AETHERPHON, global theremin family

hello, i'm just getting back to playing...need an amp...if this has been discussed a gajillion 
times, feel free to direct me to archives with the best search terms. tx.

need very small amp for practice, as cheap as possible (WAY under $100).
thanks.
--jul

--- In aetherphon@yahoogroups.com, "thereminjul" <juliecleveland@...> 
wrote:
>
> hello, i'm just getting back to playing...need an amp...if this has 
been discussed a gajillion 
> times, feel free to direct me to archives with the best search 
terms. tx.
> 
> need very small amp for practice, as cheap as possible (WAY under 
$100).
> thanks.
> --jul
>
----------

Hello Jul.  Obviously, at that price, quality of sound will not be 
the main concern.  Also, you don't say if portability and the ability 
to battery power the amp is important to you.

My first suggestion would be one of the little amps made by Marshall, 
Fender, whoever, etc. that are often sold at some music stores.  They 
may have a 4 inch loudspeaker and may even be battery powered with 
the option of plugging in a DC adapter.

I most often see them on a display rack near the doors.  They are 
most likely items set up as impulse buys as in most stores.  I don't 
have time to look it up, but I can't imagine they would cost more 
than $50...possibly even less.

If portability is not an absolute requirement, another option is to 
use the equipment you already own.

One decent possibility is to use a set of computer speakers.  They 
are always powered buy their own internal amp.  All you would need is 
the appropriate adapter(s) from Radio Shack (free plug). You would 
need an adapter with a 1/4" mono phone (instrument) jack to a 1/8" 
(mini) stereo jack. If you use a mono to mono adapter, you will only 
get sound out of one side of the computer speakers (and half of the 
available power).

You can do the same thing with almost any other stereo or sound 
system.  You might be surprised at the sound quality and power you 
can get.  Plus you may have some control over the tone as well as 
volume.

Do you still have an old "boom box"?  With the appropriate adapters, 
you can plug your theremin into the aux (auxiliary), CD, or "Tape" 
input jacks.  In these cases, your adapter will probably need to have 
a splitter to go to the Left/Right RCA jacks on the back of the 
equipment.

Look around and see what you have.  You may be able to set something 
up for less than $10 (for the adapters).

Another option for connection to stereo equipment is to use a small 
mixer.  Radio Shack (another free plug) sells a small, 4-channel 
mixer for $30.  http://tinyurl.com/5o33mh
This will not only make the conversion to Left/Right RCA jacks for 
you, but it will also give you control of the output from the 
theremin.  This is helpful if you want to plug into something 
designed for a low level input, such as a guitar amp.  The RCA patch 
cords and DC adapter are sold separately.

What I did was I went to a pawn shop and looked for a keyboard 
amplifier.  They should have the right line levels, because a guitar amp 
won't work, if I recall correctly.  Corrections?

I use a Fender Sidekick keyboard amp, which was $75 at the pawn shop.

-----
DAVID VESEL -- synthetic music for humans
-----
Spellbound, a brief program of music for theremin
Sunday 10PM-12AM http://spellbound.purplenote.com

thereminjul wrote:

> hello, i'm just getting back to playing...need an amp...if this has been discussed a gajillion 
> times, feel free to direct me to archives with the best search terms. tx.
> 
> need very small amp for practice, as cheap as possible (WAY under $100).
> thanks.
> --jul
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> AETHERPHON, the global thereminist community
> 
> To contact the moderator, e-mail porphyrous@...
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
>

a guitar amp will work but its not ideal for the frequency range of the theremin.  It sounds kind of flat and waily, but if that's all you can find it will work.


--- On Sun, 7/20/08, David V <porphyrous@...> wrote:

> From: David V <porphyrous@...>
> Subject: Re: [Aetherphon] hello, i'm new, qu re: amps
> To: aetherphon@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Sunday, July 20, 2008, 8:17 PM
> What I did was I went to a pawn shop and looked for a
> keyboard 
> amplifier.  They should have the right line levels, because
> a guitar amp 
> won't work, if I recall correctly.  Corrections?
> 
> I use a Fender Sidekick keyboard amp, which was $75 at the
> pawn shop.
> 
> -----
> DAVID VESEL -- synthetic music for humans
> -----
> Spellbound, a brief program of music for theremin
> Sunday 10PM-12AM http://spellbound.purplenote.com
> 
> thereminjul wrote:
> > hello, i'm just getting back to playing...need an
> amp...if this has been discussed a gajillion 
> > times, feel free to direct me to archives with the
> best search terms. tx.
> > 
> > need very small amp for practice, as cheap as possible
> (WAY under $100).
> > thanks.
> > --jul
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------------
> > 
> > AETHERPHON, the global thereminist community
> > 
> > To contact the moderator, e-mail porphyrous@...
> > 
> > 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >

Christopher,
Thanks for your info re: guitar amps.
Yeah, I had a Peavey KB100 for the theremin a couple years back, but  
have since sold it for rent.
Just need a quick way to get to practicing.
Jul

<a guitar amp will work but its not ideal for the frequency range of  
the theremin. It sounds kind of flat and waily, but if that's all you  
can find it will work.>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks, David. Forgot about good ole pawn shops.
Maybe I can find another keyboard amp.
So keyboard amps are better than guitar amps, overall, for theremin?

