Electone – green laser module 532nm – 980nm Diode Laser K98S09F-4.00W
History of the Electone
After Hammond pioneered the electronic organ in the 1930s, other manufacturers began to market their own versions of the instrument. By the end of the 1950s, familiar brand names of home organs in addition to Hammond included Conn, Kimball, Lowrey, and others, while companies such as Allen and Rodgers manufactured large electronic organs designed for church and other public settings.
The Yamaha Electone series debuted in 1959 with the D-1, a home instrument. This was a bad moment to enter the market; as early ome entertainment centers, electronic organs were facing heavy (and strengthening) competition from both television and high fidelity audio systems, neither of which required any musical skill, unlike the electronic organ. But by 1970, with the market waning sharply, and some manufacturers ceasing production, the Electone line, as did its competitors, embraced digital technology. This would be the key to the Electone survival as the traditional home electronic organ market dried up.
By the 1980s, many of the most famous names had ceased home production, but the Electone successfully translated into the modern world of digital synthesizers, now competing with such new electronic products as Moog Music, Wersi, and later Kurzweil. Electones were to be found not only in homes, especially in Japan and elsewhere in the East Asia, but also in bands and other solo and group public performances.
While the traditional home electronic organ is a relative rarity today, the Electone’s late 20th-century transformation into a true synthesizer, capability and portability led to its becoming, along with its competitors, the successor in many ways to the famous Hammond electronic organ models of mid-century.
Notable Electone models
Yamaha began importing Electones to the United States, starting with the D-2B in 1967. In 1968, Yamaha released the EX-21 prototype. This Electone was different from prior Electones, as it was expressly designed for stage performances. Two years later, the EX-42 became Yamaha’s first commercially available stage model Electone. The EX-42 was also the first to use integrated circuits, although it was still based on analog technology. By 1974, Yamaha began designing Electones around synthesizers, instead of organs, starting with the CSY-1 that was based on the SY-1 synthesizer.
The GX-1, released in 1975, was the first polyphonic synthesizer in Electone form, bridging the gap between synthesizer and organ. The GX-1 utilized velocity-sensitive keyboards and the solo keyboard was even pressure, or aftertouch, sensitive. Some notable users of the GX-1 include:Richard D. James, Stevie Wonder, Keith Emerson, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, and Benny Andersson of ABBA.
The E-70, from 1977, was one of the first home based organs to feature Yamaha’s PASS (Pulse Analog Synthesis System) in a console cabinet.
The FC/FE/FS/FX series from 1983-1986 featured FM tone generators and the FX series featured the company’s first digitally sampled sounds for the onboard percussion/rhythm units. The F series Electones were the first to allow users to digitally save registrations via pistons and then save them to RAM packs or an external disk drive unit: MDR-1.
With the HS/HX series, Electones became more digital. This series, released in 1987, used more integrated circuit technology to make components smaller, and allow for a sleeker design. The HX/HS series was the first to use AWM “sampling” technology for both voices and rhythm. The HX series also featured 16-operator FM voices.
In 1991, Yamaha released the EL series of Electones. They included an attached Music Disk Recorder (rather than the previous add-on MIDI-based units), which enabled players to record their registrations and performances. The EL series introduced new synthesis, filtering, and expression technologies that made instrument voices on the Electone even more realistic.
Modern Electones
Modern Electones and their competitors are best described as synthesizers rather than electronic organs, since they can imitate the sounds of many orchestral instruments, singly or in combination, through the use of digital sampling; nevertheless, in their basic configuration and operation they continue to resemble the organ. This is largely because the organ-style interface allows great flexibility and control, which is necessary given the Electone’s vast capabilities. The interface includes three keyboards–two manuals and a pedalboard, each of which may be configured to play a different registration or emulate a different instrument.
The Electone may be configured both before and during playing to mimic a wide variety of instruments, up to and including a full orchestra. Various conveniently-located controls allow on-the-fly changes in configuration. Depending on their selections, the performer may produce the sounds of, for example, a piano at one moment and then a string section the next, followed by more exotic instruments. Most of these selections are ones that they have programmed in before playing.
