Yamaha Corporation Explained

Yamaha Corporation
Romanized Name:Yamaha kabushiki gaisha
Type:Public KK
Former Name:Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. (1887–1987)
Traded As:
Founder:Torakusu Yamaha
Location:10-1, Nakazawacho, Naka-ku
Location City:Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
Location Country:Japan
Area Served:Worldwide
Key People:, President and Representative Executive Officer
Products:Musical instruments, audio equipment
Revenue: 408.2 billion (2017)[1]
Operating Income: 44.3 billion (2017)
Net Income: 46.7 billion (2017)
Num Employees:28,112 (including temporary employees) (2017)
Footnotes:[2] [3]

is a Japanese musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer.

It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest musical instrument manufacturing company.[4]

The former motorcycle division was established in 1955 as Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., which started as an affiliated company but has been spun-off as its own independent company.

History

was established in 1887 as a reed organ manufacturer by Torakusu Yamaha (山葉寅楠) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture and was incorporated on 12 October 1897. In 1900, the company manufactured the first piano to be made in Japan, and its first grand piano two years later. In 1987, 100 years after the first reed organ built by Yamaha, the company was renamed Yamaha Corporation in honor of its founder.[5] The company's origins as a musical instrument manufacturer are still reflected today in the group's logo—a trio of interlocking tuning forks.[6] [7]

After World War II, company president Genichi Kawakami repurposed the remains of the company's war-time production machinery and the company's expertise in metallurgical technologies to the manufacture of motorcycles. The YA-1 (AKA Akatombo, the "Red Dragonfly"), of which 125 were built in the first year of production (1954), was named in honour of the founder. It was a 125cc, single cylinder, two-stroke street bike patterned after the German DKW RT 125 (which the British munitions firm, BSA, had also copied in the post-war era and manufactured as the Bantam and Harley-Davidson as the Hummer). In 1955,[8] the success of the YA-1 resulted in the founding of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., splitting the motorcycle division from the company. Also, in 1954 the Yamaha Music School was founded.

Yamaha has grown into the world's largest manufacturer of musical instruments (including pianos, "silent" pianos, drums, guitars, brass instruments, woodwinds, violins, violas, cellos, and vibraphones), and a leading manufacturer of semiconductors, audio/visual, computer related products, sporting goods, home appliances, specialty metals, and industrial robots.[9] Yamaha released the Yamaha CS-80 in 1977.

In 1983, Yamaha made the first commercially successful digital synthesizer, the Yamaha DX7.

In 1988, Yamaha shipped the world's first CD recorder.[10] Yamaha purchased Sequential Circuits in 1988.[11] It bought a majority stake (51%) of competitor Korg in 1987, which was bought out by Korg in 1993.[12]

In the late 1990s, Yamaha released a series of portable battery operated keyboards under the PSS and the PSR range of keyboards. The Yamaha PSS-14 and PSS-15 keyboards were upgrades to the Yamaha PSS-7 with short demo songs, short selectable phrases, and sound effects.[13]

In 2002, Yamaha closed its archery product business that was started in 1959. Six archers in five different Olympic Games won gold medals using their products.[14]

In January 2005, it acquired German audio software manufacturer Steinberg from Pinnacle Systems. In July 2007, Yamaha bought out the minority shareholding of the Kemble family in Yamaha-Kemble Music (UK) Ltd, Yamaha's UK import and musical instrument and professional audio equipment sales division. It was renamed Yamaha Music U.K. Ltd in late 2007.[15] Kemble & Co. Ltd, the UK piano sales & manufacturing arm, was unaffected.[16]

On 20 December 2007, Yamaha made an agreement with the Austrian Bank BAWAG PSK Gruppe to purchase all the shares of Bösendorfer,[17] with Yamaha intending to continue manufacturing at the Bösendorfer facilities in Austria.[18] The acquisition was announced on 28 January 2008, after the NAMM Show in Los Angeles. As of 1 February 2008, Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation.[19]

Yamaha electronics have proven to be successful, popular, and respected products. For example, the Yamaha YPG-625 was awarded "Keyboard of the Year" and "Product of the Year" in 2007 from The Music and Sound Retailer magazine.[20] Other noteworthy Yamaha electronics include the SHS-10 Keytar, a consumer-priced keytar which offered MIDI output features normally found on much more expensive keyboards.

