TENORI-ON

SEE TENORI-ON

TENORI-ON MODES

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.

SCORE MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

Press an LED button briefly to play the sound assigned to it. At the same time the lights will flash outward from the played sound. If you hold the LED button a bit longer it will remain lit and will become an active note that will play repeatedly. Press and hold an active note to de-activate it. The loop indicator will be continuously cycling from the left to right edge of the LED button matrix. Active notes will play when the loop indicator coincides with their positions on the matrix.

RANDOM MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

If you press an LED button long enough to enter an active note in the Random Mode, the active note will play back repeatedly. If you then enter a few more active notes, the lights will "travel" from note to note, in the order entered, and the active notes will sound when the traveling light passes over them. The Random Mode thus produces a totally different type of loop from the Score Mode.

You can even spin loop-shapes you create in the Random Mode by holding the [L4] button and running a finger around the matrix in the direction and at the speed of the desired spin. The pitches of the notes will change accordingly as the shape spins, producing loop sound effects. To stop rotation, press and hold the LED button or press the same LED button twice while holding the [L4] button.

DRAW MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

In this mode you can press individual LED buttons or draw lines or curves on the matrix, and those actions will be played back and repeated. You can keep adding to your "composition" during playback to build up thick sonic textures.

In the Draw Mode you cannot clear only a part of the performance. The entire layer can be cleared by pressing the [CLEAR] button.

BOUNCE MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

Press an LED button and the light will "drop" from that button, bounce back from the bottom of the matrix, and repeat. The corresponding note will sound when the light bounces at the bottom row. The higher the entry point, the longer the interval between the sound. In the Bounce Mode the pitches are arranged horizontally, like a piano, with the lowest pitch on the left and the highest on the right.

PUSH MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

In this mode if you press and hold an LED button the sound of the corresponding note will begin to change gradually while the flashing surrounding that button gets brighter and wider. If the button is held briefly the note and flashing will stop when you release it, but if you hold the button for longer the note and flashing will continue even after the button is released.

SOLO MODE PERFORMANCE | Watch Video

Press an LED button and the corresponding note will repeat until the button is released. In the Solo Mode the pitches are arranged horizontally, like a piano. You can change the interval between repeats by pressing or sliding your finger to a lower (longer) or higher (shorter) LED button in the column. If you press the lowest LED button in a column the note will sound once without any repeats.

FUNCTIONS

By holding one of the ten function buttons located on either side of the TENORI-ON and operating the LED buttons you can change voices, change octaves, and apply a variety of effects and variations to your performance.

This unique visual/tactile interface has been specifically designed to allow intuitive, instantaneous operation of a variety of functions.

INTRODUCTION OF FUNCTION BUTTONS FROM [L1] TO [L5} | Watch Video

L1 : Changing Voices

You can select any voice from the 256 voices available in one quick operation. When you press and hold the [L1] button vertical and horizontal lines will light on the matrix, and the button at their intersection corresponds to the currently selected voice. If you press a different LED button while these crossed lines are showing the intersection will move to that button and the corresponding voice will be selected.

L2 : Changing Note Length
Sets the length of the notes from the time they are triggered to the time they decay to silence (the gate time). While holding the [L2] button slide your finger horizontally over the matrix to move the lit vertical line to the desired setting. Moving the line to the right increases the note length.

L3 : Changing Octaves
Sets the playback pitch in octave increments. While holding the [L3] button slide your finger vertically over the matrix to move the lit horizontal line to the desired octave.

L4 : Changing Loop Points

Sets the loop playback range in the Score Mode. While holding the [L4] button slide your finger horizontally over upper half of the matrix to move the loop start point indicator to the desired point, and slide your finger horizontally over lower half of the matrix to move the loop end point indicator to the desired point, as required.
(In the Random Mode this function sets the rotation direction and speed)
(Not available in the Draw, Bounce, Push and Solo Modes)

L5 : Changing Loop Speed
Sets the loop playback speed (the duration of the beats). Four settings are available, set via the leftmost four columns on the matrix: quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and thirty-second notes. While holding the [L5] button press a button in the corresponding column. (Not available in the Push Mode)

INTRODUCTION OF FUNCTION BUTTONS FROM [R1] TO [R5} | Watch Video

R1 : Switching Layers
Switches to a different layer.<br> While holding the [R1] button slide your finger vertically over the matrix to move the lit horizontal line to the desired layer.<br> Moving the line to the lowest row selects layer 01, the next row up is layer 02, then layer 03, and so on up to layer 16.

