Jellyfish Theremin
Yuri Suzuki is a musician and artist who was born in Japan and now lives in the UK. He’s come up with one of the craziest musical instruments I’ve seen – a jellyfish theremin. Basically, the jellyfish swims in a tank and sensors pick up its movement, using its motion to control the music, lights, and the air conditioning.
Yuri says:
Water is the element that possesses the most relaxing characteristics for human beings. Jellyfish are the closest living thing to water that can be found on Earth.
I used jellyfish as the control center, since jellyfish are made up of 98% water, and I thought that the will of the water would be reflected in the movement of the jellyfish, if only a little.
If we were able to create a space controlled by jellyfish, wouldnﾕt it be the ultimate place of relaxation?I got the inspiration for this system from the Theremin which is the oldest electronic music instrument in the world. The Theremin is also an instrument which is as mysterious as a jellyfish.
Check out the video of it in action:
Sorry Yuri but the Theremin is not “the oldest electronic music instrument in the world.” It’s one of the newest.
Actually Joe, it IS one of the oldest electronic instruments in the world. The original patent for the theramin was submitted in 1928 by Léon Theremin. If you can find an older electronic instrument, then please submit it to the museum of natural history.
if you don’t know what aTheremin don’t talk Joe…keep doing the cowboy thingy……It is actually THE oldest electronic instrument…made by a russian…by the way…
Yes, come on Joe – back up your claim. Even without knowing the history of its patent, I know a Theremin was used in the TV Dr Who Theme in the early 60s; also in Star Trek; and by Brian Wilson on Good Vibrations. But I think it was used even earlier, in 50s science fiction movies. So its presence in the public domain is at least 50-60 years old. If that’s your idea of ‘newest’ Joe, then presumably you’re aware of electronic instruments that pre-date electricity? The web is notorious for people parading their ignorance as knowledge, but it you know something we don’t, Joe, then let us know. Otherwise, how about a nice polite apology?
Paul,
Sorry, but no theremin in Dr Who, Star Trek or Good Vibrations. Three popular misconceptions. Check with wikipedia.
Was used in The Day The Earth Stood Still, Spellbound and several other 50′s films.
Patented 1928.
A theremin was used in one version of the Star Trek theme, but it was an Ondes Martenot on good vibrations. There are two older electronic musical instruments than the theremin that I know of. A piano with electrified strings was invented in the 1800s, apparently it actually did change the tone; and the intonarumori, which were invented in 1913 and were basically boxes that made different types of static for use in one of the earliest forms of noise music (inspired by Futurism).
That is fascinating. Is there a video somewhere that would better show the results? The guy’s site has this same video but it is a bit disappointing visually.