Comments on: Tenori-On in America: US$1200, May 1, Limited Run

By: ammobox: HangTheDJ & ammobox:lite, Two Minutes and 42 Seconds in Heaven, The Most Unwanted Song, and Tenori-On in America: US$1200, May 1, Limited Run

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:13:06 +0000

[...] Tenori-On in America: US$1200, May 1, Limited Run - And limited means only about 100 units a month… so good luck getting [...]

By: flunky

flunky — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:09:38 +0000

Priced at 1399.- EUR (incl. VAT) :: Available July 1st, 2008 :: Taking preorders now!..

i’d like to get one.. but i think the notron might sulk…

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:23:10 +0000

@flunky: the Nemo is … just … beautiful! Had not seen that. Let’s see, unlimited budget, and you could just surround yourself with these things, like build a cockpit of blinking sequencing lights and buttons.

How much is the Nemo, speaking of that?

By: flunky

flunky — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:15:03 +0000

oh.. that reminds me.. have you seen the genoqs nemo yet… http://www.genoqs.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=117

By: flunky

flunky — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:10:19 +0000

Tenori-on stuff.. I have one, from the first uk run.. My tuppence worth is… is a bit overpriced, and feels plasticky, nice metal and stuff but the battery compartment covers are flimsy plastic, for £500.. I’d like to feel a bit more quality, it probably wouldnt withstand a average small accidental drop. The soundset is mostly bloody awful, contains a few gems but really.. its the cheapest end of GM. Loading samples is clunky but can really make it rock and the built-in speakers make it all worthwhile.. sit about and program beats with nothing else - its standalone portability is great.
Sample playback is limited - no pitching and no samples longer than a second, so unless you want to use up a whole bank on an instrument (you only get 3), you’re best of with drums and quirky stuff.
As a midi controlling creative device tho it is inspirational - its has limitations, the biggest gripe being that although it syncs to midi clock, it ‘continues’ rather than re-starting from step 1 (its beginning to grow on me due to the unexected patters it can throw up) but its annoying, especially if you are on any layer other than a “score” layer as you have to go back to a “score” layer to reset the play position.. I’m really hoping for at least one OS update.. It doesnt do controllers, and has a fixed note length per layer.. my next plan is to try some MFX midi plugs to convert notes to controllers…
I love it tho - its about 3 inches away from my left hand flat on the table.. i put my whole hand on it and input… mice seem clunky afterwards..
last gripe is the connectors - again flimsy, and at the front.. i’m contemplating hacking together a dock of some sort… its needs one..
if i had one wish it would be tri-colour leds, like my notron..

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:32:54 +0000

Is the comparison fair between Monome and Tenori-On? Absolutely. In fact, Toshio Iwai makes an excellent argument for the shape and form of an instrument being fundamental to its significance. They’re your two main choices right now if you want a controller that’s an array of light-up buttons with some built-in, customizable intelligence. They’re also both (in different ways) built to be simultaneously futuristic and timeless, and fabricated in a way that suggests they’ll be items you hang onto.

Are they *contrastable* as well as comparable? Absolutely — in that respect they’re basically opposites. Monome is all right angles; Tenori-On is all curves. Monome is USB-powered with OpenSoundControl and has no internal sound; Tenori-On has MIDI, no USB, memory card expansion, and internal sound. Monome has inputs for additional sensors; Tenori-On has no customizable sensors but does add buttons.

The big difference for me, though, you really need to see by getting hands-on. The Tenori-On isn’t just standalone because it has internal sound — it’s also got all of these layers and modes, and it’s all selectable using the front-panel buttons. The Tenori-On also has a small menu display at the bottom. This makes for *radically* different function than the Monome, even if you’re using it as a controller. Now, I think some people will actually like it *less*, not more, because of this design choice. It’s really a matter of preference.

I personally think the direction both devices are going is exciting. I think it’d be crazy not to notice the relationship between the two, even if that relationship accentuates what’s different about them.

By: Jose Olivares

Jose Olivares — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:59:47 +0000

I tried it last night at the Tenori-on launch in NYC, and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the machine. I just thought the Tenori-on was a simple but extremely limited real-time sequencer, but I have to admit that the 16 X 16 resolution is really great and the fact that you have up to 16 layers to work with AND edit each one individually and independently of the other ones, is an added plus and opens up a lot of options. I like the fact that each layer can work under a set of compositional rules or behaviours. Also the set of presets that come with the Tenori-on are pretty nice and are great for people that like to work with melodic music, but if you don’t like them you can upload your own sounds, or for that matter use the Tenori-on as a MIDI controller. What I didn’t like was the fact that each layer had a specific behaviour already set, there is no way to say for example, that you want all layers to work around the draw mode. Also I would’ve loved some to see wi-fi capabilities for different applications and networked performances. Overall I think that the Tenori-on opened the doors to a whole new world of performers and it gives non-musicians a very simple and interesting system to create music, that is if they can afford it.

By: More Tenori-On or The Black Gadget Market | homemade noize

More Tenori-On or The Black Gadget Market | homemade noize — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:19:00 +0000

[...] 1st for $1200 but only about a hundred units a month. I smell a black market. Read more at CDM Article 1 & [...]

By: Jersey Jim

Jersey Jim — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:49:18 +0000

“Richard Lawler

I really don’t get the comparisons of Tenori-On with Monome. Yes, they both have an array of buttons with lights. I think that’s pretty much it.”

Well, the array of buttons is enough to have a comparison…and for music making…especially when using something like step64, they are alot closer than people seem to want to admit. The advantage of the Monome is that it can be many more things…that’s obvious. However, I bet music making is what most people use the Monome series for…so I can see the point of comparison.

By: Sizzurp Sippa

Sizzurp Sippa — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:38:35 +0000

Wow, 100 a month is nothing!!

I have more bowel movements than that in a month!