Business Segments

Yamaha is segmented into three primary business domains of musical instruments, audio equipment, and others (industrial machinery and components, etc.)[21]

Living room business

The company began by manufacturing high-end furniture based on its expertise in wood processing for piano manufacturing, and was spun off into a separate company in 1991 with the establishment of YAMAHA Livingtec (YLT). The company manufactured and sold unit baths, system kitchens, and other products. In 1992, the company decided to stop selling system furniture, and after narrowing down its product lineup, it terminated orders and production in 2005 March.[22]

In 2010, Yamaha sold its 85.1% stake in YLT to Japan Industrial Partners and three foreign investment funds as part of a restructuring. At this point, the YAMAHA brand and company name continued, but the company essentially withdrew from management. Subsequently, YLT conducted a MBO of the investments of Yamaha and the investment funds, and the company name was changed as of 1 October 2013[23] [24] and withdrew from the housing equipment business in both name and reality.

Subsidiaries

Other companies in the Yamaha Corporation group include:

Corporate mission

is a Japanese word used by Yamaha Corporation to describe its corporate mission. Kandō is the sensation of profound excitement and gratification derived from experiencing supreme quality and performance.[25] Some reasonable English equivalents are "emotionally touching" or "emotionally moving".

Yamaha Music Foundation

See main article: Yamaha Music Foundation. Yamaha Corporation is widely known for its music teaching program that began in the 1954. In a continuation of that program, the Yamaha Music Foundation was established by the authority of the Japanese Ministry of Education for the purpose of promoting music education and music popularization In 1966.[26]

Products

Yamaha expanded into many diverse businesses and product groups. The first venture into each major category is listed below.[27]

Synthesizers and samplers

Yamaha announced the singing synthesizer Vocaloid for the first time at the German fair Musikmesse on 5–9 March 2003.[28]

Yamaha began the sale and production of Vocaloid applications, starting with Lily which was later sold via Internet Co., Ltd.'s website. Their involvement continued with the VY series, with VY1 being the first, released in deluxe and standard editions on 1 September 2010.[29] The VY series is a series designed to be a high quality product for professional musicians. The series is also designed with the intention to set a new standard for the Vocaloids for having no face, sex, or set voice, but are designed to complete any song.[30] VY1 has a new approach to how the software handled the database of samples and improved the performance of the Vocaloid 2 engine.

Yamaha announced a version of the Vocaloid 2 software for the iPhone and iPad, which exhibited at the Y2 Autumn 2010 Digital Content Expo in Japan.[31] [32] Later, this version of the software was released using the VY1 voice.[33] [34] VY2 will also be released for this version of the software.[35]

Factory locations

In Japan, the company maintains three factories for musical instrument manufacture, engine and various vehicle manufacture (motorcycles and marine products), with all factories located in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Sports teams

