How Theremin Coils Work

Video Transcript

"On behalf of ExpertVillage.com my name is Mark, and we’re going to talk about the coils that are in Theremins. The traditional coils used in the Theremins were very similar to what we have here, copper wire wrapped on hard phenolic tubing. Even the newer electronic Theremins use coils, but many of them are tiny and about the size of a thimble. The coils that we see here are enamel wire wound on forms, the particular one that I’m holding up right now has 1,175 turns of number 32 wire close wound. All 5 of the coils in this Theremin are made of approximately a third of a mile of wire. These particular ones are hand wound, I wind them myself on a axle with a crank on the end and I have a little counter because there’s nothing like winding a coil, getting two-thirds of the way done and having the telephone ring, someone shows up, the wire breaks, anything to distract. It just makes life a lot easier. The wire that I used on the ends is sautered inside and for a nice touch I use 1930s, 1940s style double cloth woven wire. This particular wire came out of either old pinball machines or old church organs which there are plenty of out there to cannibalize for parts. This is wire you cannot buy anymore as far as new product. The smaller coils are the oscillators and they’re mounted up off of the chassis to keep the electromagnetics away from the metal. "