Sunday, April 26, 2015

On This Day 26 April

Led Zeppelin played day two of a two day engagement at Winterland on 26 April 1969.

1969 26 April Led Zeppelin at Winterland
  • 1968 Yardbirds - Cincinnati Convention Center, Cincinnati OH
  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
  • 1985 The Firm - Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI
  • 1995 Page & Plant - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis IN
Theremin
According to Dave Lewis' Led Zeppelin: The Concert File (a book every Zep fan should have) this show was Led Zeppelin's biggest of their career to date. Jimmy Page was now using the Theremin during Dazed and Confused.

The Theremin was invented by Léon Theremin. An electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact, two metal antennas sense the relative position of the musician's hands and send electronic signals to an amplifier based on the position of the hands. The distance from the antenna determines frequency (pitch) and amplitude (volume). Higher notes are played by moving the hand closer to the pitch antenna. Louder notes are played by moving the hand away from the volume antenna.

Because of the way the Thermin is played, the musician must actively control the rests (space between the notes) as well as the notes themselves.  The Theremin is an instrument well suited for a musician like Jimmy Page who has always been concerned with visual arts as well as musical, and who understands the value of light and shade.

Jimmy Page plays Theremin 1975 03 February MSG 
Lev Termen (Léon Theremin) demonstrating Termenvox, c. December 1927



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