STAGEA
The newest model Electone, STAGEA uses all AWM (Digitized) voices and features over 180 digital effects, built-in registration menu, VA voices, and a Style File compatible expanded rhythm and accompaniment section. There are four models currently including the ELB-01, ELS-01, ELS-01C and ELS-01X. The ELB-01, also called Stagea Mini, is the entry level model, the ELS-01 the standard model, and the ELS-01C the so called custom model, carrying a larger number of voices and other features. The ELS-01X takes the ELS-01C and adds 61-note keyboards, a full-sized 25-note pedal board and XLR external audio jacks.
Because STAGEA is officially distributed only in Asian countries, those wanting to update to the newest Electone model and living in other parts of the world must import the instrument. This is often called purchasing “grey market” goods.
D-Deck
Similar to the Stagea in software, the D-Deck is a portable keyboard with two manuals (double-deck) featuring 49 keys on the upper keyboard and 61 keys on the lower stretch. The D-Deck carries over the menu, registration buttons between keyboards, after-touch, and many other features from the Stagea which would be comparable to that as of the ELS-01 model. An optional pedalboard helps the D-Deck mimic a Stagea even more. It is also noted that the D-Deck STAGEA package is only known as DDK-7 in certain regions.
Playing the Electone
Playing the Electone is a physically engaging activity requiring considerable dexterity and coordination. The performer sits facing the console at a comfortable distance, with the lower manual at about elbow height and with their feet suspended slightly over the pedals. Their right hand typically plays the upper manual, while their left hand plays the lower manual, though in practice both hands may often play the same manual, especially if each mimics a different instrument or orchestral section. As they play, they may change registrations with conveniently-located finger controls located near the manuals. Their left foot plays the pedalboard with dancelike motions that can range from lively to languorous depending on the character of the music, Meanwhile, their outstretched right foot rests firmly on the expression pedal, which they pump gently in order to change the instrument’s overall volume or to accent their music dynamics. When they wish to make more pronounced dynamic changes, they simply use firmer heel or toe pressure on the pedal. They may also occasionally play the pedalboard briefly with both feet. (Many Electone performers play barefoot so as to achieve greater precision with the pedals.) Some Electone models also include a second expression pedal, known as an effects pedal, which can produce changes in pitch or other effects; toe switches on the main expression pedal with which the performer can change registration; and a knee lever, operated with the right knee, with which the performer can sustain notes (as with a piano sustain pedal) or produce other effects. In addition to these controls, modern Electones also have data storage systems, LCD screens, and Internet connectivity.
Notable Electone players
Yoshihiro Andoh, Yamaha Japan
Junichi Matsumoto, Yamaha Japan
Kaoru Ono, Yamaha Japan
Mutsuki Watanabe, Yamaha Japan
Reiko Kashiwagi, Yamaha Japan
Ayaki Saito, Yamaha Japan
Daiju Kurasawa, Yamaha Japan
Masashi (Max) Takano, Yamaha Japan
Hiroshi Kubota, Yamaha Japan
Yasuyuki Kasori, Yamaha Japan
Kenichi Saizake, Yamaha Japan
Yuri Hiranuma, Yamaha Japan
Genta Utsumi, Yamaha Japan
Yoshitaka Mihara, Yamaha Japan
Yayoi Hirabe, Yamaha Japan
Koji Kondo, Nintendo Sound Director
Jun’ya Ota, maker of Touhou Project
Ayako Saso, video game composer
Josh Kantor, Fenway Park organist
Claude Dupras, Yamaha Canada
Alex Payler, UK (www.alexpayler.com)
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International Electone Festival / International Electone Concours
The International Electone Festival(IEF) / International Electone Concours(IEC), was a worldwide Electone Organ competition organized by Yamaha back in the early 70’s. The competition featured both the performer and the Electone instrument itself. The IEF finals from its early concept were held in Japan every year until 1984 when Yamaha decided to break the trend and hold that year’s final in Los Angeles to coincide with the city’s Olympic Games. Following its success there Yamaha continued to stage subsequent IEF finals in other cities around the world including Hamburg, Toronto, Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico and Singapore before returning to its home in Japan. Notable musicians who were invited to be part of the adjudication panel included film composer Jerry Goldsmith and Keith Emerson of ‘Emerson, Lake and Palmer’. Participants in the IEF finals had to be at least 16 years of age and competed for medal awards and cash prizes. On almost every occasion there was one “Grand Prize” recipient who would receive a gold medal and cash prize which in its last years totalled $10,000US. Before 1982, a selection of participants were also presented with special Winner’s prizes and the number of recipients of this award varied from year to year. After 1982, “Most Outstanding Performance” awards were presented to two (or in some instances three or four) participants who would receive a silver medal and cash prize, and “Outstanding Performance” awards were usually presented to three participants who would receive a bronze medal and cash prize. On rare occasions at IEF finals a special President’s award may also have been presented to one performer. Known as the “Kawakami Prize” it was named after renowned Yamaha Music Corporation President Genichi Kawakami and consisted of a special bronze medal and cash prize very similar to the “Outstanding Performance” award. In the early 1990’s Yamaha announced worldwide that it would no longer sponsor the event . It became too expensive to produce and electronic organ sales declined.
