Mr. Torakusu Yamaha
Today, the word “Yamaha” is a household name around the World. The largest musical instrument company on the planet, Yamaha instruments now account for 25% of the world’s music-making tools. That’s right. One in every four musical instruments on Earth is made by Yamaha. When considering a company of such size and scope, it’s often hard to imagine a time when nobody knew the name “Yamaha.” Granted, today, Yamaha is a music industry icon, but it wasn’t always so. In fact, the name “Yamaha” is the company’s second name – given in honor of it’s visionary founder, Mr. Torakusu Yamaha. A humble watch and medical instrument repair technician from Kii Province, Mr. Yamaha came to the aid of a local elementary school when they asked him to fix their broken reed organ. He identified the problem, made the necessary repairs, and began a journey that would quite literally change the entire world. This is The Incredible Story of Yamaha.
Crossing the Mountains
Mr. Yamaha and his colleague carried a prototype reed organ over the Hakone Mountains FOUR times before founding his music company.
Working for two months in a one-room workshop, Torakusu Yamaha completed the first-ever Japanese-made reed organ in 1887 in Hamamatsu, Japan. Proud of his new creation and eager to get permission to form his own musical instrument company, Mr. Yamaha and a colleague attached the prototype to a carrying pole and carried it 160 miles over the mountains of Hakone to Tokyo’s University of Arts. The professors there rejected Yamaha’s prototype because – though it was well-made – it was not properly tuned. Mr. Yamaha was a technician – not a musician – and he lacked the necessary music theory and tuning skills. He would have to try again.
Undaunted, Mr. Yamaha decided to spend the next month at the university – studying musical intonation and theory. Then, he gathered his things and returned home – back 160 miles across the mountains of Hakone – to build his second reed organ.
Two months later, Mr. Yamaha’s second organ was complete and – once again – he made the trek (across 160 miles of mountains) to Tokyo’s University of Arts. This time, the professors praised the instrument, deeming it “as good as those from abroad” and Mr. Yamaha was given permission to open his music company. Elated, Mr. Yamaha returned home (across the mountains for the fourth time) and founded his company: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd. He chose a drawing of a Chinese phoenix holding a tuning fork as the company’s logo to commemorate all he had learned.
The First Japanese Piano
Mr. Yamaha built this piano in 1900. It was the first piano ever built in Japan.
To accomplish his vision of an efficient production facility with experienced craftsmen and modern assembly lines, Mr. Yamaha setup a manufacturing plant with the help of area carpenters and cabinet makers. In the year that followed, Nippon Gakki sold nearly 250 organs to schools around Japan. With Nippon Gakki’s newfound fame came the desire to grow. In addition to reed organs, Nippon Gakki began to produce harmonicas and xylophones. Then, in 1899, Mr. Yamaha spent five months touring the United States studying US piano builders and developing ideas for his own prototype piano. In 1900, Nippon Gakki produced Japan’s first upright piano. Two years later, they produced their first grand piano – launching an entirely new industry in Japan. That same year, Mr. Yamaha received an incredible honor: The Emperor’s Medal of Honor (Green Ribbon). This award commended Mr. Yamaha’s professional diligence and perseverance. The award served as an imperial proclamation that Mr. Yamaha was a public role model. In 1904, Nippon Gakki received a Grand Prix award at the 1904 World Exposition in St. Louis – the first Japanese piano manufacturer to ever receive one. This would establish Nippon Gakki’s reputation as a builder of fine pianos to markets all over the world.
Yamaha at War
During the first World War, products made by German manufacturers were shunned in Japan. This opened the door for Nippon Gakki to expand its harmonica production and supply instruments to clients all over the world. Sadly, Mr. Yamaha fell ill and died during the war… but his thriving company would carry on. By 1920, the company employed 1000 workers and produced 1200 pianos (and over 10,000 organs) each year. In the following years, piano sales would double – insulating the company from recession and propelling them to global dominance. A series of crises, including fires, earthquakes, and labor disputes would plague the company through much of the 1920s, but by 1930, Nippon Gakki was once again thriving.
During the World Wars, Yamaha gained experience with metallurgy, which led to the production of cast iron piano frames and Yamaha motorcycles.
Between the wars, Nippon Gakki worked to improve the quality of their pianos – opening acoustics labs and research centers. They also worked with German piano builders to develop new piano designs and manufacturing processes. Nippon Gakki also expanded their offerings to include accordions and guitars. The company thrived until 1945 – when all instrument production ceased.
World War II saw the near complete destruction of Nippon Gakki’s production facilities. US bombing raids destroyed all but one factory. …but post-war US assistance helped Nippon Gakki relaunch their harmonica and xylophone production lines just two years after the war’s end. Within six months, Nippon Gakki was once again producing organs, accordions, tube horns and guitars. Things were looking up.
Motorcycles and Music Schools
After the World Wars, Yamaha built it’s first motorcycle: The YA-1. It was so successful that Yamaha was able to launch a whole new motor vehicles company in 1955.
