Yamaha's Tenori-on goes on sale in America

Thanks for keeping your promise, Yamaha. The almost unicorn-like Tenori-on music maker has at long last gone on sale here in America, offering USers willing to part with $1,200 the chance to get lost inside a cacophonic wilderness. Good luck finding one in stock.

[Via CNET]

[tijs @ Jun 19th 2008 4:16PM]

make it cheaper, please....

[deyanimay @ Jun 19th 2008 4:17PM]

a music maker for $1,200 um...

[deyanimay @ Jun 19th 2008 4:20PM]

i just watched the video on youtube, couldn't someone make an app for a computer or maybe ds or iphone that could do the same thing for less?

[Eli @ Jun 19th 2008 4:26PM]

Actually, come July, something similar is coming out for the DS; the Korg DS10. You should look it up, it's really crazy stuff.

[OneLove @ Jun 19th 2008 5:57PM]

its called a laptop.

[Danakin @ Jun 19th 2008 4:17PM]

...what a terrible web-site they have, device seems interesting...idk about the $1200 price tag though.

[Low Ranked @ Jun 19th 2008 4:48PM]

The sequencer is normally $300.

They tacked on the extra $900 to raise funding for a new website.

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 4:18PM]

Yeah but can it play Beethoven's 7th symphony?

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 4:19PM]

Yeah but can it play Beethoven's 7th symphony?

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 4:22PM]

Damn you Krush imposter - posting my comments over again with my name and avatar!!
- oh wait ... double post --- sorry - my bad

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 4:23PM]

D@mn you Krush imposter - stealing my comments and avatar eh?
-- oh wait ... its just a double post ... my bad

[Zelatio @ Jun 19th 2008 4:38PM]

LOL at you. Double double-post.

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 5:18PM]

ummmm ... double-double-post was intentional

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 5:18PM]

ummmm ... double-double-post was intentional

[Obvious @ Jun 19th 2008 4:28PM]

Just saw Daedalus play a set in LA with one of these (I think)... It was rad.

[800lb @ Jun 24th 2008 1:53PM]

Daedelus uses a monome, not a Tenori-On. He actually helped design the monome. Tenori-On's are pretty much programmed to do a couple of things coming out of the factory, whereas monome boxes are OSC controllers. I have a monome 40h, and it can do everything that box can do, and more.

[samu @ Jun 20th 2008 10:51PM]

That's likely to have been a monome (256 or "Box" prototype), which he helped develop.

[Rick @ Jun 19th 2008 4:48PM]

Looks like they ripped off the Monome, except that the Tenori-on is undoubtedly less hackable.

[samu @ Jun 20th 2008 10:48PM]

Doubtful. To say nothing of the fact that the devices have been developed over similar and overlapping timeframes, you might just as well accuse both of "ripping off" the MPC series, or even any old drum machine's step sequencer.

This is all quite bizarre, like trying to score points online by accusing Moog of ripping off the piano, and the piano the harpsichord.

[Shane @ Jun 19th 2008 5:11PM]

What the %#%* is it?

[Krush @ Jun 19th 2008 5:18PM]

ummmm ... double-double-post was intentional

[Chris @ Jun 19th 2008 5:37PM]

Totally rip off of the monome series, except not nearly as configurable. The monome can do ANYTHING, this thing is inherently limited in its design. Save yourself some cash, learn yourself some software and buy a monome.

[Minilap @ Jun 19th 2008 7:00PM]

Funny how you fail to realize that you are comparing two completely different products which have difference purposes.

[samu @ Jun 20th 2008 10:42PM]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz... this again? Even to the very superficial extent that the two devices are similar, it's not fair to accuse the Tenori-on of being a rip-off. It first appeared at Siggraph 2005, the year before the 40h went on sale (although Daedalus started testing The Box as far back as 2003). In any case, it's far more likely that Iwai was inspired by the classic MPC pad layout and/or the logical step of squaring out a traditional row of step sequencer buttons into a grid than by Crabtree's devices; and again, he took it in a totally different direction.

And how would a monome save you money? The 256, whose 16x16 grid is most closely comparable to the Tenori-on, costs $200 more, when it's actually available.

[Grant @ Jun 19th 2008 5:40PM]

It costs just a wee... $1,200!!!!! Get a life. This thing is a child's play toy affordable only by the big rich guy that just happens to live down the street and drives a black Mercedes-Benz! PLEASE PEOPLE!

(By the way, look the TENORI-ON up and you will find out that i am not lying about the price. For Pete's sake! TENORI-ON even SOUNDS expensive.)

[Low Ranked @ Jun 19th 2008 8:05PM]

I think you just graduating from Captain Obvious to having a PhD.

[John Cavanagh @ Jun 19th 2008 5:41PM]

I'll just keep on whistling, it's cheaper.

[Paul @ Jun 19th 2008 7:10PM]

Already placed my order, can't wait to get this thing in on Monday

[Lars @ Jun 19th 2008 8:00PM]

I love how they got road runner to write their tag line...

"Beep beep"

[Rick Urtel @ Jun 19th 2008 9:35PM]

Be nice people, be nice. Thank you.

[saintrobyn @ Jun 20th 2008 12:10AM]

I saw Jonathan Coulton use one of these while playing the song "My Monkey" live in Columbus, OH. It was an amazing little device. All I could think of during the whole song was "What the hell is that thing?"

Here is a link to a Seattle show performance of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNO_lY7M608

[Gert @ Jun 20th 2008 7:28AM]

MONOME.ORG

[giuliop @ Jun 20th 2008 9:53AM]

The Monome is basically just a controller, while the Tenori-on is a synthesiser-cum-sound generator.
They're quite different things, really, apart from the grid concept - and rubber buttons make a big difference anyway.

[Evan @ Jun 20th 2008 10:11AM]

@Gert

Its not the same. Its a pro-level synth, controller and more.
Its not a DYI consumer controller like the monome.

Similar yes .. the same .. no.

[Unknown @ Jun 21st 2008 5:45AM]

It's put on the market by Japan. It's a shortage also in the YAMAHA own country.
The crowded note is a mysterious sense not imaginable when operating it alone.
I think including the sound source of YAMAHA in a palmar size to be very attractive.
Development advanced in 2002, and it took about five years for sales.
The impression like the shift period from the prototype to the product is received when taking it though it is still the first generation.
It is a sense of touch that looks like the keyboard though it is necessary to push LED firmly. Moreover, it is possible to play as typed.
Candid advice, usual music cannot dare to be copied. Time doesn't suffice.
The version of software is 1.0.
As I thought, SDHC card non-corresponds.
Perhaps, I think that it can do by the price of about $1000 or less if they are other electronic manufacturers though the specification of a state-of-the-art wireless technology is put.
And, there is a possibility of making it to half the price if it is analogous articles.
But, it's a keystone of this commodity the musical instrument manufacturer's guaranteeing tone quality and durability.
Anyway, it is not to guarantee the quality of the sound in other manufacturing manufacturers.