January 24, 2020 I Supply
Yamaha Makes Playing Easy
From left: Yamaha Corp. of America's Nate Tschetter, Roger Eaton, Ken Dattmore, Art Morin, Greg Macias and Tom Sumner.
Yamaha gave the media a preview of three of the products it introduced at The NAMM Show at its Artist Services Studio in New York on Jan. 7.
Yamaha Corp. of America President Tom Sumner said the company aims to “create more music makers” and make playing easier for people who love music. Yamaha highlighted three new products prioritizing quality, transportability and ease of use.
SLB300SK Silent Bass
Yamaha’s SLB300SK Silent Bass is an electric upright bass that lets a performer control their sound from the instrument itself. Its Studio Response Technology allows the SLB300SK to model an acoustic bass played through different high-end acoustic microphones.
Yamaha had Charley Sabatino, a New York-based bassist, on hand to demonstrate and comment on the Silent Bass. “This is a game changer in my playing career, composing career, everything,” Sabatino said. “Halfway through the first tune of a gig I forget I’m not playing a double bass. And I mean that.”
NX Series
Yamaha also showcased the NX series of nylon-string acoustic-electric guitars featuring contemporary body styles and preamp and pickup systems. The NTX models (NTX1, NTX3 and NTX5) were designed to make it easy for electric and steel-string acoustic guitar players to access nylon-string sounds. NTX guitars have slimmer bodies, shallower neck profiles and narrower fingerboards than classical guitars, providing a more familiar playing experience, while 22-fret and 24-fret (NTX5) necks extend their range beyond that of standard nylon-string instruments. Dillon Kondor, a guitarist with experience playing on Broadway, demonstrated the NTX.
YC61 Stage Keyboard
Yamaha’s YC61 Stage Keyboard combines organ sounds with sonic versatility and real-time control. The YC61 employs a Virtual Circuitry Modeling organ engine, which models the behavior of vintage electronics at the component level. Keyboardist Nicholas Semrad demonstrated the instrument, pointing out the range of sounds the YC61 places a player “one button away from” and terming it “New York-gigging-musician friendly.”