<What I did was I went to a pawn shop and looked for a keyboard
amplifier. They should have the right line levels, because a guitar amp
won't work, if I recall correctly. Corrections?

I use a Fender Sidekick keyboard amp, which was $75 at the pawn shop.>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sorry, I should have specified.
Don't need battery or portability.
Just need to practice. I have no $$ really to buy anything at the  
moment.

I have a stereo system. I can play the theremin thru it? I was afraid  
I'd blow it out or something.
It's a Kenwood stereo receiver and the speakers are bookshelf (sony)
I guess what you told me about the computer speakers applies here?-Go  
to Radio shack and get the appropriate jack(s) and so forth?

Thanks for your straightforward and very helpful answer!
This is the third group where I've posted the same query and this  
answer is just what I needed.
Jul

Quoting Julie Cleveland <juliecleveland@...>:
>
> Sorry, I should have specified.
> Don't need battery or portability.
> Just need to practice. I have no $$ really to buy anything at the
> moment.
>
> I have a stereo system. I can play the theremin thru it? I was afraid
> I'd blow it out or something.
> It's a Kenwood stereo receiver and the speakers are bookshelf (sony)
> I guess what you told me about the computer speakers applies here?-Go
> to Radio shack and get the appropriate jack(s) and so forth?
>
The Kenwood stereo will work just fine for what you want to do.  You  
could plug in to the AUX, TUNER, or a TAPE input and it it should work  
fine.

Suggest that you get a cable that has a male 1/4" on one end and a  
male RCA connector on the other.  In addition, get a 'Y' cable: RCA  
female on one end, two RCA males on the other -- the males would plug  
in to the left and right channels.   If your Kenwood has a "MONO"  
switch on the front panel, then you don't need the Y connector -- just  
plug into the left or right channel and the MONO switch will route the  
theremin to both speakers.

>Quoting Julie Cleveland <juliecleveland@...>:
>>
>>  Sorry, I should have specified.
>>  Don't need battery or portability.
>>  Just need to practice. I have no $$ really to buy anything at the
>>  moment.
>>
>>  I have a stereo system. I can play the theremin thru it? I was afraid
>>  I'd blow it out or something.
>>  It's a Kenwood stereo receiver and the speakers are bookshelf (sony)
>>  I guess what you told me about the computer speakers applies here?-Go
>>  to Radio shack and get the appropriate jack(s) and so forth?
>>
>The Kenwood stereo will work just fine for what you want to do.  You 
>could plug in to the AUX, TUNER, or a TAPE input and it it should work 
>fine.
>
>Suggest that you get a cable that has a male 1/4" on one end and a 
>male RCA connector on the other.  In addition, get a 'Y' cable: RCA 
>female on one end, two RCA males on the other -- the males would plug 
>in to the left and right channels.   If your Kenwood has a "MONO" 
>switch on the front panel, then you don't need the Y connector -- just 
>plug into the left or right channel and the MONO switch will route the
>theremin to both speakers.

This is pretty much the rig I use for my computer and keyboard. Given the
state of my stereo (tv, vcr, dvd, tapedeck, 2 CD players, and 2 turntables)
I figured I ought to have a seperate setup for my computer and keyboard.
I will probably need to get some adapters at some point, as the 
circuit-bent modular synth rig I'm building is all on 1/8" plugs, due 
to the small size of many of the items.
-- 
David Bohn

composer
conductor
organist

dbohn@...

I've always used a keyboard amp (Roland 100Watts - bulky but solid quality,
the smaller ones are also good) - but pricey and heavy.  I've recently been
looking at acoustic guitar amps which are small, quite cheap and have a
better sound range for theremin than bass or guitar amps which I find far
too hard to use - there are unexpected frequency 'bump' where the sound is
inconsistent across the range and can be harsh - not great for live work!
If you're in the US, check out the little amps that Moog Music sell with
their etherwave theremins.


-- 
Susi
(aka Ms Hypnotique)
Tel: 07981 222799

http://www.hypnotique.net
http://www.lunette.co.uk
http://www.babyslave.net

See our blog: http://www.babyslave.wordpress.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The Roland amp that Susi uses is the exact amp I use. She's right - they are
relatively expensive, but I've had it for almost 10 years, and it's utterly
reliable. Why 100 watts? -- because it was the largest I could easily carry
and load into my car unassisted. I play with the amp on an x-stand because I
have a reinforced rack case sitting under the amp, but I believe this amp
has a pole mount on the bottom to mount on a pole style stand. A definite
advantage to the thereminist -- your amp should be near your ears, not your
feet.

I've also gotten lovely tone playing through a massive Bassman amp-- but
that's really quite impractical unless you're Spinal Tap.


Vic
-- 
http://www.inactivists.com
http://www.myspace.com/theinactivists
victoria@...
http://www.myspace.com/victoriatheremin

thanks, susie, this is a big help. i'll check out the theremins that  
Moog makes.
Jul

thanks david, jeff, and christopher for all this good amp info,  
'ppreciate it, being new and all.
jul