Where Utility Meets Aesthetic

March 12, 2025

Picture a dimly lit stage. At its center, a striking violin stands out, its deep red fingerboard and elegant curves capturing the eyes and hearts of the audience. The artist begins to play, and as the bow glides across the strings, the sound resonates through the venue as richly and authentically as an acoustic violin. This is the YEV PRO, Yamaha’s professional electric violin, released in August 2024.

Unlike traditional violins, an electric violin converts string vibrations into electrical signals which are then amplified. When paired with effectors, it can produce a diverse range of tones, making it a versatile choice across genres like rock and pop. This can redefine the violin’s role beyond classical music.

The Electric Violin That Captivates

Yamaha introduced its first electric violin, the YEV, in 2016, but the story truly begins with the release of the Silent Violin™ in 1997. It was part of Yamaha’s Silent™ Series, an innovative lineup developed to address noise concerns which offered instruments that could be played at much lower volumes than their traditional counterparts. The Silent Violin, in particular, has been widely praised for its ability to minimize sound while maintaining the authentic playing experience of an acoustic instrument.

However, because the Silent Violin was geared toward practice purposes, many users began requesting a model better suited for live performances. “That’s why Yamaha decided to create a next-generation violin that blends stunning design with exceptional performance,” explains Akio Matsushima, a current member of Yamaha’s electric violin development team.

The YEV’s standout feature is its seamless, flowing structure, reminiscent of a Möbius strip. During development, the team collaborated with Yamaha’s Design Laboratory to explore a range of concepts. This three-dimensional design was ultimately chosen for its uniqueness and its striking beauty from every angle.

While often praised for its distinctive appearance, the YEV is also thoughtfully designed for functionality, incorporating all the essential elements required for performance. “For a violinist, every part of the instrument that comes into contact with the hands is crucial, especially the left hand, which relies on a sense of position to find the correct pitch,” Matsushima explains. “That’s why, in addition to creating a beautiful design, it was essential to maintain the structural elements to provide the same playing experience as an acoustic violin.”

Elevating “Beautility” to Meet Professional Standards

Matsushima began playing the violin in second grade and continued throughout university, where he was a member of the orchestra club. Today, he serves as the concertmaster of the Hamamatsu Symphony Orchestra. In 2010, he joined Yamaha, combining his extensive musical experience with his university studies in vibration engineering.

After starting at Yamaha, Matsushima gained valuable experience in production engineering. Eight years later, he fulfilled his dream of joining the development department where his first assignment was working on the YEV PRO—the high-end model of the YEV. Building on the YEV’s popularity, Matsushima and his team set out to create an advanced version that would enable performers to fully express their musical range.

The team’s primary focus for the YEV PRO was to make the playing experience feel as close to an acoustic violin as possible. To achieve this, they designed a hollow body structure with slits on the sides to enhance the instrument’s overall resonance and to produce a rich tone that is remarkably similar to an acoustic violin. They also ensured the weight closely matched that of an acoustic violin, with the 4-string model weighing approximately 510 grams.

To further enhance sound quality and response, the team concentrated on improving the bridge. Using Yamaha’s proprietary wood reforming technology, they managed to replicate the deep, resonant tone of an instrument that has been played for many years. The team fine-tuned both the thickness and attachment of the metal shield on the pickup, allowing the bridge to vibrate more freely and to capture even the subtlest nuances of the bow’s movement. “There were over 100 possible combinations of materials, slit placements, and pickup types,” Matsushima recalls. “Through numerous rounds of play evaluations with employees and artists, we worked to create a playing experience and sound that felt seamless for violinists while also being compelling.”

The team also wanted the YEV PRO’s appearance to reflect its status as a high-end instrument. “The original YEV design was well-received, so we didn’t want to make any major changes,” Matsushima explains. “The challenge was to give it a strong stage presence without overworking the design.” One important focal point was the fingerboard. The team carefully selected colors to ensure the violin could capture the audience’s attention on stage, even with its smaller surface area compared to a guitar or bass.

Ultimately, the team chose two elegant and unique color variations for the YEV PRO fingerboard. One is a deep, elegant red inspired by the traditional Japanese vermilion lacquer, a choice influenced by a custom order for violinist Junko Makiyama. The other is a natural finish that showcases the wood’s texture, a style commonly seen in electric guitars. “Applying color coating to the maple fingerboard was a significant challenge,” Matsushima shares. “It required a lot of trial and error to create a finish that could withstand stage use while also highlighting the beauty of the wood grain.”

After years of development, the YEV PRO was finally completed—a top-of-the-line model offering a refined design, together with the playability and rich resonance akin to an acoustic violin.

Matsushima was deeply involved in every stage of the process, from initial design to testing, development, production, and shipping. Reflecting on the journey, he describes it as a rewarding challenge that allowed him to fully leverage his expertise in both manufacturing and music.

An Instrument That Inspires New Cultures

With the YEV PRO, Yamaha seeks to open new possibilities for violin music. Violin performance has long been closely tied to classical music, where acoustic instruments are traditionally regarded as the standard. As a result, electric violins have often been relegated to secondary roles within the genre.

Matsushima believes the YEV PRO can challenge this perception. Like two wheels driving each other forward, musical instruments and music culture evolve together, continuously influencing one another. With its ability to freely alter tones—a distinct advantage over acoustic violins—the electric violin holds the potential to inspire entirely new musical cultures. “As the recognition of the electric violin grows, we hope it will give rise to a new music culture and eventually be recognized as a unique instrument in its own right,” Matsushima shares, expressing his vision for the future.

This is why an emphasis was placed not only on the functionality of the YEV PRO, but also on its visual appeal. While ensuring a comfortable playing experience for musicians, Matsushima also considered the perspective of the audience. “If more people are inspired by performances on the YEV PRO, they might decide to pick up electric violins themselves,” he explains. “As the number of players grows, we could see more content created specifically for electric violins, which will help to shape a new musical culture.”

In fact, artists around the world are already pioneering new cultures with electric violins, such as performing dynamically on stage while playing—something rarely seen with traditional acoustic instruments. Just as the electric guitar evolved alongside rock music to create a new musical era, the electric violin holds the potential to spark its own transformation in music history. This future becomes even more tangible when professional violinists adopt instruments like the YEV PRO, whose striking design leaves a lasting impression on audiences.

The YEV PRO blends advanced functionality with a refined and elegant design. Yamaha brings this unique combination of technology and sensibility to the world of sports as well by crafting tools that excel in both performance and aesthetics. In the next article, we’ll delve into the story of the INPRES DRIVESTAR for Ladies golf club, thoughtfully designed with women in mind.

(Interview: August 2024)

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