During the war, Nippon Gakki gained experience with metallurgy and began producing metal frames for motorcycles. Immediately successful, this new line of motorcycles opened up an entirely new business for the company until – in 1955 – Nippon Gakki split the motorcycle division off from the main company and founded the Yamaha Motor Company – named in honor of Mr. Torakusu Yamaha.
Just a year earlier, Nippon Gakki founded the Yamaha Music School in an effort to encourage new students to learn musical instruments and to help music students quickly build confidence in their music study. This program now spans the entire globe – building new generations of music makers every year.
The Zimmering Piano
The first Yamaha pianos sold in the US weren’t called “Yamaha.” They were sold under the private label “Zimmering & Sons.” A financial disagreement with Mr. Zimmering’s head salesperson caused Yamaha to begin selling their pianos under the name “Yamaha.”
By the mid-1950s, Nippon Gakki was once again looking to grow. This time, they had their eyes on the lucrative US piano market. The problem, however, was they didn’t think Americans (who were largely unfamiliar with Nippon Gakki) would respond well to pianos with a foreign-sounding name. Thus, they formed a partnership with an LA-based piano retailer named Sam Zimmering and – in 1959 – began shipping “Zimmering” pianos to the United States. The relationship only lasted a year, however. In 1960, Nippon Gakki opened its first sales office for “Yamaha Pianos” in LA.
Yamaha Pianos in America
By 1966, Nippon Gakki was the world’s largest piano manufacturer. In 1967, they produced their first ever concert grand piano. …but American piano builders did not appreciate Nippon Gakki’s entry into the US market. To offset the significantly lower price of Yamaha pianos, US piano builders sought a 30% tariff on all imported pianos. The Tariff Commission ruled in Yamaha’s favor, but the battle created a hostile environment for Nippon Gakki’s North American expansion. In addition, early Yamaha pianos struggled with Americans’ forced-air climate control systems, which created dryer interior climates than those found elsewhere around the world. This led Nippon Gakki to change production techniques for pianos coming to America. Instead of 12-14% moisture content, wood for US-bound pianos would be dried to 7% as part of Nippon Gakki’s new “Seasoned for Destination” philosophy. This also led Yamaha to purchase their first American piano manufacturing plant in the early 1970s.
Yamaha’s “New Keyboard Instrument”
This is the Yamaha YP-40. Introduced in 1983, this was the world’s first Clavinova.
By the 1980s, Yamaha was expanding in all directions, including consumer electronics. In 1983, Yamaha would once again change the world with the introduction of the YP-40: Yamaha’s first digital piano. Designed to make piano ownership accessible to more families around the world, this “New Keyboard Instrument” (more commonly known by the combination of the words “clavier” meaning “keyboard instrument” and “nova” meaning “new” – ie “Clavinova”) was designed to provide a remarkably authentic piano experience (for the time) at a lower cost and with no tuning or maintenance requirements. Today, the iconic Yamaha Clavinova is considered to be the global standard for digital pianos around the World and has been immortalized as one of Time Magazine’s Top 50 Most Influential Electronic Gadgets – along with culture-changing innovations like the Polaroid Camera, Sony Walkman, and the Apple iPhone.
Yamaha Disklavier
The first Yamaha Disklavier grand piano was affectionately called “The Wagon Grand” because most of the electronics were housed in a separate cabinet with wheels.
In 1982, Yamaha introduced an upright piano in Japan that could play itself. It was called “Piano Player.” Featuring a cutting-edge play and record system, floppy disk drive and multi-track sequencing, this early player piano was created to meet the needs of piano teachers and music schools around the world. The piano could even play other instrument sounds through a built-in tone generator. By 1987, Yamaha had coined the name “Disklavier” for its player piano system and produced the model MX100A for the US and global markets. The first Yamaha Disklavier grand piano didn’t actually have a model number in the US. Instead, it was nicknamed “The Wagon Grand” because its electronic systems were housed in a separate cabinet with wheels and attached to the piano via cables. By 1992, Yamaha had adopted support for the MIDI format and Yamaha’s Mark II Disklaviers both recorded and played standard MIDI files. Over the years, innovations in both acoustic piano building and electronic technology would change Disklavier and broaden its appeal – both to institutions and private homeowners. Modern Disklaviers can perfectly capture and reproduce a player’s performance in high definition MIDI. They can record in both MIDI and audio formats; they can operate wirelessly from a tablet or smartphone; they can communicate over vast distances in real-time; and they can deliver live or on-demand performances with video – all without diminishing the timeless beauty of an acoustic piano’s cabinet. Now in its seventh generation, Disklavier ENSPIRE is the world’s most advanced, highest-resolution piano reproduction system and – unlike its competition – is fully installed at the Yamaha piano factory.
Yamaha: A World-Class Piano
Used for his late Goldberg recording, this was Glenn Gould’s final piano – the Yamaha CF II.
