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- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1223
Hello! I’ve been very inactive on kingdom pen :[
SO! I’ve decided to come back with a topic!!!!!! And yeah!!! Here’s what it’s about:
Do you have something you want to rant about?
Whether it be your own book, someone else’s book, a movie, your movie, a character, or your own character! You can rant about it here! And I will reply to each one!!!! :]
IDK if anyone wants this, but I know I have times when I want to rant to someone lol.
Here are some tags so people notice it!!!!
@keilah-h @rae @ellette-giselle @theducktator @grcr @linus-smallprint @hybridlore @raxforge @whalekeeper @loopylin @arcticanimals @esther-c @jonas and @liberty @stephie @savannah_grace2009 @highscribeofaetherium @koshka @power @freed_and_redeemed and @thearcaneaxiom!(these are just random tags I have saved lol)
I want to rant about theremins. >:3
A theremin is an electric instrument invented accidentally in the 1920s. It is played without any physical contact by the performer. Two antennas create electromagnetic fields, and the performer waves their hand around the antennas to manipulate pitch and volume.
Finding a theremin is hard because there aren’t many manufacturers, and most models are discontinued. 99% of the time, you are getting a used theremin. I purchased one from somebody who was selling the electronic instruments of somebody who had passed away.
So far, I have barely learned anything on it. An octave is found by curling all fingers into a cup shape and holding out your hand so the pitch antenna is perpendicular to your knuckles, wrist straight. You then flick your wrist forward – still working on how far – and stretch your last three fingers straight towards the antenna. The middle finger reaches the next highest octave.
A scale is difficult because the notes are super close together, about a fingernail apart.
It’s a miracle this thing can sound so good when played by a professional, because without practice, it sounds like a buzzing insect. I doubt my playing will sound any good for a very long time. But the futuristic sound is up my alley and I’m planning to stick to this.
Here is a picture of mine.
If you have any name suggestions, please let me know! He needs a name. <3
I’m a little frustrated because theremins could be used creatively as part of my magic system, but I’m bad at science and learning about the electronics behind this is a pain. If my brain was as smart as I need it to be, I would have joined Harvard by now.
~ Rant concluded ~
I am out of signature ideas
That’s cool!
I want to name him Harvey…which is weird because I usually hate the name Harvey. Maybe your statement about Harvard had influenced me *shrug*
Confuzzled, RAE
(PS. Pfp by SelkieSeal on Unvale. My dear Chase ❤️?)- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1223
THAT IS SO COOL! So you wave your hands around it or something?! That’s really cool!!! So how did they accidentally invent it? And how do you get better at playing it?
Also how did they make it in the 20s?!
I like the name: “Hesheng” Hesh for short! It means harmonious noise! Which I’m unsure if it is inaccurate tho lol. It looks like a radio.
How much did it cost? Those are just some questions I have lol. ALSO NICE RANTZ! >:3 glad this was the first rant to start us off!
Wow, I just watched a video of someone playing one and that is so cool.
Exit pursued by bear
@whalekeeper You have a theremin???? That’s so cool!!!
ngl I used to be really scared of its noise, it’s so weird. But now I kinda like it. It’s used a bunch in the Loki soundtrack, which I think adds to the temporal thrill kinda aspect of the show.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Random facts about theremins that I yoinked off Wikipedia (I think one is playing in the music I’m listening to right now! LOL, what a coincidence.):
- It’s named after its inventor, Leon Theremin.
- They used to be called Aetherphones.
- They were actually the result of research to make proximity sensors.
- The sound was once described as “a lost cello crying in the fog” by a musician.
- Robots can play the instrument the same way humans can.
- Another instrument, the Ondes Martenot or Martenot Wave, works on a similar principle but is structured and played completely differently. It sounds kind of similar though.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
@rae @the_lost-journal @highscribeofaetherium @keilah-h
Yeah, it is pretty cool!! Almost nobody I talk to knows what it is, so I’m always explaining. XD Thank you for the names, by the way, Ruth and Kefa!
So how did they accidentally invent it?
Leon was a Russian inventor who was actually trying to invent devices for wartime. The instrument was an accidental side product of his tinkering. Leon Theremin also made the “Great Seal” listening device that spied on a US ambassador for seven years without being discovered. I went to the spy museum in D.C. and saw it myself!
And how do you get better at playing it?
That’s for me to still figure out. ? There are basic tutorials on YouTube, but I don’t know which tutorials are good or not, so I’ll have to experiment.
Also how did they make it in the 20s?!
Well, the radio was already a huge part of everyday life, so I figure it makes sense for a guy to tinker with the similar resources in just the right way. I don’t know how much it’s related to radios, but it’s on a similar tech level.
How much did it cost?
Mine cost 600$, but theremins can cost twice as much, and I got to pay even less because it was my 18th birthday gift.
I am out of signature ideas
I didn’t know about the robots. I’ll have to look that up.
ngl I used to be really scared of its noise, it’s so weird. But now I kinda like it.
The moment I heard the noise, I was obsessed. I knew I had to incorporate the music and technology into some kind of magic system. ? So here I am, spending much of my writing time looking for articles on all of the technological aspects.
I am out of signature ideas
@whalekeeper oh I just saw a picture of a robot playing it lol
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
I’m sorry to take the discussion off theremins, but I got a rant.
