Yamaha Tenori-On Orange: More Affordable Model, Coming Soon!

The new – and cheaper! – version of the popular Tenori-On is arriving soon at Dolphin Music. This instrument has captured the imagination of musicians and producers all over the world, including artists such as chart-topping Little Boots. Find out more about the new model…

Yamaha Tenori-On Orange – new, and more affordable model!

The new Yamaha Tenori-On ‘Orange’ offers the same levels of creative power as the original Tenori-On, but has been made significantly more affordable!

For example, Yamaha have replaced the very cool but expensive magnesium casing of the original with a heavy duty and durable plastic casing .

The original Tenori-On became an instant hit worldwide, and has been used by several influential artists such as Massive Attack, Bjork and chart-topping Little Boots. Now, this newer, more affordable version is set to make this incredible and innovative instrument even more popular!

All the same features and spec as the original apart from:

• No Magnesium alloy body – white plastic frame on this model
• Has orange LEDs instead of white LEDs
• No screen on the back of it – has the interface
• Does not run on batteries – mains only

The Yamaha Tenori-On Orange will be arriving soon at Dolphin…just in time for Christmas! But stock is limited…so pre-order yours now! Visit the Yamaha Tenori-On Orange product page for more info.

Studies for two Yamaha TENORI-ON(s)

Studies for two TENORI-ON(s) by Smith from Franck Smith on Vimeo.

A chap named Nick Ciontea has created a channel on Vimeo collecting odd videos folks have made with or regarding Moog products.

Artist “Smith” says:

This first test is a prepartory work to a series of solo pieces inspired by John Cage’s experiments for prepared piano and Conlon Nancarrow’s player piano studies.

Yes, things you don’t normally expect to go together: Cage/Nancarrow, Moog, Tenori-On. And he successfully erases the Tenori-On’s beautiful if predictable signature sound. This is what I imagine music boxes would sound like on Alpha Centauri. In other news: I can’t afford this rig.

– 2 TENORI-ON(s)
– MI Audio Pollyanna Octave Synth
– Moog Low Pass Filter (MF-101)
– Moog Ring Modulator (MF-102)
– Moog Bass Murf (MF-105b)
– Jomox M-Resonator
– Rotary Ensemble (Boss RT-20)
– Boss FV-500L (as expression pedal for LPF Resonance)
– Boss FV-500L (as expression pedal for RM Frequency)
– Boss EV-5 for Rotary Ensemble speed

But, involved as that is, it’s further evidence you can push sound in new ways. And if online videos do nothing else, they can lay the gauntlet down in terms of what you think possible – both by demonstrating the generic and the unusual.

Sorce: createdigitalmusic

Tenori-On: Lowest UK Prices Promo!

GREAT NEWS! Dolphin Music might not Santa, but are giving him a run for his money! For a limited-time only, Dolphin is offering the Tenori-On for a lower price than any other UK retailer…and even better: you’ll get a free Tenori-On t-shirt as well! But hurry up: Offer starts today (Thursday 4th Dec) and ends Sunday 7th December.

Does it need any introduction? If you’re reading this you probably know what the Tenori-On is all about. Since its release over a year ago, the Tenori-On has proved to be one of the most innovative and exciting musical instruments that have ever been invented.

The Tenori-On is a revolutionary new concept, and is not only a very useful and versatile tool for professional musicians and producers, but also a fantastic instrument for those who never thought they could play anything, due to it’s “visible music” interface.

The Tenori-On…causing waves in the world of music.

In the past 15 months or so, many famous artists have adopted the Tenori-On, from legends such as Bjork to celebrated up-and-coming acts such as Little Boots, who recently used one on her debut appearance on the Jools Holland show on BBC2.

A new band even called themselves after the instrument: the three girls who are The Tenori-Ons have been spreading the word, and even appeared on the Paul O’Grady Show!

Now…It’s time for you to join the revolution!

Dolphin Music is offering an exclusive Tenori-On promo! Buy the Tenori-On for just £599, cheaper than at any other retailer in the UK, and get a free Tenori-On t-shirt (size X-large).

