Just Another Newbie

Just thought I would say hello.  I am new to the theremin, but not music. Arthritis brought me to this extremely low-impact instrument after playing banjo and guitar for nearly forty years.

I have to admit, it is a steep learning curve. It probably doesn't help that I am nearly deaf. With the banjo, hearing loss is probably a blessing. With the theremin, it is making things interesting.

If anybody needs a laugh, I will be keeping an informal journal of my learning process.

https://dobrolibre.medium.com/theremin-quest-getting-started-ab81d85d40b1

Hi Patrick, welcome to TW!

Hi Patrick!

I'm a theremin newbie too - I've been at it for just a couple of months here. There are many great people on this board and elsewhere. You might want to check out the great workshops that Lydia Kavina offers every Sunday - she's one of the "greats!" She welcomes EVERYONE to her workshops - total neophytes to great thereminists. The workshops, via Zoom are usually attended by people from all over the world (literally) - GREAT fun and wonderful people! Her next one is tomorrow at noon EST (FYI, she lives in London, England but was in Moscow last week). Regardless, check out her site at: http://www.lydiakavina.com/ I'm sure you can still attend tomorrow but you'll need to write to her. Her workshops range from total beginners to advanced, although i attend all of them as it's still possible to learn a lot from her. As you're a musician, it'll be easier for you to understand everything (although playing the theremin is tough - but FUN)!

Also, I've been taking private lessons with her every couple of weeks (wish I could take them more often) and she's also an INCREDIBLE teacher. I believe that Carolina Eyck was one of her students.

Patrick, you're a good writer! Even for me with my limited English

It's great that you use the term "electric field" instead of "electromagnetic" as many people do. My respect!

Thank you for that. I feel like Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson garb is giving me an approving nod.

If anybody is interested, I am posting practice updates here: https://dobrolibre.medium.com/

After being a professional musician for most of my life, the theremin is wonderfully frustrating.
In my latest progress update, I write about meditation, martial arts, baking biscuits, and how I am using lessons from those disciplines in my approach to the theremin.
https://dobrolibre.medium.com/theremin-quest-pillsburys-electric-biscuit-blues-230ab2056ba1

In my heart I feel often similar. Thanks for posting your experiences.