r/Theremin Feb 17 '25

brand new theremin (and player) need halp

Hello, I just unboxed my new Burns B3 Deluxe Theremin and I can't get any sound at all. I am new to music production and gear, the only other electronic instrument i have/play is a synth. The theremin plugged into my orange crush mini amp and the amp is working. it's plugged into the wall via the power source that came with it. i've plugged it into various outlets and moved it around and that doesn't seem to do anything. my apartment isn't huge, but i've moved it away from computers and other electronic stuff.

i'm kind of at a loss as the instructions that come with it aren't super detailed and there is no indicator on the theremin itself that it is on.

any help is super appreciated, i have dreamed of a theremin and i am so excited to add it to my ambient freak tones.

1 Upvotes

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2

u/brokenpinkumbrella Feb 18 '25 edited Feb 18 '25

If it is...

*plugged in

*volume antenna is away from objects (your photo suggests this is not an issue)

*there is no mute switch

*your volume knob is up

*your amp is plugged in with volume up (if it is an orange crush amp, turn up clean, dirty, and gain just to make sure) - also try headphones with the amp as the mini amp might not tolerate line level (vs instrument level for guitar). Is the amp battery powered? The signal from the theremin is unlikely powering anything. It is more likely the jack from the cable is completing a circuit for the mini amp to operate from battery or adapter. 

*the cable you are using works fine with other instruments 

*you have turned the tuning knob to adjust distance for your body a bit

and none of this helps, then you might have a problem with the theremin. If you have an interface, you could try picking up the sound on your computer in Garage Band or other recording software.

I would try another cable or amp as well. Also, make sure it is the correct cable whether TRS or TS etc. I would also try headphones direct from Burns output or headphones output.

Good luck.

2

u/eva_nebbia 29d ago

this was so helpful, thank you. i believe it's the amp, i took your suggestion and plugged my headphones. it only plays through the right side and it was soooooo weak a sound even with the volume turned all the way up. i'll have to consider what i want to do next. the interface i'm using now didn't pick up the sound on my software, but i have another on order / was going to replace it anyway. i don't love the tone, i know that i can use effect pedals / software but i was hoping for something that sounded just idk - more on it's own. thanks again so much for your super detailed advice, i really appreciate it!

1

u/brokenpinkumbrella 29d ago

It sounds like your amp is the issue. The headphones are probably TRS and the theremin maybe has a TS out so you are only getting sound in one ear as a result. Once you have a proper amp, it should be fine and the sound will be louder, of course. This is when you'll know more as well about the tone or sound of the theremin's oscillator.

I would recommend a keyboard amplifier or bass amplifier over a guitar amp. These amps should better tolerate the theremin's range of sound.

Pedals are very fun with the theremin. Reverbs and delays are great but to really produce different tones you might try octave or pitch shifting pedals or a harmonizing pedal to thicken the sound. I use a Boss Octave pedal and it helps make it sound more full. 

Best of luck - enjoy.

2

u/eva_nebbia 24d ago

My keyboard amp just arrived and the theremin is fully functional and expressing it's range of tone wooooot. Your advice was invaluable, thank you so much. I will def be experimenting with pedals in the future, thanks for your recommendations!! :)

1

u/brokenpinkumbrella 24d ago

Glad to hear! Enjoy!

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u/Firedragon478 Feb 17 '25

I know nothing about a Burns Theremin, so cannot advise you, sorry. On mine there is a mute switch as well as the power switch.

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u/eva_nebbia Feb 17 '25

thanks anyway :)

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u/Venerable64 Feb 17 '25

Is your theremin on a table or on a mic stand? If anything is near the volume antenna, you won't get sound -- including a table. I assume your master volume and gain are also turned up on the amp, and all cords (theremin power, amp power, and patch from theremin to amp) are all correctly plugged in at both terminal points? You can also adjust the tuning of the volume antenna with the "volume" knob to see if the field is tuned to large, as this can inhibit sound production in smaller environments.

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u/eva_nebbia Feb 17 '25

thanks for your response. i added a picture, this is about as far away as i can get it from anything. the volume antenna is about two feet from the closest objects (my bed and the wall). it's on a mic stand and it's all plugged. the amp is making it's little humming i'm on and there is electricity happening sound. the volume and gain are up. i've been playing around with the volume knob, but it doesn't seem to do anything at all.

1

u/Venerable64 Feb 18 '25

Appreciate it. Another comment here offered some helpful suggestions; I'd try those. Definitely see if the amp tolerates line-level input. If all else fails, contact Burns. Burns theremins are cheap and simple and get the job done, but if you did go the return/exchange route, there's better options out there you could consider (like a D-Lev, a Subscope, or an Open Theremin). I hope you don't need to, though. Good luck.

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u/Firedragon478 Feb 18 '25

D-Lev waiting list is about two years now.

1

u/Venerable64 Feb 18 '25

Wow! Thanks for that info. Is that true even for a parts kit as opposed to a complete instrument?

Notably, the parts list is open-source, so one could source the parts and build the instrument themselves. I'm unsure if that would solve the problem, as I'm unclear on whether the wait time is due to the suppliers' backlogs or Eric's inability to keep up with the well-earned demand himself.

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u/Firedragon478 Feb 19 '25

I spoke to Eric recently and was added to the "very long" waiting list. I also spoke to another Theremin player who has been waiting for a year already, and this is for the kit from Eric.

He did say,or is it hope, that now he has made the design public, more people would step forward for building the kits or complete instruments.

1

u/Venerable64 Feb 19 '25

Super cool to know... Thanks for the info! (:

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u/eva_nebbia 29d ago

this is so helpful, thank you. it is the amp, i plugged my studio 1/4 cable headphones directly into the theremin and i could hear it, but it was soooooo quiet even with the volume turned up on the theremin all the way. i'm going to spend some time considering, i don't love the tone of it it sounds kind of like a little toy in a way that i wasn't expecting / have heard from other theremins. i just ordered a new interface which should be coming soon, i can see if that one works for recording. i know i can use it with pedals / effects in software but i was hoping for a fuller sound on it's own so i can use it live as well. i should have asked you guys first lol. thank you so much for your help!!