1. Alice Dobrie Dr. Beth Hiser Metatheremin

2. Electronic Music • What is Electronic Music? • The Theremin invented around 1920 • The Theremin’s Debut • Leon Theremin • The Impact

3. More of Theremin’s contributions • The Terpsitone • The Rhythmicon • Electronic Cello • Silent Alarms • Mad Scientist?

4. Video Killed the Theremin Star • Spellbound (1945) • The Lost Weekend (1945) • The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) • The Delicate Delinquent (1956) • It Came From Outer Space (1953) “I just wanted to be a serious musician and play Bach.” - Clara Rockmore

5. Political Tension • “ In 1938, under circumstances that remain unclear, he returned to the Soviet Union where he was convicted of anti-soviet propaganda and sentenced to seven years imprisonment in Magadan, Siberia.” (Grimes, 93)

6. The “Bug” • KGB = State committee of intelligence • The invention of the ‘bug’ in 1961 • Received a First level Stalin Award

7. Moscow Music Conservatory • Leon Theremin worked at the conservatory from 1964 – 1967 • “Maestro invented Soviet ‘Bug’ in Jail” –New York Times • “There is no need for electronic music. Electricity is for killing traitors in the electric chair.” –Director of the Conservatory

8. Leon Theremin’s…uh.. Theremin

9. The Original Theremin Schematic

11. Phototransistors

12. Inner Workings of Phototransistors • Light enters the base region of the Phototransistor where hole electron pairs can be generated. • Mainly occurs in the reverse biased base-collector Junction. • The hole-electron pairs move under the influence of the electric field and provide the base current, causing electrons to be injected into the emitter

13. Pin 1: Ground Pin 2: On and Off Pin 3: Current Out Pin 4: Stop, Interrupts Cycle Pin 8: Power Pin 7: Switch to Ground Pin 6: Measure Voltage Pin 5: Voltage Reference

14. Evil Baby Doll Theremin Banana Theremin iPhone Theremin application Pretty much anything can be made into a theremin… Variations on the Optical Theremin

15. First Design Idea

16. First Design Idea (continued)

17. The Metatheremin

18. Acknowledgments Brian Vinicky – Engineer Honeywell Inc. David Revta - BW Technician Abi Good – Metal Smith Beth Hiser - Advisor/Mentor

19. Questions or Comments? (“No” is an acceptable answer)