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.yamaha.com/en/ir/publications/pdf/an-2017e.pdf Annual Report 2017
  2. Web site: Yamaha Corporate Profile.
  3. Web site: Yamaha Group Companies.
  4. Book: Fosler-Lussier . Danielle . Music on the Move . 2020 . University of Michigan Press . 123.
  5. Book: Lenhoff . Alan . Robertson . David . Classic Keys: Keyboard sounds that launched rock music . 2019 . University of North Texas Press . Denton, Texas, USA . 9781574417760. 337.
  6. Web site: Yamaha Corporate Information . Yamaha Global . Yamaha Corporation . 31 December 2006 . 12 December 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061212215032/http://www.global.yamaha.com/about/brand/index.html . dead.
  7. Web site: Brand and History - About Us - Yamaha Corporation. Yamaha.com. Yamaha. en-US. 1 July 2018.
  8. Web site: Yamaha Motor . Forbes Global 2000 List.
  9. Web site: Yamaha Corporate History . Yamaha Corporation of America & Yamaha Corporation . 26 April 2011.
  10. Verna. Paul. CD-R Enjoys Massive Growth In A Wide Range Of Markets. 21 March 2018. Billboard. 3 April 1999.
  11. Gordon Reid . PROPHET LINE — Sequential Circuits: Prophet Synthesizers 5 & 10 (Retro) . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20040329041809/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar99/articles/retroprophet.htm. 29 March 2004. Sound On Sound . March 1999 . 1989-1999 In 1988, Yamaha bought the rights and assets of SCI, and these rights included the employment contracts of many of the company's development team, including Dave Smith himself. … Then, in 1989, the team moved to Korg, where they designed the now-classic Wavestations. ….
  12. Gordon Reid . 40 Years Of Gear — The History Of Korg: Part 2 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20031119024215/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov02/articles/korganniversary2.asp. 19 November 2003. Sound On Sound . November 2002 . 1987 … However, in 1987, the relationship took another huge step forward when Yamaha bought a controlling interest in Korg Inc, effectively making it a subsidiary."; "1993 … Thanks to the products developed using the funds from Yamaha's cash injection in 1987, the previous five years had been very successful, and Tsutomu Katoh now had some cash at his disposal. In fact, he had enough to buy out the majority of Yamaha's share in Korg. So he did..
  13. "PSS-14 Portable Keyboard". Yamaha.
  14. Web site: YAMAHA to Close Archery Products Business . 1 February 2002. Yamaha Corporation . https://web.archive.org/web/20040116235552/http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2002/20020201.html . 16 January 2004. 30 April 2008.
  15. Web site: 10 July 2007. Cancellation of Joint Venture Contracts for Sales Subsidiaries in U.K. and Spain . Yamaha Global website . 23 January 2008. 17 November 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071117034511/http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2007/20070710.html . dead .
  16. News: Barrett . Andy . 10 July 2007. Yamaha buys out Kemble family . MI Pro . 23 January 2008. 9 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080609042756/http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/news/28011/Yamaha-buys-out-Kemble-family . dead.
  17. Web site: Jean Chen . Shu-Ching . Yamaha Outplays Local Competition For Bösendorfer . Forbes . 30 November 2007 . 5 December 2023 .
  18. Web site: Yamaha Reaches Basic Agreement with Austrian Bank to Purchase All Shares of Bösendorfer . 20 December 2007 . Yamaha Global . 23 January 2008 . 7 January 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080107191758/http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2007/20071220a.html . dead .
  19. Web site: Bosendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH . 3 March 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080609043940/http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1554618 . dead . 9 June 2008 . Business Week .
  20. Web site: YPG-625 - 88-key Weighted Action Portable Grand . Yamha Corporation of America & Yamaha Corporation . 24 January 2009. 14 May 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100514092017/http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0%2C%2CCNTID%3D65229%26CTID%3D205200%2C00.html . dead .
  21. Web site: Yamaha Corporate Profile 2023. 2023. Yamaha Corporate Communications Division.
  22. https://www.yamaha-living.co.jp/news/20041224/index.html Notice Regarding Discontinuation of Production of Yamaha Furniture Products
  23. https://www.yamaha-living.co.jp/news/20130628/index.html Notice of Capital Structure and Trade Name Change
  24. https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD280I0_Y3A620C1TJ1000/ Yamaha Livingtec MBOs under the name Toklas
  25. Web site: Yamaha Corporate Mission . Yamaha Motor UK.
  26. Web site: Yamaha Music Foundation History . Yamaha Music Foundation .
  27. Web site: Yamaha History . Corporate Information, Global website . Yamaha Corporation . 13 November 2012.
  28. Web site: New Yamaha VOCALOID Singing Synthesis Software Generates Superb Vocals on a PC . 4 March 2003. . . 25 October 2010.
  29. Web site: 13 August 2010. 新型ボーカロイド「VY1」公開です! . New Model Vocaloid "VY1" Presentation! . ja . Bplats . 13 August 2010. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717230038/http://blog.vocaloidstore.com/2010/08/vy1-1.html . 17 July 2011.
  30. Web site: Yuka . Okada . 13 August 2010. キャラクターなしのVOCALOID「VY1」 初のヤマハ製、9月発売 . "VY1", a Vocaloid With No Character, First Yamaha-Made, Sold in September . ja . IT Media . 5 September 2010.
  31. Web site: 14 October 2010. デジタルコンテンツEXPO:VOCALOIDがiPad/iPhoneアプリに ヤマハが開発 . Digital Content Expo: Vocaloid Becomes iPad/iPhone Applications. Yamaha Develops Those . ja . IT Media . 17 October 2010.
  32. Web site: Y2 Autumn 2010 Digital Content Expo 2010 . ja . Digital Content Expo . https://web.archive.org/web/20101007200048/http://www.dcexpo.jp/programs/y2/ . 7 October 2010. 17 October 2010.
  33. Web site: iVOCALOID-VY1 . ja . . 13 December 2010.
  34. Web site: iVOCALOID-VY1t . ja . . 13 December 2010.
  35. Web site: 15 April 2011. Kōya . Matsuo . コードネームは「勇馬」 ヤマハ純正のイケメンボカロ「VY2」の話を聞いてきた . Codename Is "Yūma". I Heard the Story of the Yamaha Pure Cool Vocalo "VY2" . ja . IT Media . 28 April 2011.