The Dawn of Digital Musical Instruments

Combining new technologies has the potential to create new music and musical instruments…

Opening up a new world of music with digital technology

1980

Creating keyboards that anyone can carry with ease

In 1980, we developed the PortaSound, which utilized the LSI from the Electone in a keyboard instrument that was compact and lightweight, and could even run on batteries. This became a hit product that helped to boost the low number of people playing musical instruments.

PortaSound PS-1
Portable Keyboard／1980

1981

Development of the FM tone generation system

Seeking to create electronic keyboards with greater expressive capabilities, in 1972 we began work on putting the FM tone generation researched at Stanford University in the USA to practical use. In 1981 we released the GS1 and GS2, which used FM synthesis.

GS1
Keyboard／1981

1981

Home computers and automatic piano performance

In 1981 we released the groundbreaking YIS home computer, which led to the release of a piano player the following year. This allowed the use of digital control to achieve automatic performance on an acoustic musical instrument.

YIS PU-1-20
System Computer／1982

PC-1
Piano Player／1982

1983

The Clavinova—Yamaha's third keyboard instrument

Following in the footsteps of our piano and Electone electronic organ lineups, the first Clavinova was released in 1983 which helped to promote the digital piano as a way for people to enjoy piano-like performance in the comfort of their own homes.

Clavinova CVP-7
Digital Piano／1985

1983

The birth of the DX7 digital synthesizer

The DX7 utilized FM tone generation and touch controls in a compact, affordable, yet cutting-edge system that offered greater performance capabilities to professional musicians. The sound, usability, and expressive power of this instrument took the world by storm, and had a huge effect on the music industry.

DX7
Digital Programmable Algorithm Synthesizer／1983

1986

Digital sound sources evolve

To give digital instruments powerful expressive capabilities, Yamaha pursued the development of digital technologies that would allowed instantaneous processing of enormous amounts of data. We developed technologies such as AWM tone generation, which used digitally recorded sound, and VA tone generation, which reproduced the sound generating structures of acoustic instruments.

Clavinova CLP-50
Digital Piano／1986

VL1
Virtual Acoustic Synthesizer／1993

1984

Seeking new possibilities for musical instruments

Yamaha released tone generator modules and music production devices connected by MIDI. This resulted in new styles of performance using remote keyboards and digital drums, as well as controllers styled after wind instruments.

TX816
FM Tone Generator System／1984

QX1
Digital Sequence Recorder／1984

KX5
Remote Keyboard／1984

DTX2
Electronic Drum System／1996

WX7
Wind MIDI Controller／1987

2004

Digital sound sources evolve

VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) that reproduces the analog circuits of yesteryear Yamaha developed VCM technologies that replicated the characteristics of analogy circuitry at a component level, allowing famous effects units from years gone by to be used with digital instruments.

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