The sound of the theremin is the sound of magic in the air. Still to this day, 100 years after Leon Theremin’s musical invention, no other instrument has been able to create such expressive, emotional impressions in the eyes of the audience. To honour such anniversary and as a tribute to the original theremin virtuosa, Clara Rockmore, Moog has just introduced Claravox Centennial, a new limited-edition instrument that sums up the company’s experience in the field.
Claravox is indeed the most versatile theremin the Asheville company has ever produced, putting together the features of both their analog (Etherwave Pro, etc.) and digital (Theremini) previous instruments and adding some extra lovely touches.
Claravox features include switchable Traditional and Modern performance modes, classic heterodyne analog oscillators and multimode DSP oscillators with assignable scales and quantization, an analog wave-shaping circuit, on-board analog BBD delay, extensive I/O, preset storage, and a dedicated software editor.
You can watch Claravox Centennial in use below, with Debussy’s Clair de Lune (bonus: the garden might remind you of Last Year in Marienbad!)
Design and Connectivity
According to Moog, Claravox Centennial invites access to multiple levels of calibration and control settings to create a custom fit between this unique instrument and each unique player. Artists will appreciate the many thoughtful details included in the instrument’s design, such as DIN MIDI, USB, and CV inputs and outputs for integrating with DAWs or controlling external sound sources; front-panel preset storage for instant recall of your favourite sounds and settings; pitch quantization and scale selections to help educate newer players; and a dedicated software editor to further expand the instrument’s control and sonic capabilities.
Design-wise, this is a thing of beauty. Brass antennas, cloth-bound control panels, and a fine-grain walnut hardwood cabinet, plus the optional Claravox Centennial Theremin Stand. I mean, even if you can’t play a note, you’ll surely impress your guests!
To learn more, Moog’s updated website has all you need to know about Claravox Centennial and the history of the theremin,
Pricing and Availability
Claravox Centennial will start shipping in December and is available for pre-order ($1499 for the United States, £1519 inc VAT. for the UK, 1599 €).
