Introduction: How to Build an Optical Theremin

What is a theremin? It is an instrument that can be played without being touched. Traditional theremins use antennas and oscillators to sense a person's hand and generate a tone. Ours will use light instead of this, it is not an actual theremin, it just uses similar principles. As a side note, this is my first instructable, so please be nice.

Here is a video of a real thermin:


This is where I learned how to do this:
The original optical theremin

Step 1: Gather Materials!

This needs very few parts, I made mine for under $20.

Here is what you need:

Two phototransistors
One TLC555 timer IC
One .047 uF capacitor
One 100 uF capacitor
One 1 megohm resistor
One 10k ohm resistor
A battery pack that holds 4 AA batteries
Some wire
A breadboard
A small speaker

Tools:
A wire stripper

Step 2: Putting It Together

This is a really easy circuit to build. Just make sure that you follow the directions. If any problems come up, I'll gladly try and help you out. Just send me a message.

And yes, the image came from here. It's a fascinating website.

Step 3: The Finished Product and Video

At this point in the game, everything should be working. Congratulations on the build, have fun with it!