In 1920, electrical engineer Leon Theremin discovered something. The closer he moved his hand towards the circuit he was working on, the more it reacted. As a cello player, he realized that he could use this phenomenon to make a musical instrument. His new invention had a vertical and a horizontal antenna. Moving his right hand towards the vertical antenna increased pitch. Meanwhile, moving his left hand towards the horizontal antenna decreased volume. With this setup, he could create music just by moving his hands in the air, with no physical contact. This invention wowed onlookers with its ghostly operation and ghostly sounds.
The theremin was one of the first electronic musical instruments. For decades, it has inspired musicians and engineers to create new sounds and new instruments. We continue that tradition with the MicroKits Theremin Kit. We've designed a version of the theremin that anyone can build, including you! What sounds will you discover?
