Jon, any recommendations on theremins? I'm starting to like soldering, so a kit would be cool too. Of course, I'd only be interested in a real (not optical) theremin.

Are the more expensive ones easier to play? (If that's the case, then I have to decide if I just want to fart around, in which case a cheap one would do, or do I really want to learn to play one, in which case I should invest more in a better one.)

If I listen to this album will I understand the Pixies song?

The Pixies song predates the Tom Waits album. (And Black Francis did the intro to the collection of Waits interviews, so he presumably took it as a compliment.)

What's to understand? "My heart's got a bone machine!" We're bone machines.

We're bone machines.

At least until we're just dirt in the ground. But in the meantime, we're chained to the world and we all gotta pull.

I think Bone Machine is my favorite Waits album.

Are the more expensive ones easier to play?

Generally, yes. If you want a decent kit that will require a lot of soldering, the Paia Theremax is the way to go. It's very reasonably priced, especially if you supply your own cabinet: [link]

Playability is OK. The biggest complaint I've heard about it is that the volume control is close to binary -- It's difficult to be very expressive with it. However, there are people who've improved it and there are supposedly mods out there if you look around.

If you really want to learn to play, the Moog Etherwave is the best bargain out there: [link] (5% off with code AFF01) I've linked to the kit version (there's also a finished version) because it will save you some money, but if you're looking for a challenging project, this isn't it. It comes with a finished circuit board to which you'll only need to solder the knobs and antennae. The final product is an excellent instrument -- It's the one I used for many years.

If you go with the Etherwave, my link above is the cheapest I've seen it, plus it's my affiliate link, so please use it :)

If you really want to learn to play, the Moog Etherwave is the best bargain out there: [link] (5% off with code AFF01)

Ooh, that one looks nice. I think I'll just make sure I'm getting an X-mas bonus this year before I buy it.

Is there a term for musical instruments that can play any pitch and that force the musician to find the right notes by ear? Like, say, the trombone, violin (and other fretless instruments) and theremin? (But at least trombones and violins let you memorize positions to get the right pitch for notes.)

Is there a term for musical instruments that can play any pitch and that force the musician to find the right notes by ear?

There should be!

Hey, I just leaned of an even better deal with the link I gave you above. Instead of AFF01, use coupon code 15%COUPON at checkout for a 15% discount on your InstrumentPro order over $99!

a 15% discount on your InstrumentPro order over $99!

Yay!

Any idea how long that deal lasts?

ION, Jon, did you see I bought this? [link]

Sadly, my Arduino is too old, so I have to wait for the one I just ordered to show up before I can try it out.

The sound it produces is pretty basic/retro-synth, but it has source code I can play with... getting into the algorithms of a synth sounds like fun.

Is there a term for musical instruments that can play any pitch and that force the musician to find the right notes by ear?

Aren't they called variable pitch instruments? Musical saw, slide whistle, fretless bass, theremin....

I think I need to spend a weekend afternoon just fixing my iTunes data.

Dude, I'd need way more than an afternoon.

We say fretless to mean even things like trombone. But that's just shorthand, not anything proper.