Yamaha Tenori-ON Electronic Musical Instrument for Digital Music Performance

Tenori-ON Electronic Musical Instrument for Digital Music Performance description:

Tenori-on is a new and exciting electronic musical instrument for digital music construction and performance complete with built-in sound module. You play the Tenori-on simply by running your fingers over the 256 LED grid and many Tenori-on's can be networked together.

Media artist Toshio Iwai and Yamaha have collaborated to design a new digital musical instrument for the 21st century - Tenori-on. A 16 x 16 LED matrix is simultaneously a performance input controller and display allowing everyone to play music intuitively, creating a "visible music" interface. By operating and interacting with the LED buttons and the light they produce, you gain access to the Tenori-on's numerous performance capabilities.

The Tenori on provides six different performance and sound/light modes for broad performance versatility, and these modes can be combined and used simultaneously for rich, complex musical expression.

Tenori-on layers can be thought of as “performance parts” or “recording tracks” and the Tenori on has a total of 16 layers. Separate notes and voices can be assigned to each layer and all layers can be played together in synchronization. The 16 layers are divided into six performance mode groups and have different note entry methods and operation.

One complete set of 16 layers is called a “block” and the Tenori-on can store up to 16 of these programmed blocks in memory. You can then switch from block to block instantly during performance.

You could, for example, create a musical composition in one block, then copy that composition to another block and edit it to create a variation of the original composition. Or you can load a number of previously-created compositions into separate blocks from an SD Memory Card and switch between them to create variation during playback.

Tenori-on main features:

• Performance Modes: 6 types - Score, Random, Draw, Bounce, Push, Solo
• Other Functions: Clock, power-save, synchronized performance with two instruments, recording, Tenori-on song playback
• Tone Generator Type: AWM2
• Maximum Polyphony 32 notes
• Preset Voices 253 (239 normal, 14 drum kit)
• Effects: 2 processors
• Reverb: 10 types
• Chorus: 5 types
• Sampling: 3 voices (Raw audio with a maximum length of 0.97 sec., up to 16 samples per voice)
• Tenori-on User Voice Manager software included
• LED Buttons: 256
• Rear LED Display Points: 256
• Function Buttons: 10 (L1 ~ L5, R1 ~ R5)
• Display: 122 x 32 dot graphic LCD device (yellow-green backlight), 20 characters x 4 lines, monochrome
• Line Out / Phones: Stereo mini phone jack x 1
• MIDI IN: for synchronized performance using two Tenori-on instruments
• MIDI OUT: for external device control
• SD Memory Card compatible
• DC In: Connector for PA-3C, PA-130 or equivalent Yamaha AC adaptor
• Uses 6 “AA” alkaline batteries, Approx. 5 hours continuous playback.
• Dimensions: 205 x 205 x 32 mm
• Weight 650 grams (without batteries)