Daily Ukulele Mar 2nd 2011

Ukulele JJ said:

Love that song, and you found a brilliant rendition of it!

JJ

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Zia said:

but is there a video of you playing it?

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DAPuke said:

Good uke tune, thanks Joey.
DAP

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mds725 said:

Another cool selection, Joey, and a very interesting video. Do you think there's a forum for people who play that contraption he plays at the beginning of the song?

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joeybug said:

I don't even know what it is, looks like he's just playing air!

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mds725 said:

The video identifies the first instrument played as a theremin. I did a little research. The theremin was invented by a Russian physicist named Lev Sergeivich Termen, who was known in the West as Léon Theremin. Here's more from Wikipedia: "The theremin is almost unique among musical instruments in that it is played without physical contact. The musician stands in front of the instrument and moves his or her hands in the proximity of two metal antennas. The distance from one antenna determines frequency (pitch), and the distance from the other controls amplitude (volume). Most frequently, the right hand controls the pitch and the left controls the volume, although some performers reverse this arrangement. Some low-cost theremins use a conventional, knob operated volume control and have only the pitch antenna. While commonly called antennas, they are not used for receiving or broadcasting radio frequency, but act as plates in a capacitor."

It turns out there ARE websites devoted to theremin players. ThereminWorld.com reminds me a little of UU.

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