International Electone Festival Finals:
Edition Number
Year
City, Country
Venue, Electone Model/s Used
Grand Prix
Winners
Kawakami Prize
Special Jury Prize
Performers: Name (Country) – Composition name
9th
1972
Nemu-no-sato, Japan/EX-42/E-3/E-5
??
Claude Dupras (Canada) – Parade On A Rush Hour
??
15th
1978
Nemu-no sato, Japan
??
Skip van Rooy (Netherlands) – Relationships
Rosy Chua (Malaysia) – Elite, Michael Gundlach (West Germany) – Final Four Times, Masashi Huzita (Japan) – Symphonic Rhapsody, Yumiko Santon (Japan) – Airship Marshmallows, Ito Yumiko (Japan) – Steps of September
N/A
16th
1979
Nemu-no-sato, Japan
??
Nozomi Moroi (Japan) – Windward Passage
Hiroko Kawata (Japan) – Musica?, Noriaki Rin (Japan) – Sea of Eternity, Michael Behymer (U.S.A) – Two Variations of One Theme, Eileen Ng Ai Ling (Singapore) – Your Shadow, Yumi Nakata (Japan) – Bright Future
N/A
17th
1980
Nemu-no-sato, Japan
??
Yasuyuki (Japan) – Grand Sinfonia No.2
Hiroko Kawata (Japan) – Cosmic Rhapsody, Akira Kobayashi (Japan) – Fiesta: One Two, Yoshiko Doi (Japan) – Summer Dreaming ’80, Michel Gundlach (West Germany) – Workshop
N/A
18th
1981
Nemu-no-sato, Japan
??
Reiko Matsumoto (Japan) – Daiwa Maharoba, Natsue Enda (Japan) – Fantasia Alpha
Tatsuko Torii (Japan) – Pure, Noriaki Rin (Japan) – Autumn Door
Eduardo Tadeu Montoro (Brazil) – Soldier Boy
Edition Number
Year
City, Country
Venue, Electone Model/s Used
Grand Prix
Most Outstanding Performance Award
Outstanding Performance Award
Kawakami Prize
Performers: Name (Country) – Composition name
19th
1982
Tokyo, Japan
??
Yasuo Miyauti (Japan) –
*Kiyouko Koyama (Japan), * (Japan)
*Piergiorgio Marotti (Italy), *Tomoko Yoshida (Japan), *Tetzu Yoshizawa (Japan), *Walter Stowasser (West Germany)
??
