amp, distortion pedal and effect processor.
How can i use the processors or pedals with my theremin?

Hi Madake,and welcome to thereminworld.

I don't have a Gakken Premium, but I expect it would be the same as other theremins - plug your effect processor into the external output in a chain, and the effect processor into your amp. You may need to reduce the output volume with the volume knob (not the volume trim knob) if you are getting unwelcome distortion.

An electric guitar amp is not ideal for a theremin, but will probably suffice until you upgrade your theremin. ;-)

Your distortion pedal will not have the same effect as it would with a guitar - in all probability it will make the theremin tone sound like a wasp in a jam jar. It will, however, accentuate the effect of pedals that use filtering (for example, wah pedals,) so don't throw it away just yet.

My experience is that the most versatile effect for effects-theremin is the echo or delay. You may want to dial one up on your effects processor. 

Hi Madake,and welcome to thereminworld.

I don't have a Gakken Premium, but I expect it would be the same as other theremins - plug your effect processor into the external output in a chain, and the effect processor into your amp. You may need to reduce the output volume with the volume knob (not the volume trim knob) if you are getting unwelcome distortion.

An electric guitar amp is not ideal for a theremin, but will probably suffice until you upgrade your theremin. ;-)

Your distortion pedal will not have the same effect as it would with a guitar - in all probability it will make the theremin tone sound like a wasp in a jam jar. It will, however, accentuate the effect of pedals that use filtering (for example, wah pedals,) so don't throw it away just yet.

My experience is that the most versatile effect for effects-theremin is the echo or delay. You may want to dial one up on your effects processor. 

Hi. Thanks for your interest.
External output is so little for processor jack input. İ think its little for little speakers and headphone jack.
How can i hook up my guitar amp and processor?

You need a 3.5mm Mono Plug to 6.35mm Mono Socket Adapter like this.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/35mm-mono-plug-to-635mm-mono-socket-adapter-rw02c

A simple adapter will not do it. An impedance transformer (32ohm:~10kohm) will be needed, then a variable attenuator (20 to 40dB) to match the signal to line or to the lower guitar level to not overdrive the equipment.

nice instrument..

Hello Pallav,

I really enjoyed the refreshing change in music cultures and the methods of an instrument that can be applied.

Nice!  But it looks like this playing style might wear one's finger tip down to a bloody nub.

" looks like this playing style might wear one's finger tip down to a bloody nub." - Dewster

LOL ;-)  ... Perhaps this is the one advantage to the theremins touch-less interface, no finger wear! ... Sadly this advantage is more than offset by the wear in ones joints...

But back to the continuum.. I think it would probably take a hell of a long time of continuous playing to even clean the finger tips let alone wear them to a nub - materials available (I am not sure which the continuum uses) which are suitable for fingerboard type applications can have incredibly low friction and superb elasticity and are available with compounds that are both thermally and slightly electrically conductive (or at least have low triboelectric properties).

IMO, the continuum (fingerboard) concept is far superior to the theremin concept in terms of control and expression - Pallav's performance just reinforces this feeling for me. Polyphony makes the instrument far more universal, but I am still sure that a monophonic capacitive slider 'fingerboard' with separate volume control mechanism (so one can glide your finger as lightly as you wish without needing to apply any pressure) is the intelligent  next evolutionary step for the theremin.

Sadly, evolution isn't often intelligent, and isn't often quick..

Fred.

"Perhaps this is the one advantage to the theremins touch-less interface, no finger wear! ... Sadly this advantage is more than offset by the wear in ones joints..."  - FredM

The player ends up a cripple, but with with soft schoolboy hands.

"...(or at least have low triboelectric properties)"

The trouble with tribo.  ;-)