Score another one for originality and creative genius inspired by the theremin! Moldover has released an album housed in a CD case that also doubles as an optical theremin (of sorts).

The CD's insert features a circuit board with all the track titles listed in etched copper as well as a noise generator. 2 optical sensors let you modify the sound. From the demo video (theremin around the 1 minute mark), it's unclear to me what control you actually get over the sound other than modifying pitch over about an octave, but you can't deny it just looks fun to try! The case also features a headphone jack so you can play it on the go or use it in a show. Another version of the case includes a removable miniature version of the circuit board for even more portability.

Moldover is also the creator of controllerism.com, a site dedicated to "the art of manipulating sounds and creating music live using computer controllers and software" (and my new favorite hangout).

You can order your own copy of Moldover's CD from the band's website.

Read: Video: Moldover CD case rocks a light theremin, our socks (Engadget)

Xenovibes celebrated its 5th birthday May 8th.



And now there's advance word on a new CD release from them at allaboutjazz.com



Happy belated birthday wishes and congratulations on the new album! Thanks GordonC for the good news.

Japanese Theremin Master Masami Takeuchi's solo albums are now available at the iTunes Store!


Time Slips Away (2001) and Vocalise(2006)

You can listen to some samples at his web site:
mandarinelectron

Masami Takeuchi's Matryomin ensemble "Mable" has released it's first CD,
or at least a sampler of it called "SHOKOU mini album for overseas regions"
available for download from mandarinelectron and at iTune Stores!

Matryomin is a Matrioshka (Russian babushka nesting doll) shaped theremin. It is a pitch only instrument and was invented by Masami Takeuchi. Mable is a ensemble of Matryomin players. All members of Mable are expert theremin players who study under Masami Takeuchi.
Mable's 1st full CD album "SHOKOU -morgenrote-" will be released on April 8th 2009.
But it will be sold only in Japan.


Hope we can get one here somehow!




Congratulations to the Mable Ensemble.

The timeline of electronic music is illustrated with recordings and videos in
OHM+ the early gurus of electronic music Special Edition 3CD + DVD
from Ellipsis Arts.

Our beloved Theremin is recognized and given it's proud place at the dawn of
electronic instruments.

The New York Times called the set “a tidy history of a messy tradition”.

The very first track is Clara Rockmore playing Tchaikovsky's Valse Sentimentale! The three CDs are accompanied by a DVD of videos; a mix of interviews, performances, early video art pieces,
electronic collaborations, and animations.
Everything in the collection seems as inovative, and in some cases still astounding, as the day they were made.

Video DVD includes excerpts from:

Clara Rockmore's The World’s Greatest Theremin Virtuosa,

Paul Lansky’s Lesson With Leon Theremin (a video by George Lewis), and

Moog: A Documentary Film by Hans Fjellestad

on khoral's Cafe 80

"First thing to notice about the MK is the nice retro design… Ok, maybe second thing… the first being the awful mini keys. Why O why? Let’s deal with that right away and move on : the biggest issue with the MK might be the keyboard, and no, making it black don’t change anything."

I like that intro. :)

eVoLuTiOn of some Synthesis

click for samples and more shots of the Evolution EVS-1

via swissdoc: "came across this today, a synth from back then using the French SAM chip as used in Quasimidi Quasar as well."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/piao/
"Alan Freeman looks at the history of the synthesiser, from its origins over a century ago right up to the digital samplers."
There's a link on the right pane of the site when you get there. It appears to require Real Player.
via Ollie.

"This video is a quick demonstration of my guitar with 2 itouch ipods mounted onto the body of the guitar.

The ipod closest to the guitar pick ups is running Itouch Midi's Martix app which im using to send midi to Ableton Live on my Macbook via wifi.

And the itouch near the bottom is running Bloom designed by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, Bloom is a generative music application.

Note: in this video bloom is just being run through my mixer when i play live it is run through various patches to alter it a bit.

The reason i shake the guitar is to clear bloom and start a new pattern, each time i shake it, it clears the boards and lets you start again.

Note: this video is just me messing around with a quick live set i through together just for the video its nothing real special but it shows kinda what im doing for my live sets, one thing that im not using in the video that is in my live setup is various Pd(puredata) patches.

More Videos Soon.
Thanks

-Brian Green"

YouTube via BrianWilliamGreen
"This is a video of my hand made synth made by kyle evans and i am processing the sound through ableton live and controlling it with my itouch. More Info On My Projects Like These @ www.ihatebriangreen.com

Seeyouinsleep:
Myspace.com/seeyouinsleep

Kyles Link:
myspace.com/elliselectronics"