20th
1983
Tokyo, Japan
Kan’i Hoken Hall/FX-1
Keiko Tanimura (Japan) – Come Glorious Light Again (K.Tanimura)
*John Teare Corlett (Australia), * (Japan), *Lupita Romero Ponce (Mexico), *Mizuno Yoshiko (Japan)
*Miyuki Ishizaki (Japan), *Hiroko Muta (Japan), *Lennart Palm (Sweden), *Yuki Huzihara (Japan)
N/A
Lennie Campbell (Canada), Carlton Liu (Hong Kong)
21st
1984
Los Angeles, U.S.A
/FX-1
Tatsuko Torii (Japan) – The Skyscraper (T.Torii)
*Thomas Folenta (U.S.A) – Tomarbar, *Toshinori Suzuki (Japan) – Eternal Sea
*Luis Estrella (Spain) – Rhapsody In Blue, *Ya-Hui Wang (Singapore) – Toccata, *Hanson Tan (Philippines) – Bursting Out
N/A
*Joan Misako Nakanmoto (Canada) – Tarkus, *Greg Norrod (U.S.A) – Journey To Perfection, – Gasto Alberto Marsanich (Italy) – Toccata, *Mark Wyer (Australia) – War Of The Worlds, *Hector Manuel Islas Licona (Mexico) – Luzarkana, * Ronald H.Van Barele (Netherlands) – Musica Esperanto, *Erik Holsten (Norway) – Progressive Tension
22nd
1985
Hamburg Germany
/FX-1
Toshio Mori (Japan) – (Ryuuka)
*Sueko Tsunoda (Japan) – “Bright Times, *Ya-Hui Wang (Singapore) – Eternal Sea
*Jan Veenje (Netherlands) – Symphony Historique, *Mei-Li Pai (Taiwan) – Tropical Isle Emerald, *Gregory Brian Mackintosh (U.S.A) – Baroque, Be-Bop, Ballad, Brass
N/A
Lennie Campbell (Canada)
23rd
1986
Toronto, Canada
/FX-1
Tihiro Yamashita (Japan) – (A Fanrasia)
*Louis Tortora (France) – Variations from Suspiria, *Norikazu Kawano (Japan) – (Picturesque Time)
*Mary Ueda Ritsuko (Canada) – Petrouchka, *Stephen Kurniawan Tamadji (Indonesia) – Sunset In Bali, *Stefan Flemmerer (West Germany) – Barock
N/A
*John Gregory Matas Aquias (Philippines) – Likha, *John Donald Bates (U.K) – Touch, *Paul Joseph Doerrfeld (U.S.A) – Chorale and Fantasy on “Simple Gifts, *George Charles Heldt (Canada) – Riches to Rage, *Shane Michael Parker (Australia) – Scheherazade (The Festival at Baghdad), *Nicklas Lars Sivelw (Sweden) – Into a New World, *Jorge Raul Suarez (Argentina) – Juana Azurduy, *Ricardo Uma (Costa Rica) – Carmina Burana.
24th
1987
Tokyo, Japan
Kan’i Hoken Hall/FX-1
Yukio Nakamura (Japan) – Somewhere In The Night (Y.Nakamura)
*Risa Funaki (Japan) – Rise Of Spring, *Arturo Snchez Guzzi (Mexico) – Grados Indigenas
*Jason Nyberg (U.S.A) – Strike It Up, *Warwick Dunham (Australia) – Excerpts from Bernstein’s ‘Mass’, *Racquel Ayeras Raola (Philippines) – Silver Screen.
*Risa Funaki (Japan) – Rise of Spring
*Kaon Koo (Canada) – Rain Walk, *Terence Swee-Seng Teo (Singapore) – Olympia, *Roberto Cedeo Laya (Venezuela) – Sonata Venezolana, *Lena Sannerstig (Sweden) – Die Fledermaus Overture,
25th
1988
Paris, France
/HX-1
Jason Geh (Malaysia) – Hallucination (J.Geh)
*Tatsuki Watanabe Atsushi (Japan) – And The Sun Shines!, *Mia Soetanto (Indonesia) – Evening In Bali
*Valrie Boggio (France) – La Confession d’Uranus, *Paul Wei Chung Liang (Singapore) – Chinatown Parade, *Adelmo Listorti (West Germany) – City Movements
N/A
*Hector Islas (Mexico) – Centuria, *Linda Eckert (U.S.A) – Jupiter from The Planets, *Jason Klein (Canada) – Conversations, *Marcelo Maranghello (Argentina) – Mosaico Latino, *Lena Sannerstig (Sweden) – Overture from “Pastoral Suite” Op.19, *Rodney Pooley (U.K) – American Patrol, *Fabrizio Brezzo (Italy) – La Forza del Destino – Overture, *Anthony Kenney (Australia) – A Fairytale Relived, *Mayumi Takane (Japan) – Au Coin De Montmatre.
26th
1989
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre/HX-1
Saori Iwauchi (Japan) – Symphonic Rhapsody No.2 (S.Iwauchi)
*Ng Chai Li (Malaysia) – GEM, *Enrique Arturo Escalante Lujan (Mexico) – Pisces
*Hitoshi Kotani (Japan) – Hibari-Twilight Scenery, *Stphane Criado (France) – Comme Dans Un Songe, *Ferdinand Marsa (Indonesia) – Panji Semirang
N/A
??