It’s about characters, and how their fandom treats them. As you guys know, many of the fandoms I’m into have fighter characters as the focus. Soldiers. Mercenaries. Rebels. Warriors. All that kinda thing. Which makes this aspect of fandom more annoying: some have the tendency to baby the characters, to dumb them down, especially the ones who have some kind of issues with some aspect of themselves.
“Self esteem issues” doesn’t always mean “Yeah, I act tough, but scratch me on the nose once and I’ll retreat into the corner, hide my face in my tail if I happen to have one, and cry about it.” It’s far more likely to mean “I act tough cause I’m not sure who I really am yet and I feel like I have to prove myself.” or “I act tough because it’s the only thing I was taught to do and I don’t know how to be a kind person yet.” or even “I’m just existing, and everyone else seems to have a problem with that.” Or maybe….y’know…..they’re in a flipping WAR so they HAVE TO BE THIS WAY in order to survive????
These characters have to be at least somewhat capable of their role to not be dead in the first chapter or first act or first round or level. Even if the whole point of the story is a scared kid thrown onto a battlefield (which most of the characters I’m thinking of are not), he has to have character growth in order to be an interesting charrie.
Just a little thing that annoys me sometimes when I look through some fanworks…..heh
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
I’m sorry to take the discussion off theremins, but I got a rant.
You’re fine, carry on lol.
some have the tendency to baby the characters, to dumb them down, especially the ones who have some kind of issues with some aspect of themselves.
I think there’s a difference between literally thinking the character is like that, and just making jokes or playful fan works.
Sometimes people say things based on their actual opinions of a character. That’s when you can say they’ve got a bad idea of who the character is. They’ll hyperfixate on one aspect of a character and make it everything, whether it’s good or bad. Draco Malfoy hesitates to do one bad thing, and everybody thinks he’s the hottest antihero alive. A character gets upset for a moment, and suddenly they are the hothead in the story.
But sometimes fans are just exaggerating for funsies. Take Steve from Stranger Things, for example – people make fanart of him babysitting the other protagonists on leashes. It’s funny because they take his older brother role and dial it up 200%. Sometimes fans do the same thing with insecure characters – they’ll draw them crying on the floor and it becomes an in-fandom joke.
I am out of signature ideas
That’s when you can say they’ve got a bad idea of who the character is. They’ll hyperfixate on one aspect of a character and make it everything, whether it’s good or bad. Draco Malfoy hesitates to do one bad thing, and everybody thinks he’s the hottest antihero alive. A character gets upset for a moment, and suddenly they are the hothead in the story.
yeahhhhh this is pretty much what I’m annoyed at lol
But sometimes fans are just exaggerating for funsies. Take Steve from Stranger Things, for example – people make fanart of him babysitting the other protagonists on leashes. It’s funny because they take his older brother role and dial it up 200%. Sometimes fans do the same thing with insecure characters – they’ll draw them crying on the floor and it becomes an in-fandom joke.
Ehh, sometimes. Sometimes that still annoys me, but it’s not like I can control them……
it’d be bad if I could lol
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1223
Thanks for answering my questions! Lol!
I’m sorry to take the discussion off theremins, but I got a rant.
Well… (not to burst Whaley’s bubble…) This topic wasn’t made for theremins! It was made for rants lol! So rant away!
some have the tendency to baby the characters, to dumb them down, especially the ones who have some kind of issues with some aspect of themselves.
I hate when that happens lol. But it could be worse…. a LOT worse.
“I act tough cause I’m not sure who I really am yet and I feel like I have to prove myself.” or “I act tough because it’s the only thing I was taught to do and I don’t know how to be a kind person yet.” or even “I’m just existing, and everyone else seems to have a problem with that.” Or maybe….y’know…..they’re in a flipping WAR so they HAVE TO BE THIS WAY in order to survive????
This reminds me of a character who acts over the top prideful… but he is actually a lot like this. He acts prideful to prove himself in a way. He is constantly trying to convince others that he is perfect and handsome looking, but he is actually just trying to convince himself! He is one of my favorite characters and has inspired me a ton! LOL! (he is NOT in a war… But he does have the threat of being killed almost every day…. also I hope this all made sense)
These characters have to be at least somewhat capable of their role to not be dead in the first chapter or first act or first round or level. Even if the whole point of the story is a scared kid thrown onto a battlefield (which most of the characters I’m thinking of are not), he has to have character growth in order to be an interesting charrie.
Yeah. I get that. And I can see why that’s annoying! But as I said before… it could be A LOT worse. I would rant about that… but this topic isn’t for me. It’s of all of you! <3
Just a little thing that annoys me sometimes when I look through some fanworks…..heh
Fanart is either: “WOW! This is so cool and I made it my Lock Screen!” Or… “Ew. Why did someone make this?”
@the_lost-journal
also I hope this all made sense)
I think it did.
Fanart is either: “WOW! This is so cool and I made it my Lock Screen!” Or… “Ew. Why did someone make this?”
IKR????
It falls into four categories for me. 1, “This is cool.” 2, “This is really not in character but I’ll accept it anyway cause it works.” 3, “This looks….cursed, but it’s funny.” and 4, “Whoever drew this needs all their art privileges revoked because this is a slight to eyes.”
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
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