In 1967 – at the debut performance of Nippon Gakki’s new CF concert grand piano – German maestro Wilhelm Kempff declared the instrument to be “A World-Class Piano,” thus catapulting the Yamaha CF Concert Grand Piano to Worldwide fame. Two years later, Russian maestro Sviatoslav Richter would encounter the piano at the Menton Music Festival in France. The encounter changed his life as he would use Yamaha pianos from then until his death. Even Canadian genius, Glenn Gould, would fall in love with Yamaha pianos late in his life, purchasing two of them and recording his famous “Goldberg Variations” on them before his passing. Around the world, Yamaha pianos were becoming more and more famous on the concert stage as well as in the classroom, sanctuary and private home. Then, in 1987 – 100 years after creating their first reed organs – Nippon Gakki decided to change their name to “Yamaha Corporation” in honor of their visionary founder and the success of their Yamaha piano brand. Today – with the introduction of Yamaha’s new CFX concert grand piano – Yamaha pianos are dominating (both on stage and off) around the world. The C7X (Yamaha’s 7’6” semi-concert grand piano) is featured in nearly every major recording studio. Over 3600 performing artists like Adele, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Paul McCartney, Sarah McLauchlan, Hiromi, and Sir Stephen Hough regularly perform and record with Yamaha pianos.
The Sound of Silence
With a hybrid piano – like this Yamaha Silent Piano – you can play your piano anytime without interruption.
Building from the success of their acoustic pianos and their technology infused instruments (Clavinova and Disklavier), Yamaha decided to introduce yet another new category of musical instruments: Hybrid Pianos. Though many piano builders today use the term “silent piano,” Yamaha first introduced this concept (and brand name) in 1993. The idea was to create a Yamaha acoustic piano that could “transform” into a silent practice system with the flip of a switch… or pedal… or lever. This would allow players to enjoy their piano at any time – night or day – without interference. It would also allow players to practice in more spaces, incorporate popular digital piano features and connect their instrument to external devices (like computers or mobile devices) without sacrificing the look or performance of a traditional Yamaha piano. The “Silent Piano” allowed Yamaha to reach a group of players who were dissatisfied with digital piano performance, but needed the ability to practice privately. The idea quickly caught on and now, “hybrid pianos” are their own separate category of keyboard instruments, including the Yamaha TransAcoustic pianos (which offer the same features as a silent piano but with the option to unplug the headphones and transform the piano’s soundboard in to an electronic speaker), AvantGrand pianos (which offer traditional piano actions with a digital sound source and no maintenance requirements) and the now iconic Yamaha Disklavier reproducing pianos (which also offer silent practice features). Now one of the fastest growing segments in the piano industry, hybrid pianos were yet another Yamaha idea.
Bosendorfer Pianos
Masterfully constructed by artisans with generations of piano building experience, Bosendorfer pianos represent the very pinnacle of quality and design.
Widely recognized as the finest pianos built in the world, Bosendorfer is the oldest, continuously-operating piano company on the planet. Each of their nearly 300 annually-produced instruments are handcrafted in Vienna, Austria – the Birthplace of Western Music. …but in the early 2000s, Bosendorfer had a problem. An Austrian bank named BAWAG PSK Gruppe purchased Bosendorfer from the failing Kimball International company, but had no interest in being a piano manufacturer. They simply wanted to preserve the iconic Austrian piano maker and ensure that Bosendorfer would continue to build the World’s finest pianos. Just seven years later, however, BAWAG PSK Gruppe decided to divest from all non-banking holdings and Bosendorfer went up for sale. In 2007, Yamaha – who had been long-term partners with Bosendorfer on a number of projects – decided to purchase the company for much the same reason: to preserve the iconic institution and ensure a bright future for Bosendorfer pianos.
The purchase was a huge success for both companies. Yamaha paid the bills, but avoided making any changes to the Bosendorfer factory or its iconic pianos. Bosendorfer got access to Yamaha’s Silent and Disklavier technologies… and Yamaha was able to market and distribute Bosendorfer pianos to piano dealers around the world.
Today, Bosendorfer operates as a completely independent subsidiary of Yamaha with its own research and development trajectory.
Conclusion
From portable keyboards to pro-audio equipment to jet skis and band instruments, Yamaha Corporation has built its reputation on consistency, refinement and innovation. …but it hasn’t forgotten its roots. Every Yamaha product made today features a logo with tuning forks – a clear reminder that the future is built through education, trial and error. Yamaha owns every component of its piano building process – from the forest to the factory – ensuring consistent quality and efficiency along the way. …and they are committed to improve as they go. In fact, in a single year, Yamaha spends more on research and development than some luxury American piano brands take in. …and – in five years – they spend more than the luxury American piano brand is even worth! Yamaha’s commitment to quality and innovation is unrivaled and it’s that unwavering desire to “Make Waves” that propels them (and their dealers) toward a bright future.
For more information on Yamaha, their products or Bosendorfer pianos, contact us today. We’re proud to be an award-winning partner with the world’s most famous piano company… and we’re proud to help you build your own “Incredible Story” with Yamaha.