27th
1990
Mexico City, Mexico
The City Theater/HX-1
Chinami Taki (Japan) – Humpty Dumpty (C.Taki)
*Bruno Yamasaki Matsumoto (Mexico) – Conetl Tototl (El nio colibr), *Joachim Wolf (Germany) – El Avispa
*Goh Chee Seng (Malaysia) – Midnight Dream, *Hiromi Suzuki (Japan) – Rhapsody Espagnole, *Teh- Chiang Yuang (Taiwan) Time Passing.
N/A
*Phil Newns (Canada) – Rhapsody in Blue ,
28th
1991
Tokyo, Japan
Kan’i Hoken Hall/HX-1
Chinami Kawasaki (Japan) – A Scene – Time For Sowing (C.Kawasaki)
*Yuki Toda (Japan) – Rhapsody, *Carsten Jarocki (Germany) – Fairytale
*Stephen Tromans (U.K) – Great Expectations, *Raussel Renata Cedeo Laya (Venezuela) – Orinoquia, *Danny Lim Teong Chin (Malaysia) – Kingdom Of Black Panther
*Tanya Hulbert (Australia) – Tianenmen, June 4th, 1989
*Roberto Mistichelli (Italy) – War from Rocky IV, *Arnaud Fabien Fourniguet (France) The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, *Albert Lawrence Villaruz (Canada) – War from Rocky IV, *Clarice Marie Weathers (U.S.A) – Ballet Mechanique, *Rene Monterosa Sanchez (Mexico) – Final Night, *Chun Chun Yang (Taiwan) – Moments Musicaux, *Ching I Lu (Taiwan) – Fantastic Festival.
29th
1992
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto Kaikan Hall/ELX-1, EL-90, HX-1
Kaon Koo (Canada) – Alice In Shanghai (E.Corpus)
*Kaoru Ono (Japan) – Sensitivity, *Emi Saiki (Netherlands) – Voyage Eastward Far Away
*Ohta (Japan) – Symphonic Dances, *Ken Lee Ming Yi (Malaysia) – Joy Of Spring, *Ruben Martorell Y Bayon (Spain) – William Tell, *Dominicus Levi Gunardi (Indonesia) –
N/A
30th
1993
Singapore
World Trade Centre, Harbour Pavillion/ELX-1, EL-90
Daiju Kurasawa (Japan) – Well You Needn’t (T.Monk)
*Hitoshi Utsumi Hazime (Japan) – Piano Concerto in F, *Eric Leong (Singapore) – Feline(Alley Cats), *Elver Sohrab C. Perez (Philippines) – Talinhaga
*Tricia Ann S. Villareal (Philippines) – Seascapes, *Yani Danuwidjaya (Indonesia) – Seven-Eighth”
N/A
??
31st
1994
Tokyo, Japan
Kan’i Hoken Hall
Jun’ichi Matsumoto (Japan) 1st place, Thomas Kaacher (Germany) 1st place (tied), Carlton Liu (USA) 2nd place
Notes
^
^
^ http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/ec-ef/IEF83.html
^
^ http://www.cvnet.net/cosmic/A_NEWNS.htm
^ http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/ec-ef/IEC94.html
External links
Electone.TV – The ultimate Yamaha Electone TV channel that brings you the best electone performances.
Electone Station (Japanese) – The official Yamaha Corporation Electone web site. Includes software updates for the new STAGEA instruments.
– Website of Star UK Electone Player, Alex Payler
The Yamaha HX-1 Electone Fan Site – Website dedicated to the wonderful Yamaha HX-1 Electone (Flagship of the Yamaha Electones until 1992) brought to you by Mr. James Cohen.
Electone Zone – The first Electone web site ever on the web. Now a full community portal, serving Electone enthusiasts all over the world. Talk Forums include videos, news and over a decade of accumulated Electone knowledge. The Electone Museum documents the history of the instrument.
Zona Electone Italia – The most important European Electone site. Community members, News,Photo Gallery, Audio and Video download and many others resources for Electone players.
Electone Society – Based in the UK with many people from all over the world on its newsletter list, the Society (mirror site) reaches out to people of all ages and background. Look out for the Open Competition and Open Concert series with players from Europe (including the UK), USA and China.
jazzhooves.com Features information and articles about Yamaha Electone models.
A talented young girl pushes a Yamaha Electone ELS-01 through its paces playing “YYZ” by RUSH.
Qi Zhang performance at TED
Categories: Electric and electronic keyboard instruments | Yamaha music products
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