But you must hurry up! This deal runs from tomorrow (Thursday 4th December) to Sunday 7th December…so you’ll only have four days to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity!

Get your Tenori-On this Christmas…NOW is the perfect time to join this musical revolution!

Yamaha Tenori-On + Free Tenori-On T-Shirt!

Little Boots: Hot New Talent Brings Tenori-On AND Stylophone To Jools Holland!

Little Boots is the musical alter ego of Blackpool lass Victoria Hesketh, former singer with Dead Disco. At last week’s Later With Jools Holland show on BBC 2, Little Boots brought together vintage and new technologies, with a stunning performance that used both a Stylophone AND a Tenori-On!

Little Boots and her microKorg

Little Boots came to life when Victoria left her former band Dead Disco because, according to her, ‘It was obvious to me that indie was getting boring, and things were going to go more pop,’

So she got hold of a few synths (including a microKorg she never seens too far from), a stylophone and a Tenori-On – which she claims to push “to its limits”- and started making music inspired by the likes of The Bee Gees, though tracks such as “Medley” played at Jools Holland remind of edgier acts such as Bats For Lashes.

Watch her inspired performance at Jools Holland:

Find out more about Little Boots gear:

Yamaha Tenori-On

Dubreq Stylophone

Korg microKORG

Swayzak and the art of Tenori-on

Can it really be 10 years since Snowboarding in Argentina – Swayzak’s debut long player – was named album of the year by Mixer magazine?

It is indeed, but in that time James Taylor and David Brown have been keeping themselves busy both live and in the studio, all the while building a global reputation that’s as organic as the deep, home-grown dub-house they’ve become synonymous with.

Few artists straddle the thin divide between underground and mainstream quite like Swayzak. Their music, like their production style, almost relies on the haphazard, lo-fi ethic that’s been a constant mainstay of their back catalogue. Yet despite being five albums in (as well as two mix compilations), they’re as keen to follow their own path as they always have been – re-releasing Snowboarding, ambitions to make an album featuring 80s vocalists, David’s perennial obsession with vinyl…

“James and I have been buddies since 1989 when we worked at a record label together,” David begins, “but it wasn’t until 1992 that we actually started making music together.”

“I’d been into music since I was very young. The first thing I had was a Bontempi organ, and by the time I was 12 I was a young punk. I was lucky enough to see Joy Division as my first live band, and I guess that set the tone! I got my first synth – a Yamaha CS01 – when I was about 15, I think. Then I got a Boss drum machine, a Roland MC-202 – can you believe the guy in the store actually talked me out of getting a TB-303! But overall what I discovered was that the sound was better without guitars.”

Despite this penchant for a retro minimalism that pervades their music, they recently adopted Yamaha’s uber-futuristic Tenori-on as a way of exploring new directions with their music. David first heard about the Tenori-on from a friend who’d emailed him some details on this brushed magnesium frame.

“At first I didn’t really understand it and thought it was nothing more than a toy. But then one day I was looking for a new machine for our live show and by chance I heard the Tenori-on in a London store and thought it would be just perfect for our sound.”

“To begin with it was the bleepy sounds and the lights that drew me to it, but we’ve now incorporated it into our live show in a number of ways. We’ll process it with some tape delay and reverb, sync it to a laptop running Ableton Live… and just for fun last weekend we used a 1960s WEM Copicat to make some strange live sounds. Studio-wise, I’ve been recording it through various effects. The one that’s giving the best results is Korg’s KP3 – these two together are sounding very cool!

“Tenori-on helps us to make a more improvised sound when we’re playing live. Sometimes the laptops can be a bit boring, which is why we always have real outboard effects such as delay and reverb to hand. This way we can play with the sounds on the desk. And now the Tenori-on can throw in extra bleeps and clicks.”

“For the live set we’re running it with Ableton Live, two laptops and various outboard FX, and we’ll just jam with the Tenori-on to add bleeps and beats. Essentially I like the simplicity of the sequencing… and that it’s always in tune!”

“We used Tenori-on in Tokyo recently, and people were freaking out. They’d never seen it before, which is pretty unreal for Japan. Occasionally I’ll use it on a flight, and people are always wondering what sort of game it is I’m playing!”

The Tenori-on fits perfectly with the simplicity of the Swayzak sound, as David explains.

“Our philosophy to making music is quite simple, I guess. Do what you feel, not what you think will make you money. Many people follow trends – and to a certain extent we’re all guilty of that – but we’ve always experimented with our sound and taken risks. Some good, some bad, but we like to try to be different. There aren’t many electronic acts like us. We released on Minus Records in 1999 and Sony in 2000, and since 2002 K7 has been a good home for us. Like us, they are somewhere between underground and major label. And as an electronic outfit we’re big in the underground but small in the mainstream.”

View Tenori-On page at Dolphin

Other Links:

www.tenori-on.co.uk  
www.swayzak.com

Tenori-on: you’ve seen the lights, now meet the group!

It’s a girl-band like no other: there are three of them, they’re called The Tenorions and the only instruments they play are – you guessed it – three Yamaha Tenori-ons!

It’s little wonder that in its short life the Tenori-on has had such a profound impact on music makers the world over. Artists are already creating albums using nothing but the Tenori-on, such is the power contained within that diminutive, brushed-aluminium casing. But Jason Air is taking the Tenori-on concept to a new level. With success in the worlds of Drum & Bass and Hip Hop, his latest venture sees him as the driving force behind the world’s first band to create music exclusively with the Tenori-on. Fittingly, this trio of Oriental techno-heads goes by the name of… The Tenorions.

The band comprises core members Nynn and Cici, who write the uncompromising and driving techno tracks that have already become The Tenorions trademark sound. With increasing bookings for live gigs, third Tenorion Fiona joins them on stage to complete the trio. They’ve recently returned from a tour of Spain and Portugal and have further bookings coming in from around the world. Perhaps their strangest booking to date, but clearly the most high profile, has been a performance on the Paul O Grady Show in April of this year.

Jason puts their initial success down to the popularity of the Youtube videos he posted throughout the Spring, and as a result they’ve garnered coverage in the NME, The Independent, and dozens of tech and music blogs.

Here’s the unbelievable Tenorions appearance on daytime tv, at the Paul O’Grady show:

For Nynn, Cici and Fiona, a lifetime either studying or producing music has prepared them well for life in the Tenorions. To begin with Nynn and Cici would write the tunes, taking responsibility for melody and percussion respectively, but as time has passed they’ve both seen a natural progression towards composing complete tracks in their own right – and all, of course, within the confines of that hand-held silver box.

But just what is it about this unique instrument that’s made the Tenorions and the Tenori-on such a hit with people worldwide? It’s surely no coincidence that the girls are booked to play gigs almost for the rest of this year and into the next.

“I haven’t seen anything like it before,” Nynn tells us. “For us it shows a totally new way of creating music. And it’s so much fun to play – it’s as easy and intuitive to pick up as Nintendo, but the results… well, we’re creating art!”

But, of course, the concept of working within new boundaries comes with a lot of fresh challenges, as Jason is quick to outline.

“It’s totally changed the way we write music, for one thing. It’s nothing like writing in [Apple] Logic, you know! One aspect of Tenori-on that makes it such an instant tool for composing is that there are no filters or complicated plug-ins to program or convoluted menus to navigate. As a result it makes us think of the music in a more ‘musical’ way, if that, er… makes any sense?! It’s really easy to focus on the music and not get so caught up in the production side of making music. Ask any producer with a well-equipped modern studio and they’ll all tell you that it’s pretty easy to get side-tracked by the technology!”

“The great thing about composing with Tenori-on is that it’s all right there at your fingertips. I guess that’s the whole ethos of Tenori-on though. In Japanese it roughly translates to ‘in the palm’, and that’s exactly what the Tenori-on system gives you – a way to create melodies and program rhythms right there in the palm of your hand.”

The Tenori-On is available now

Tenorions Myspace Page

TENORI-ON PRICE SET TO INCREASE!

Due to the current exchange rate situation its become necessary for Yamaha to increase the UK price of Tenori-on.The news went live today on the official Tenori-On.co.uk website, informing people that the UK price for the hugely popular Tenori-On will be increasing to a published £629.00 from the 1st April.

This advance warning of this pending increase gives you a few days to take advantage of the current price before it goes up!

Dolphin Music still have a few Tenori-Ons available for the cheaper price…if you want one, better hurry up! 

Dolphin Music’s Top 10 Xmas Gadgets

 

Christmas time is here again, and Dolphin Music has decided to highlight 10 very desirable products that we think will  be a success this year.

1) Tenori-On

Unique. Original. Stylish. Yamaha’s  Tenori-On is quite possibly the most revolutionary musical instrument to be created since the electric guitar.  There’s nothing like it, and it’s user-friendly  “visible music” interface makes it not only a very useful and versatile tool for professional musicians and producers, but also a fantastic instrument for those who never thought they could play anything. Available  exclusively to the UK. £599 view product

2) Robot Guitar

Is it possible!? This year’s other  big instrument launch is also something  that promises to change the face of music. The Limited-Edition Gibson Robot Guitar is set to revolutionize guitar-playing forever: a self-tuning guitar that also offers alternate tunings at the push of a button, this is the first guitar ever to feature robot technology, and Dolphin Music is amongst the selected dealers selling it. £1499 view product

3) Stylophone

Brand New Version of the old classic – Now with MP3 input.  The retro, cheap, small and quirky Stylophone is already a big sensation this Xmas. Find out what it’ll all about, and get the instrument that proved to be not just a great kids’ toy, but also fascinated artists such as David Bowie, Pulp, Kraftwerk and others…only £14 view product

4) Pocket POD Pocket POD® exhibits all the celebrated features and pro tone that makes POD a standard in recording studios everywhere. Don’t be fooled by the smaller package, Pocket POD is packed with over 300 custom presets dialed in by some of today’s hottest rock stars like Maroon 5, P.O.D., 311, Hoobastank and many more.

Battery-powered and about the size of a tuner, Pocket POD is completely portable. Use it for effects in front of your amp, or just plug in headphones and practice anywhere, anytime. Guitarists are sure to love it!  £64.99 view product

5) Micro BR

The ultimate palmtop guitar companion and recording studio. Only slightly larger than an iPod, the tiny-yet-powerful Micro BR is a dream for musicians on the go. The Micro BR offers four simultaneous playback tracks (plus 32 Virtual Tracks), MP3 compatibility, onboard multi-effects, built-in rhythm patterns, a tuner, USB, an SD Card slot, and more. No guitar case or gig bag should be without one!  At £130, it’s a bargain. view product

6) microKorg Black
Now funkier than ever, this limited-edition of the very successful and highly desirable microKORG synthesizer/vocoder  features a reversed keyboard, to play the massive sound of the microKORG. Demand is very high and this is a one-off production run with only a limited number available. This could be your only chance to order this very special product, so call us now before they all disappear!  £249 view product 

 

7) Mackie Onyx Satellite

This is a fantastic offer – a great product for an unbeatable price, exclusive on Dolphin Music…if you’re looking for a new soundcard this xmas, don’t miss this great  opportunity! As the world’s first two-piece FireWire recording system, Satellite consists of a portable recording Pod with premium Onyx mic preamps, and a desktop Base Station with additional inputs and outputs. You simply undock the Pod when you want to record on location—leaving the Base Station connected to all your desktop studio gear (microphones, instruments, headphones, studio monitors, etc.). Then, once you’ve returned to your studio, simply dock the Satellite Pod back into the Base Station with a reassuring “click.”

There’s no better soundcard deal at the moment! 

Only  £119.95 (save over £200 off RRP) view product

8 ) AudioBlob 2

Audioblob2 provides superlative audio quality for music/multimedia & gaming and is configured so that you can control the overall audio volume and the sub-bass level separately, thereby providing subtle and discreet volume control, up to an annoy-your-neighbours, floor-shaking level 10 – The choice is yours! 

