Electone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Electone is the trademark used for electronic organs produced by Yamaha.
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.
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[edit] History of the Electone
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 “home 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 the 1970s, 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’s 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.
[edit] 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, while the most complex of all musical instruments and requiring the most training and skill, also allows the player the greatest possible flexibility and control, which is necessary given the Electone's vast capabilities. The interface includes thee 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 contols allow on-the-fly changes in configuration. Depending on her 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 she has programmed in before playing.
[edit] STAGEA
The newest model Electone, STAGEA (seen above), is distributed in Japan and Asia only. It 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 only officially distributed 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. As documented on the Electone community web sites below, many enthusiasts have been highly successful importing instruments. Buying instruments this way is completely legal in most countries including the UK and US.
[edit] D-Deck
Similar to the Stagea in software, the D-Deck is a portable keyboard with two manuals (double-deck). The D-Deck carries over the menu, registration buttons between keyboards, after-touch, and many other features from the Stagea. An optional pedalboard helps the D-Deck mimic a Stagea even more.
[edit] 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 his feet suspended slightly over the pedals. His right hand typically plays the upper manual, while his 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 he plays, he may change registrations with conveniently-located finger controls located near the manuals. His left foot plays the pedalboard with dancelike motions that can range from lively to langourous depending on the character of her music, Meanwhile, his outstretched right foot rests firmly on the expression pedal, which he pumps gently in order to change the instrument's overall volume or to accent his music’s dynamics. When he wishes to make more pronounced dynamic changes, he simply uses firmer heel or toe pressure on the pedal. He 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’s sustain pedal) or produce other effects. In addition to these controls, modern Electones also have data storage systems, LCD screens, and Internet connectivity.
While the traditional home electronic organ is a relative rarity today, the Electone’s late twentieth-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.
[edit] External links
- Electone Station (Japanese) - The official Yamaha Corporation Electone web site. Includes software updates for the new STAGEA instruments.
- 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.ja:エレクトーン
