Rhythmicon: Museum Object and Cultural History
Rhythmicon: date made: ca 1931. Object Name: rhythmicon. Physical Description: wood (overall material).
The object in the museum catalogue
This rhythmicon was made by Leon Theremin in New York, New York, about 1931. This instrument is the earliest electronic rhythm machine. It produces various drumbeats or rhythms using a unique mechanism of light sources and rotating perforated-wheels. A keyboard is used to produce a repeated single rhythmic note. Multiple keys produce overtone series of notes. Amplification with a loudspeaker produces the audible rhythmic output.
The instrument was used by Joseph Schillinger in his 1940-41 recordings. Joseph Moiseyevich Schillinger (1895-1943) was a composer, music theorist, and composition teacher, known for the Schillinger System of Musical Composition.
Materials, dates and provenance
- date made: ca 1931
- Object Name: rhythmicon
- Physical Description: wood (overall material)
- Physical Description: metal (overall material)
- Physical Description: plastic (overall material)
- Measurements: overall: 38 1/8 in x 19 1/4 in x 24 1/2 in; 96.8375 cm x 48.895 cm x 62.23 cm
- place made: United States: New York, New York
- ID Number: MI.66.502
- catalog number: 66.502
- accession number: 265671
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Joseph Schillinger
- Data Source: National Museum of American History
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.
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