How can one sample a Theramin?

[Charles-Valentin Alkan]

The Theramin produces one of the most beautiful sonorities I\'ve ever heard--like an exquisite female voice of unlimited range with no words. It would be easy to sample separately each note that a Theramin player performs. But the Theramin moves from note-to-note ONLY by glissando (or by portamento--when it moves to a neighboring note.) It can play a glissando over many octaves in the time it would take to play a grace note. Or it can play a steady gliss over its entire range that lasts several seconds. There is absolutely no break in tone between the glissando and the following or preceding notes. So how could one record a set of samples of the Theramin and then program a GIG to play this instrument with a MIDI keyboard?

Regards,
Alkan

[astrt4]

You know, I think this Melodyne is the answer we\'ve been waiting for when it comes to slurrs and glisses. Have a listen again to that second example under the voice section.

[Chadwick]

Basically, I think you can forget seriously sampling a theremin for Giga until Nemesys implement portamento/glissando in the programme.

It\'s not impossible with samplers - other companies like Ensoniq have done it well.

Otherwise you end up with the same problem as sampled string runs and glisses - you have to either record every variation you can think of (a ridiculously huge task), or make a mighty compromise.