![[ Image ] HISTORY OF INNOVATION](/en/about/history/innovation/images/visual_logo_sp.png){kind=logo}
In addition to reading, writing, and the abacus, students in Japan were beginning to learn choral singing accompanied by a reed organ, and it was obvious to Torakusu that reed organs would become increasingly necessary.
I want to make a reed organ with my own hands...
- Learning musical theory
- An instrument that would take the place of imported reed organs
Around 1900-
- Next, pianos...
- Applying the craftsman's art to furniture
- Trying our hands at every instrument
Would making pianos locally encourage the growth of music culture in Japan?
Next, pianos...
- Torakusu made his own way to the United States of America to study how to make the latest musical instruments
- Piano making begins
- Scientifically proven excellence
- Towards the creation of world-renowned concert grand pianos
We used musical instrument crafting techniques to make furniture
Applying the craftsman's art to furniture
- Creating luxury furniture for the interiors of well-known buildings
- Using FRP in sports and lifestyle products
- Production of wooden and metal propellers
Music is not just singing. Pianos and reed organs are not the only musical instruments. We wanted to offer greater variety...
Trying our hands at every instrument
- Bringing musical instruments closer to many people
- Melodic sirens begin their song
- Offering high-quality percussion instruments to more people
- New techniques for crafting instruments
- Recreating the qualities of well-worn metal
- Guitars for their time, suited to the climate of Japan
- Creating drums with the power of air
Around 1950-
- Research electronic organs!
- Let's make motorcycles!
- Bringing the joy of music to all
- Pursuing natural sound
- Creating new businesses from new materials
Radio and television gain popularity, heralding the electronic age. What would become of reed organs?
Research electronic organs!
- Research into electronic sound sources
- The birth of the Electone
As the Second World War came to a close, Yamaha looked for a way to put the now idle propeller manufacturing machinery to use...
Let's make motorcycles!
- Starting with engine research, Yamaha begins to make motorcycles
- In 1955 the motorcycle division became Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., an independent company.
Our reed organs are selling well, but we don't hear music in the streets... why?
Bringing the joy of music to all
- Trying to create enjoyable music classes
- Fostering new talent and sharing musical inspiration
From input to output, our goal was to deliver the purest reproduction of music performance possible...
Pursuing natural sound
- Yamaha HiFi player
- Delivering sound with a different philosophy to HiFi
- From elements and materials for good sound
- The arrival and increasing popularity of digital audio
- The arrival of the digital sound field processor
- The MusicCast—offering more ways for people to enjoy music
Would concepts taken from the raw materials used in crafting musical instruments inspire new opportunities
Creating new businesses from new materials
- Using FRP in sports and lifestyle products
- Success with metals
- Becoming Japan's foremost maker of metals
- Transforming golf with new materials
Around 1960-
- Providing Japanese people with fulfilling leisure time
- Industrial art quality for cars
- After musical instruments... the stage...
How could we help Japanese people to enjoy more luxury in their free time?
Providing Japanese people with fulfilling leisure time
- Opening full-blown resort facilities
- Katsuragi Golf Club™ opens
What other uses were there for beautiful wood textures?
Industrial art quality for cars
- Bringing the beauty of wood grain to vehicle interiors
Music requires more than just musical instruments. Could we use the technologies accrued in our development of electronic organs?
After musical instruments... the stage...
- PA equipment that delivers on-stage performances to the audience
- The birth of digital mixers
- From digital mixers to digital mixing systems
Around 1970-
- Let's build an LSI factory for musical instruments
- Great sound requires a great environment
- Opening up a new world of music with digital technology
- Taking Yamaha's production technologies to the world
Highly expressive musical instruments require powerful dedicated LSIs. We couldn't rely on other companies for this...
Let's build an LSI factory for musical instruments
- The LSI factory is completed
- Development of proprietary LSI for the Electone
- External sales of LSIs begins
We researched sound, and put our sound control technologies to work
Great sound requires a great environment
- Making sound devices as well as musical instruments and acoustic equipment
- Commercialization of sound proofing technologies
- Controlling sound reverberation
Combining new technologies has the potential to create new music and musical instruments...
Opening up a new world of music with digital technology
- Creating keyboards that anyone can carry with ease
- Development of the FM tone generation system
- Home computers and automatic piano performance
- The Clavinova—Yamaha's third keyboard instrument
- The birth of the DX7 digital synthesizer
- Digital sound sources evolve
- Seeking new possibilities for musical instruments
- Digital sound sources evolve
Yamaha's musical instrument craftsmanship and groundbreaking production technologies are sure to prove invaluable in other industries
Taking Yamaha's production technologies to the world
- External sale of industrial robots that utilize our musical instrument production know-how
- Applying musical instrument shaping techniques to precision devices
Around 1990-
- Allowing people to enjoy playing without restraint
- Creating the future of music
People worry about playing musical instruments in quiet places. Can we lower the volume of these instruments?
Allowing people to enjoy playing without restraint
- Damping the sound of acoustic instruments
Now, as the internet continues to grow, what values will we be able to provide?
Creating the future of music
- The birth of network devices
- Transmitting music over the internet
- The growth of ringtones and music-related services
- The arrival of VOCALOID™
Could we take the concepts we had polished with electronics and digital technology to create new acoustic instruments?
Let's create something new!
- Wood reforming technologies used to create "great" sound
- Using digital technology to make acoustic instruments vibrate
- Creating new instruments from digital concepts
As the business environment changed and people became more aware of privacy, we wondered what solutions we could offer...
What "sound" can do for society
- Using sound technology to change the way the world does business
- Protecting the privacy of conversations
- Universal design with sound—the "OMOTENASHI GUIDE"
