Yamaha Tenori-On

A musical interface of light and sound, born from the collaboration between Yamaha and media artist Toshio Iwai.

An intense presence enhanced by an insistence on quality textures and their choice to eschew paint in favor of a magnesium exterior. To fit batteries, speakers, 512 LEDs, and the other components required into the square body, designers embraced only the barest elements necessary.

A proposal for a fun, interactive instrument that anyone can use; an instrument that you want to try as soon as you touch it. In testing an interface based on the tactility and lighting of switches, Yamaha Designers sought to make playing a musical instrument an enjoyable experience for all.

The 256 switches that make up the Interface are not reserved solely to output sound, they also emit light to add expression to performance. Accordingly, the reverse face of the instrument also features LEDs for audience to see. When performing with a TENORI-ON, sound and light unify in a duality that surpasses the performance styles of other conventional electronic instruments.

The result of a collaboration with media artist Toshio Iwai, the TENORI-ON is a twenty-first century musical interface that will allow even those without any musical knowledge to create and perform music using visual cues and their own intuition.