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tenori-on

Orange Tenori-On not as delicious as you'd think

Some things are just better left as eccentric indulgences. A plastic, nightstand version of Stephen Hawking's Chronophage' Corpus Clock wouldn't have the same meaning as the original (I'd still buy one, of course). Likewise, a plastic, toy Star Wars lightsaber isn't in the same league as a hand-tooled replica.

At an original asking price of $1,200, 2008'sTenori-On music sequencer definitely falls into the "eccentric indulgence" category. But if you're a self-described electronic music nerd (why yes, I am), the sequencer's hand-brushed magnesium body, unique portability, and performance-oriented design, made the cost justifiable.

Not content with Tenori-On sales trickling out MIDI-worshiping electronic music producers, Yamaha set out to create a less expensive plastic model, lacking a few bells and whistles. The end result is the Tenori-On "O," a $699 take on the original dressed in white plastic and an orange LED grid.

As someone who's had the pleasure of spending a few days with both versions of the Tenori-On, I have to say that the "O" doesn't hold the same appeal to me as the original. In cutting corners to produce a low-cost (relatively speaking) Tenori-On, Yamaha also cut out a little of the instrument's soul. … Read more

Tenori-On O brings bleeps within reach

As a musician, one of my favorite moments of 2008 was the chance to meet Yu Nishibori and his musical invention, the Tenori-On. Coming across like a futuristic cross between a drum machine and a game of Tetris, the Tenori-On music sequencer is one of those truly odd and beautiful devices that seems too cool to be real. Even the Museum of Modern Art saw fit to pick one up--one of only five instruments in its 4,000 item collection.

The problem was, it was just too expensive. You really needed to have a fetish for Japanese electronic music sequencers … Read more

Yamaha Tenori-On review

For all you electronic music fans and lovers of all things blinky, my review of the Yamaha Tenori-On music sequencer is ready for your consideration. The final ruling in a nutshell: the Tenori-On is an awesome tool for performing electronic musicians, but too pricey for nonmusicians and too limited for studio music production.

What a long, strange tease its been since we first caught wind of the mythical Tenori-On music sequencer back in 2005. Now, here we are at the end: you've seen the photo gallery, the unboxing video, my interview with Yu Nishibori, the requisite comparison to the Monome, … Read more

Gadgettes 97: The Pull Your Head Out Of Your iPhone Episode

It only took the Gadgettes one minute to break the cardinal rule: do not talk about "the device that shall not be named." We learn our lesson and boycott "it" for the rest of the episode. So here's everything but.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 97

Congrats Kelly! http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12544_102-0.html?forumID=130&threadID=299650&messageID=2802693

Get your cat whipped into a frenzy for your enjoyment http://dvice.com/archives/2008/07/get_your_cat_wh.php

Tenori-On http://reviews.cnet.com/audio-input-devices/yamaha-tenori-on-music/4505-3144_7-33107337.html

Got a lead foot? … Read more

Photos: Yamaha Tenori-On

OK, I have to admit I've been somewhat selfish with Yamaha's Tenori-On music sequencer ever since it arrived at my desk a few weeks back. Can you blame me, really? The thing meets all my requirements for gadget coveting--it's shiny, futuristic, noisy, and expensive.

I still have a few drum machines at home I want to connect the Tenori-On to before finishing up my full review. In the meantime, I suppose I can share some of the shots we took of the Tenori-On in our CNET photo studio. View the Yamaha Tenori-On photo gallery.

Crave: Boom Boxin' Back to the '80s

It's all the goods from the Crave blog. Brian Tong is joined by guest host Ariel Nunez, who brings a musical flavor to this week's show. They talk about an iPod boom box straight out of the '80s, the super hot Tenori-On musical sequencer, Motorola's ZN5 cell phone that is focusing on photos, and more juice for your iPhone. Plus, Brian hates on robots.

Unboxing the Tenori-On

I don't easily give in to the gadget striptease of unboxing videos, but it felt a little like Christmas morning when Yamaha's futuristic Tenori-On music instrument landed on my desk today. Besides, with only 60 Tenori-On instruments on sale in the U.S. (only 17 left at the time of this writing), I figure this video might allow deprived electronic musicians to work through their anguish.

Expect a full review of the Tenori-On to make its way on CNET next week. By the looks of my video, I'll need some time to figure this thing out.

For … Read more

Tenori-On now shipping in U.S.

Yamaha's elusive Tenori-On music sequencer officially goes on sale today in the U.S. Yamaha is asking $1,200 for the Tenori-On, which isn't a bad deal when held up to comparable devices such as the Akai MPC1000.

With only 60 units in stock, and a rabid throng of electronic musicians champing at the bit for these things, we expect Yamaha will sell through its supply by the time you read this. For the rest of you, there's always the T-shirt.

Hands-on with Tenori-On

All my ranting and whining must have finally paid off because this week I finally got some time with Yamaha's mystery-enshrouded Tenori-On music sequencer.

Prototypes of the Tenori-On have traveled the globe, popping up in the U.K. and Germany, but rarely in the United States. I couldn't believe my luck when San Francisco electronic musician retailer Robotspeak (my former employer) gave me the heads-up that Yamaha would be dropping by the shop for a rare demonstration.… Read more