The effects of electrifing musical instruments
... making a world revolution in music (Bulat M.Galeyev). By the age of 9 Lev Termen was learning about music, and by the age of 7 he was learning about electricity. He got his idea for his invention when he became interested in a Tela transformer and the high frequency sound it produced. He took a metal bar and placed it near the transformer, and a spark and a high pitched sound were produced (Lev Termen). Lev Termen started attending Petersburg University in 1914. He entered into physics and astronomy but did not give up on his musical interests because he was also taking cello lessons. World War one was going on so he had to transfer to a school for military engineers and again to the officer’s technical school. After Lev Termen graduated, A.F. Ioffe contacted Lev Termen because Ioffe was bringing together the best in engineering and science together at his institute. There Termen was assigned to measure the density and dielectric constant of gasses at different pressures and temperatures using radio methods (Bulat M.Galeyev). Shortly after he was assigned he came up with his Theremin invention. On the 23rd of June, 1921 he asked for a patent for a musical device and on September15th 1924 he received it (Lev Termen). Termen demonstrated his device at the Eighth All Russia Electro Technical Congress (Bulat M.Galeyev). At that time he knew that his new career full of fame and fortune was at hand. Lev Termen also did many other great things in his life which has spanned almost a century (Bulat M.Galeyev). Music has come a long way since the Theremin was invented. Now there are over 600 United States patents that have been guaranteed to all of the different types of electronic musical instruments (Ivor Darreg). The development of these musical instruments has been helped along by the development of the radio, electric phonograph, and sound movies by forcing people to develop the necessary equipment for building these devices (Ivor Darreg). An example of how music structure was changed would be the synthesizer. Instead of how in the 16th and 17th centuries music was based on structure of the vocal and instrumental sounds and the different ranges admitted, now using the synthesizer musicians could have a car crash right in the middle of a song. To suit to all of the special effects all that is needed now are new concepts of music (Chris Cutler). Musical style and structure were not the only things that changed over the years. How people came up with there music has changed also. It used to be that in the 60’s musicians would gather t...