This system has been developed in partnership with audio engineers from Tannoy, with many years experience in designing the very best home audio systems. Even if you don’t know it yet, you need an AudioBlob2. Buy one, and you won’t believe you could ever live without one! Great buy at only £59 view product

9) Limited-Edition Z-Vex Union Jack pedals
It looks like this is the “limited-edition xmas!” But, unlike the Robot Guitar or microKorg Black, the Z-Vex Union Jack pedals can only be purchased from Dolphin Music – we comissioned those handmade pedals, and they are limited to an exclusive 10 units per model: the Fuzz Factory, the Super Hard-On and the Box Of Rock.

These pedals are destined to become collector’s items, and were manufactured with the same high-standards Z-Vex has always been known for.  Find out why so many  top-selling artists such as Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Flaming Lips use Z-Vex! From £169 view product

10) Orange Micro Crush

Standing at just 5” tall, the Micro Crush’s highly portable design belies the remarkably full bodied tones available from its 4” speaker. The amplifiers Tone and Volume controls allow you to dial in a number of different guitar sounds, and Over Drive distortion is available at the push of a button. One of the most useful features is the inclusion of a fully functional chromatic tuner. A Great little amp! £29 view product

If you want to find more xmas offers, just visit Dolphin Music’s new  Christmas Gifts section, with gift suggestions divided by different categories (Children / DJ / Studio / Stocking Stuffers/ etc…) to make the shopping experience even easier for you.

We wish you all a great Chrismas and a fantastic New Year! 

The Yamaha Tenori-On has finally arrived!!!

THE BIGGEST INSTRUMENT LAUNCH OF THE YEAR – WORLD EXCLUSIVE RELEASE IN THE UK ONLY! Just a few selected shops will be selling the Yamaha Tenori-On, from October, and Dolphin Music is one of the exclusive retailers.

Media artist Toshio Iwai and Yamaha have collaborated to design a new digital musical instrument for the 21st century, TENORI-ON. A 16×16 matrix of LED switches allows everyone to play music intuitively, creating a “visible music” interface.

The Tenori-On is a revolutionary new concept, and is not only a very useful and versatile tool for professional musicians and producers, but also a fantastic instrument for those who never thought they could play anything, due to it’s “visible music” interface.

TENORI-ON “Modes”
The TENORI-ON 16 x 16 LED button matrix is simultaneously a performance input controller and display. 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.

LAYERS
TENORI-ON layers can be thought of as “performance parts” or “recording tracks.” 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 as shown in the illustration below. The six modes have different note entry methods and operation. Up to 16 layers created using different modes can be combined for rich, complex musical expression.

BLOCKS
Once complete set of 16 layers is called a “block.”

The TENORI-ON can store up to 16 programmed blocks (16-layer groups) in memory, and you can 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 Design Detail

The Interface area of Tenori-On consists of a simple square of 16×16 matrix of LED switches surrounded by an aluminium frame. The upper part of the aluminium frame has two high sound quality speakers, the lower part of the aluminium section has a dial and a LCD, and both sides of the aluminium frame there are four function switchesthat change sound or image etc. These interfaces are designed with particular attention being paid to quality and ease of operation. The back of Tenori-On has a 16×16 matrix of LED lights that copy the light display produced by the LED switches of the control surface. This facilitates a beautiful light display when Tenori-On is used during stage performances, or when used for interior ornamental effect.

Tenori-On Collaboration

Tenori-On makes it possible for you to enjoy playing music and light with a friend. Using the connection Function, You can play a synchronized session or send and receive songs between 2 Tenori-Ons. Toshio Iwai and Yamaha are working together to make Tenori-On function as a brand new communication tool using light and sound right now.

The Tenori-On is available from Dolphin Music for £599, and Yamaha believes this new musical instrument will be a huge success – it’s quite possibly the most original,  innovative and versatile musical intrument to be invented in over 50 years!

The Dolphin Music website has a NEWS section full of further Tenori-On stories and videos…and here’s the product page, with further specs.