California State University, Monterey Bay Digital Commons @ CSUMB Capstone Projects and Master's Theses Capstone Projects and Master's Theses 5-2019 Strange Vibrations: The Evolution of the Theremin Kasey Mathew California State University, Monterey Bay Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all Part of the Music Commons Recommended Citation Mathew, Kasey, "Strange Vibrations: The Evolution of the Theremin" (2019). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 463. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all/463 This Capstone Project (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Capstone Projects and Master's Theses at Digital Commons @ CSUMB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Capstone Projects and Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CSUMB. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. 1 Strange Vibrations: The Evolution of the Theremin By Kasey Mathew Introduction Can you imagine an instrument which is played without physically touching it? Leon Theremin not only imagined it, he made it a reality. This project will examine the unusual and versatile instrument known as the theremin. It will look at the history and development of the instrument as well as the story of its Russian inventor, Leon Theremin, and notable performer Clara Rockmore. The physics behind the instrument will be briefly examined. Several prominent uses of the theremin in popular culture/media will be studied including its use in science fiction movies of the 1950s. Also examined will be the electro-theremin, a simplified version of the instrument which is used as a distinguishing feature of the 1966 music of the Beach Boys in "Good Vibrations." Additional instruments inspired by the theremin will be explored.