THEREMINS I HAVE KNOWN Hands-On Encounters with Models and Makes THE LONGWAVE POCKET THEREMIN

This little theremin, when connected to a good amp, packs quite a punch. Jake Rothman, its creator, states that it's less for playing music on than making interesting sounds. For the most part that's true, but with practice it is possible to get passable tunes out of it. It takes work. The theremin is pitch only, so articulation is tricky. The pitches are extremely close together, which makes playing tunes even trickier. It's also very touchy and somewhat unstable. Pressing on the case, holding it with one hand or moving your fingers acan result in all sorts of pitch anomalies. But hold it very lightly in one hand and carefully work with the pitch antenna and it's got its moments. As advertised, it actually does fit in your pocket. It's powered by a 9V battery which makes for excellent portability. I've found it really useful for demos when too short on time to let everyone try a larger model. As long as people are cautioned to be careful with it, the Longwave can be passed around to permit people to experience just a litlle of what playing a theremin is like.