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Tenori-On: Yamaha's techno tablet Video

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Tenori-On: Yamaha's techno tablet
Created: 12/14/2007
Video description: Donald Bell gets a sneak peak at Yamaha's futuristic Tenori-On music tablet and talks to the man behind it all, Yu Nishibori.

Tenori-On: Yamaha's techno tablet Video Transcript

[ music ] ^M00:00:04

>> Hey, Donald Bell for Crave here. We're at Robots Peak in San Francisco, where we're going to talk with Uni Shibori [assumed spelling] about his brand new Tunorion [assumed spelling] music controller made by Yamaha. It's a really interesting futuristic controller and I'm excited to check it out, so let's go inside and take a look. [ music ] ^M00:00:27

>> Can you tell us you, a little about your, your role in designing the Tunorion?

>> I'm more kind of producer over this instrument. It took six years for development, for [inaudible] development.

>> Really? The plastic buttons, this is a metal?

>> Yeah [inaudible] it's hard to make this metal because you can see this, this, how can I say, this line -

>> Um hm.

>> Very precise.

>> Um hm.

>> And because it's one by one [inaudible].

>> Built in speakers I noticed on the front here.

>> Yeah, this is for monitoring speakers.

>> Um hm.

>> And this one's called function but you can change some parameters -

>> Um hm.

>> - the sound and sound bearings, anything. It's very simple how to [inaudible], and its [inaudible], so.

>> Well can you show up how you would compose a basic beat?

>> The Tunorian has sixteen by sixteen switches on the surface, and when you push it you can generate the sound and light simultaneously. And on the box side you can also see the light. When you push this button forward it'll be longer. You can put the dot. And this vertical side means pitch. And this horizontal side just generates the same mode, but when you push it forward it'll be longer like this.

>> Um hm. [ music ] ^M00:02:00

>> You can put the dot, and it loops from this side to light side. So it's like a two dimension step sequence. [ music ] ^M00:02:13 [ background music ]

>> So you can put the drum -

>> Sure.

>> - very -

>> Thank you. [ applause ] ^M00:02:24 [ background music ]

>> All right. Well that was a really cool preview of the Tenuorian. Still no sign if that's gonna really make it to the U.S. or what the pricing is. I'm really hopeful it does make it here though. But hopefully that will be enough to wet your appetite, and I was really excited to take a look at it. So thanks for joining me, see you next time on Crave. ^M00:02:41 [ music ]

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Yamaha Tenori-On music sequencer Review

Editors' rating

The good: The Yamaha Tenori-On music sequencer turns the otherwise tedious process of programming and performing electronic music into a fun and visually dazzling experience.

The bad: The Tenori-On is expensive, difficult to synchronize with other MIDI gear, and its built-in sounds wear thin after repeated listening.

The bottom line: While the Tenori-On's breathtaking design and ease-of-use is hard to resist, only performing electronic musicians will be able to justify its high price and tap into the device's more advanced applications.

Read full review

Yamaha Tenori-On music sequencer Specs

Manufacturer: Yamaha
Part number: Tenori-On

There are no specs for this product.

Yamaha Tenori-On music sequencer Prices

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