R2 : Changing Tempo
Sets the playback tempo (BPM).<br> While holding the [R2] button slide your finger horizontally over the matrix to move the lit vertical line to the desired tempo setting. Moving the line to the right produces faster tempos.

R3 : Transposition
Adjusts the playback pitch in semitone increments. While holding the [R3] button slide your finger vertically over the matrix to move the lit horizontal line to the desired pitch.

R4 : Changing the Layer Volume

Displays the individual volume settings of all 16 layers, and allows the volume of each layer to be adjusted as required to create the ideal "mix" between layers.
Each row of LED buttons corresponds to layer, beginning with layer 01 at the bottom row. While holding the [R4] button slide your finger horizontally over the row corresponding to the layer you want to adjust to set the volume as required. Each LED button row corresponds to a layer (01 - 16 from bottom to top), and the horizontal axis corresponds to volume level with volume increasing towards the right (the leftmost setting corresponds to "0" volume).

R5 : Switching Blocks
Switches to a different block. While holding the [R5] button slide your finger horizontally over the matrix to move the lit vertical line to the desired block. Moving the line to the leftmost column selects block 01, the next column to the right is block 02, then block 03, and so on up to block 16.

NEWS

TENORI-ON HELPS OVERCOME BARRIERS TO CREATIVITY

Tenori-on captures the imagination of so many different people. From the creative and professional media artist to non-musicians alike, this new form of musical interface is opening many new avenues of musical exploration and creativity.

A recent independent dissertation by UK-based Graham Wynne is a fascinating document as he explores the extent to which instruments such as Electroplankton and Tenori-on are overcoming barriers to creativity in modern music production. With related quotes from Toshio Iwai, Brian Eno, Steve Reich and Norman Fairbanks you can read Graham's dissertation HERE

TENORI-ON WOWS AUDIENCES DURING BJÖRK TOUR

Björk's current world tour utilises some of the most cutting edge on-stage technology out there, so it's no surprise to find at least one Tenori-on in the thick of it...

Read the full story HERE

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR OWNERS OF TENORI-ON

Please click here to read this important announcement about Tenori-On

IMPORTANT UK TENORI-ON PRICING NEWS

Due to the current exchange rate situation its become necessary for us to increase the UK price of Tenori-on. This advance warning of this pending increase gives you a few days to take advantage of the current price before it goes up!

The tenori-on uk online store price will be increased on 1st April 2008 from the current £599 to £629 inc VAT.

THE YAMAHA TENORI-ON REVOLUTION CONTINUES WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF GLOBAL LAUNCH EVENTS

Following the hugely successful media and public launch of the critically acclaimed Tenori-on in the UK, we are excited to announce Tenori-on Global Launch events and a new multi-language website.

Read the full story HERE

Tenori-on really is about the Future of Loops

Future Loop Foundation join the list of high profile Tenori-on users…

Tenori-on fever continues! As demand for this most innovative light and sound sequencer continues to grow, the word is also out in the artist community that this is one must-have, must-play gadget. Mark Barrott, Future Loop Foundation’s technology-loving front man, has been after one since launch and recently finally got his hands on one…

“It really opens your mind to new possibilities,” he says. “It’s Steve Reich for the modern age…” And Mark knows all about new possibilities. A decade ago he was leading the way on the drum n bass scene before turning chillout. Last year’s ‘Album Of The Year’ Memories From A Fading Room spawned a couple of summer soundtrack classics (appearing all over the BBC and Sky TV) and he’s currently gearing up for a ground-breaking audio and visual spectacular tour.

Read the full interview HERE

The list of high profile artists queuing up to get their hands on Yamaha’s Tenori-on is staggering. Many, in fact, have been left disappointed due to short supplies of the innovative light and sound sequencing tone module. So far Björk has been spotted on tour with one in South America and Peter Gabriel is known to be experimenting with one at Real World, but another cutting edge artist lucky enough to get his hands on an early unit was Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet.