MOOG Theremini

Moog Theremini — Hands-Free Synthesis with Assistive Pitch Correction

The Moog Theremini is a contemporary reimagining of one of the oldest electronic instruments, the theremin, and Bob Moog's lifelong favorite. Played entirely without physical contact, it lets the performer shape pitch and volume through hand gestures in the air around two antennas. At its core sits a digital synthesis engine derived from Moog's Animoog platform, paired with a heterodyning analog pitch oscillator that preserves the unmistakable theremin character. The Moog Theremini is designed to guarantee musical success regardless of age, physical ability, or prior experience.

Standout Features: Pitch Correction, Animoog Engine, and Gestural CV

What sets the Theremini apart from any traditional theremin is its graduated assistive pitch correction, which can be dialed from 0% (pure analog theremin behavior) to 100% (impossible to play a wrong note). A built-in 128 × 64 pixel backlit LCD tuner shows each note in real time, turning the instrument into a teaching tool as well as a performance device. The 32 wavetable presets range from classic sci-fi wails to Moogy filter sweeps and credible synth basses, all shaped by a stereo ping-pong delay.

Synthesis Engine and Sound Design

The wavetable-based sound engine gives the Theremini a far broader sonic vocabulary than a traditional theremin, while the analog heterodyning oscillator keeps the gestural response authentically theremin-like. Players can store a selected scale, set a playing range, and recall delay settings per preset, then refine everything further through the free Theremini Mac/Windows and iPad software editor.

• Synthesis Engine: Animoog-derived wavetable — broad palette from eerie leads to fat basses
• Pitch Detection: Heterodyning analog oscillator — preserves the classic theremin response curve
• Presets: 32 wavetable-based patches — ready to play out of the box, editable via software

Connectivity and Control Voltage

For studio and stage use, the rear panel exposes stereo 6.3 mm TS line outputs, a 6.3 mm Pitch CV output with selectable 0–5 V or 0–10 V range, and a mini-USB port that handles USB MIDI in and out. The CV and MIDI outputs let the Theremini act as a gestural controller for modular synthesizers, Moogerfooger pedals, or any DAW, sending continuous controller data drawn directly from hand motion.

• Audio Outputs: 6.3 mm TS mono/stereo line level — connect directly to mixers and audio interfaces
• CV/Gate Output: 6.3 mm TS, 0–5 V or 0–10 V selectable — drive modular synths from air gestures
• MIDI Interface: Mini-USB 2.0 USB MIDI — pairs with the free Theremini software editor

Practice, Display, and Headphone Workflow

A recessed 2-inch full-range internal speaker makes setup instant, while the front-panel 3.5 mm TRS headphone jack mutes the speaker automatically for silent rehearsal. The backlit LCD provides continuous visual feedback on pitch accuracy, scale selection, and root note, supporting both education and live tuning. Pitch correction can be modulated via MIDI CCs for dynamic performance control.

• Display: 128 × 64 pixel backlit LCD — shows note, scale, and proximity to perfect pitch
• Headphone Output: 3.5 mm TRS — silent practice with auto-speaker mute
• Internal Speaker: 2-inch full-range — quick rehearsal without external amplification

Who Is It For

The Moog Theremini is the right choice for beginners, educators, and curious musicians who want to explore gesture-based electronic music without the years of practice a traditional theremin usually demands. Theremin Mode in firmware 1.1 unlocks the full unquantized range for experienced players, while the graduated pitch correction makes the instrument genuinely playable within days rather than weeks. Electronic producers and modular performers will appreciate the CV and USB MIDI outputs that turn air motion into control voltage and continuous controller data. Sound designers, film composers, and educators gain a teaching tool that visualizes pitch and scales in real time.

Brand and Product Story

Bob Moog called the theremin his first love, and the Theremini carries that lineage forward as a modern reinterpretation of an instrument invented by Léon Theremin in 1919. The Moog Theremini was developed with input from thereminist Lydia Kavina, who was first taught by Léon Theremin himself, and premiered with a tutorial video featuring her demonstrations of pitch correction, scale selection, and finger technique. The instrument's sound engine draws on Moog's award-winning Animoog platform, bridging the company's analog heritage with contemporary wavetable synthesis.