Jamming with Clara 2.0 the theremin playing robot doll

YouTube Uploaded by SpacedogTelevisor on Nov 3, 2007

"Named in honour of the original theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore, Clara 2.0 is a robot doll who can play the theremin live. I call her the 'polite robot thereminist' as she listens to a line from another player and moves her dolly arm to get her own theremin in perfect tune. Well, that's the theory...

In this jamming session, Clara 2.0 is copying a line from an old Roland SH-2 synth (which I play silently), then the line from my own theremin. When the two theremins play together, it gets quite chaotic as Clara tries to follow me - and I try to lock into Clara's line.

As Clara 2.0 is continually monitoring a live sound and adjusting her tuning (no midi here), her technique has the fluid pitch of a human player. Everything on this recording - apart from the drum track - is played live. There is no manipulation of the recorded sound, apart from multitracking and a little reverb after the event. The keyboard instrument at the beginning is a cheapy toy, called an Angel Organ - I hope you can forgive its cranky tuning. The final theremin melody has been treated, live, with an old-school vocal flanger.

Clara is under continual development - she has quite a way to go before she can claim the talents of Lev (a great robot player). Keen-eyed observers may have noticed the wobbily thread of wire on the end of Clara's egg whisk. This gives her some Rockmoresque vibrato.

I do attempt to incorporate Clara 2.0 into my stage act although she can be temperamental. Recently, I've been trying to improve her earthing and capacitance so she can be set up swiftly and can work more reliably 'out of the box'.

Thanks to everyone at Dorkbot London and the Hands off Festival, 2007, for their encouragement and useful tips. In particular, I'd like to thank theremin maker Jake Rothman for his extremely useful electrical advice (Clara's insides are now lined with silver foil) and Gordon Charlton, whose virtuosic egg whisk numbers inspired Clara's current look. Thanks also to Emmet Spier for screwing her arms on better, Mike Blow for suggesting I try out this classic tune and Colin Uttley for playing the bass riff. Apologies to the great Roy Budd, composer of the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Get Carter theme.

Sarah Angliss
Spacedog
www.sarahangliss.com"