Love creating music and producing some sounds in an offbeat and unusual way? If you do, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy fooling around with the Beep-it Optical Theremin.
Don’t get the wrong idea, because the Beep-it Optical Theremin isn’t just for the musically inclined. This gadget is simple enough that anyone can start playing it, but it’s also complicated in the sense that the sound is produced not by strumming or drumming or blowing into some instrument. Instead, the sound is product based on the amount of light that the theremin is made to come in contact with.
That said, it might be a little hard to duplicate the sounds you can produce from the theremin, so an audio recorder might come in handy in this case.
Beep-it Optical Theremin
You’ll love the Beep-it Optical Theremin. It is a hand-held, rectangular device that features a Big Red Button, a volume knob, a 1/4″ jack, and a light sensitive resistor. Simply put in a 9 volt battery and you’ll be ready to play.
As an optical theremin, it outputs a square wave whose pitch is controlled by the amount of light striking a photoresistor. You control the pitch by casting shadows over the light sensor or by pointing it toward or away from a light source. Using a flashing light can induce a cool oscillating effect. It’s fun for amateur noisemakers, but powerful enough for professionals working in experimental, hip-hop, electronic, sample-heavy, and indie rock genres.
The Beep-it Optical Theremin is available from ThinkGeek for $39.99.