The wonderful Tenori-On
Something of a hybrid between a musical instrument and a sequencer, the Tenori-On is an innovative product from Yamaha that looks like a whole lotta fun.
Here’s the Wikipedia précis:
Tenori-on is an electronic musical instrument, designed and created by Japanese artist, Toshio Iwai and Yu Nishibori of the Music and Human Interface Group, Yamaha Center for Advanced Sound Technology. It consists of a screen, held in the hands, of a sixteen by sixteen grid of LED switches, any of which can be activated in a number of ways to create an evolving musical soundscape. The LED switches are held within a magnesium frame, which has two built-in speakers located on the top of frame, as well as a dial and buttons that control the type of sound and beats per minute produced. There is also an LCD screen on the bottom edge of the frame. Using the connection function, it is possible to play a synchronized session, or to send and receive songs between two of the devices.
This is a product demo from Yamaha:
Just imagine what Giorgio Moroder could have done with one of these in the 1970s…
Little Boots plays a Tenori-On. Here she is doing Stuck On Repeat (and doesn’t she look a whole lot better with darker hair?):
I really want one (the instrument, that is – rest easy, Little Boots). Unfortunately they’re pretty expensive – around £700 at the moment in the UK). There’s the marvellous-sounding Take It Away scheme from the Arts Council, which sounds like a thoroughly Good Thing (interest-free payments on instruments spread over 10 months), but it’s still quite a bit to shell out. They’re bound to come down in price over time, aren’t they? And will they become collectors’ items in years to come?
Here’s another Boots demo, this time of Hot Chip’s Ready For The Floor:
Oh, I’ve just realised I share a birthday with Giorgio Moroder. How cool. He’s a little older than me though – more than twice my age 
Tags: little boots, tenori-on