Make Music Out of Thin Air
The Theremin is one of the world’s most magical instruments — played without touch. By moving your hand (or fingertip) in space, you control pitch and volume as if sculpting sound from thin air. This web-based Theremin lets you play on a touchpad or with your device’s camera for mid-air hand tracking. No strings, no frets — just you, your hands, and pure sonic creativity.
How to Use It
Follow the steps below to start playing. You can choose between Pad Mode (touch/mouse) and optional Camera Mode (if supported) to control the sound.
How to Use the Web Theremin
Move across the pad to control sound: X = Pitch Y = Volume. Optional camera mode (if enabled) lets your hands control pitch & volume in mid-air. Quick Start
- Click Start to enable audio (browser requirement).
- On the pad, move horizontally for pitch and vertically for volume.
- Try Waveform, Glide, Vibrato, Delay, and Reverb in the controls.
- Optional: turn on Hold for a drone, or enable Ambient for generative textures.
- Save your setup as a Preset and export JSON to share.
Tip: Use Esc for Panic (mute) and H to toggle Hold. Playing Modes (Pad & Camera)
Pad Mode
- Range: set Min/Max Freq and Octave Span.
- Precision: enable Glide for smooth slides; disable for sharp jumps.
- Musical Snap: choose Key + Scale for note snapping.
Camera / Hand-Tracking Mode (if enabled)
- Enable Camera and allow permissions.
- One-hand: index fingertip controls pitch (X) and volume (Y).
- Two-hand: right hand = pitch, left hand = volume.
- Calibration: adjust range, mirror, and smoothing.
Controls Reference
- Sound: Wave, Master, Min/Max Freq, Glide (ms)
- Musicality: Key, Scale, Octave Span
- Envelope: Attack, Release
- Expression: Vibrato Rate, Vibrato Depth
- FX: Delay, Feedback, Wet Mix, Reverb
- Performance: Hold, Panic, Ambient
- Presets: Save / Load / Delete; Export / Import JSON
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Latency: Chrome/Edge desktop recommended for lowest latency.
- Levels: Raise Master and move lower Y for more volume.
- Clipping: Lower Master or FX Wet/Feedback.
- Privacy: Camera stays in browser only.
- No sound? Must click Start after load (autoplay policy).