I've been trying to find out what the hell kind of instrument this is. It's used in the Nine Inch Nails song "Just like you Imagined" as some sort of weird wave synth piece of equipment that the guy plays sort of like a harp....

@ the 1:25 mark in this video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qTJDMByDX18

@ the 3:26 mark in this video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5WIpUu5iIIs

I know you hate Nine Inch Nails, spookyjon, but some help would be awesome, thanks.

4/21/2007 12:54:39 PM

it's a theremin



the tones/waveforms are controlled by your hand motions

made famous by "good vibrations"

[Edited on April 21, 2007 at 1:13 PM. Reason : .]

4/21/2007 12:58:28 PM

Dude you rock

4/21/2007 1:02:07 PM

theremins kick ass

4/21/2007 1:04:07 PM

We need to buy all this shit and just have a huge studio somewhere

4/21/2007 1:06:26 PM

oh man i thought you would have been well-versed in theremins for some reason

they even made a movie about the dude who invented it...he wanted it to be a classical instrument

4/21/2007 2:01:02 PM

Paging vinylbandit...

4/21/2007 2:04:32 PM

theremin facts

-it was used for sound effects in old sci-fi movies
-it is also performed classically but no one really cares about that
-sam ash on capitol has a moog theremin that you can play around with
-listen to good vibrations and the rentals for more

you can make one yourself for pretty cheap. ive never tried it myself but there are guides everywhere online and the parts are cheap.

4/22/2007 2:29:16 AM

The theremin was also used frequently by Jimmy Page--"Whole Lotta Love" live is one example.



[Edited on April 22, 2007 at 2:34 AM. Reason : .]

4/22/2007 2:34:18 AM

Yes, it's true, I DO have a theremin.

It's a Big Briar, which is to say that it's a Moog that was built before Bob Moog got the rights to his name back.

The one on Good Vibrations is technically a Tannerin, which uses a slightly different interface and can also be configured like an Ondes Martenot, with a metal string and a finger cradle that sits over a paper keyboard for note recognition.

4/22/2007 2:39:54 AM

K well let's form an electronic group ok

ILL MAN THE DRUM MACHINE

4/22/2007 3:24:31 AM

http://www.lotharandthehandpeople.com/

4/22/2007 3:42:24 AM

jonny greenwood approves

[Edited on April 22, 2007 at 7:48 AM. Reason : ]

4/22/2007 7:47:48 AM

Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard approves, too:

4/22/2007 8:07:07 AM