View source for Company:Yamaha Corporation

{{coord|34.7174427|137.7328659|type:landmark|display=title}}
{{mergefrom|Yamaha Artist|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Yamaha Corporation
| logo             = [[File:YamahaCorp.svg|200px|Yamaha Logo]]
| image            = YAMAHA (headquarters 1).jpg
| image_caption    = The headquarters of Yamaha Corporation
| native_name      = ヤマハ株式会社
| native_name_lang = ja
| romanized_name   = Yamaha Kabushiki-gaisha
| type             = [[Finance:Public company|Public]] (K.K.)
| traded_as	   = {{TYO|7951}}
| industry	   = [[Company:Conglomerate|Conglomerate]]
| foundation	   = {{Start date and age|1887|10|12}}
| location         = 10-1, Nakazawacho, Naka-ku
| location_city    = Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
| area_served	   = Worldwide
| key_people	   = Torakusu Yamaha, founder<br>Takuya Nakata,<ref name=yamaha20130430>{{cite web
| title            = Notification of Change in Representative Director
| url              = http://www.yamaha.com/news_release/2013/pdf/20130430a.pdf
| publisher        = Yamaha Corporation
| accessdate       = 2013-07-15
}}</ref> [[Social:President (corporate title)|President]] & Representative Director
| products	   = Musical instruments, [[Engineering:Audio equipment|audio equipment]], [[Engineering:Electronics|electronics]]
*		     {{nowrap|Yamaha Motor Company:}} Motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, wheelchairs, [[Engineering:Personal watercraft|personal watercraft]], [[Engineering:Outboard motor|marine engines]], parts including clothing and helmets
<ref name=fd2014>
{{cite web |ref={{sfnref|Annual Report|2014}}
 | title     = Annual Report 2014<!-- (Year ended March 31, 2014) -->
 | url       = http://www.yamaha.com/about_yamaha/ir/publications/pdf-data/2014/ann/an-2014e.pdf
 | publisher = Yamaha Corporation
}}</ref>
{{vn|date=February 2016}}
| revenue	   = {{profit}} {{¥|link=yes}}408.2 billion (2017)<ref name="AR17">[https://www.yamaha.com/en/ir/publications/pdf/an-2017e.pdf Annual Report 2017]</ref>
| operating_income = {{increase}} {{¥}}44.3 billion (2017){{vn|date=March 2017}}<ref name="AR17"/>
| net_income	   = {{increase}} {{¥}}46.7 billion (2017){{vn|date=March 2017}}<ref name="AR17"/>
| num_employees    = 28,112 (including temporary employees) (2017)<ref name="AR17">[https://www.yamaha.com/en/ir/publications/pdf/an-2017e.pdf Annual Report 2017]</ref>
| subsid 	   = [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Company]]
| location_country = {{wipe|Japan}}
| homepage	   = [http://www.yamaha.com yamaha.com]
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Yamaha Corporation'''|ヤマハ株式会社|Yamaha Kabushiki Gaisha}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|j|æ|m|ə|ˌ|h|ɑː}}; {{IPA-ja|jamaha}}) is a Japanese [[Finance:Multinational corporation|multinational corporation]] and [[Company:Conglomerate|conglomerate]] with a very wide range of products and services, predominantly musical instruments, [[Engineering:Electronics|electronics]] and power sports equipment. It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest [[Engineering:Piano|piano]] manufacturing company.  The former motorcycle division became independent from the main company in 1955, forming [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd]], although Yamaha Corporation is still the largest shareholder.

==History==
Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd. (currently Yamaha Corporation) was established in 1887 as a [[Engineering:Piano|piano]] and reed organ manufacturer by Torakusu Yamaha in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture and was incorporated on October 12, 1897. The company's origins as a [[Engineering:Musical instrument|musical instrument]] manufacturer are still reflected today in the group's logo—a trio of interlocking [[Physics:Tuning fork|tuning fork]]s.<ref name=brand>

{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha Corporate Information
 | url       = http://www.global.yamaha.com/about/brand/index.html
 | work      = Global website
 | publisher = Yamaha Corporation
}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/history/|title=Brand and History - About Us - Yamaha Corporation|website=www.yamaha.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-01}}</ref>

<!-- div style="float:right;">[[Image:Yamaha YA-1.jpg|thumb|120px|Yamaha YA-1 (1954&ndash;)]]</div -->
After [[Social:World War II|World War II]], company president <!-- Tomiko -->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 [[Engineering:Motorcycle|motorcycle]]s. 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 [[Physics:Cylinder (engine)|cylinder]], two-stroke, street bike patterned after the {{wipe|Germany}} DKW RT125 (which the {{wipe|United Kingdom}} munitions firm, [[Company:Birmingham Small Arms Company|BSA]], had also copied in the post-war era and manufactured as the ''[[Engineering:BSA Bantam|Bantam]]'' and [[Company:Harley-Davidson|Harley-Davidson]] as the ''Hummer''). In 1955,<ref name=forbes>{{cite web |title=Yamaha Motor |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/yamaha-motor/ |work=Forbes Global 2000 List}}</ref> the success of the YA-1 resulted in the founding of [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.]], splitting the motorcycle division from the company.

Also, in 1954 the Yamaha Music School was founded.<ref name=":0" />

Yamaha has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of musical instruments (including pianos, "silent" pianos, [[Engineering:Drum|drum]]s, [[Engineering:Guitar|guitar]]s, brass instruments, woodwinds, [[Engineering:Violin|violin]]s, [[Engineering:Viola|viola]]s, [[Engineering:Cello|celli]], and [[Engineering:Vibraphone|vibraphone]]s), as well as a leading manufacturer of [[Physics:Semiconductor|semiconductor]]s, audio/visual, computer related products, sporting goods, [[Engineering:Home appliance|home appliance]]s, specialty metals and [[Engineering:Industrial robot|industrial robot]]s.<ref name=usaci>
{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha Corporate History
 | url       = http://usa.yamaha.com/about_yamaha/corporate_information/
 | publisher = Yamaha Corporation of America & Yamaha Corporation
 | accessdate = 2011-04-26
}}</ref>

In 1988, Yamaha shipped the world's first CD recorder.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Verna|first1=Paul|title=CD-R Enjoys Massive Growth In A Wide Range Of Markets|url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=SQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=%22first+CD+recorder%22+yamaha&source=bl&ots=vQYZ4dBV8X&sig=MNSjb2glTSCVNewYLNLLOHhGrCE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic2tnnyP7ZAhVE7mMKHWHCDNEQ6AEIZjAL#v=onepage&q=%22first%20CD%20recorder%22%20yamaha&f=false|accessdate=21 March 2018|work=Billboard|date=1999-04-03}}</ref> Yamaha purchased Sequential Circuits in 1988.<ref name=sos99march>
{{citation
 | title     = Sequential Circuits: Prophet Synthesizers 5 & 10 (Retro)
 | url       = http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar99/articles/retroprophet.htm
 | magazine  = Sound On Sound
 | issue     = March 1999
 | quote     = '''''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. ...''
}}</ref> It bought a majority stake (51%) of competitor Korg in 1987, which was bought out by Korg in 1993.<ref name=sos02nov>
{{citation
 | author    = Gordon Reid
 | title     = 40 Years Of Gear: The History Of Korg: Part 2
 | url       = http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov02/articles/korganniversary2.asp
 | magazine  = Sound On Sound
 | issue     = November 2002
 | quote     = '''''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''' ...<!-- But maybe the year's biggest news was something that was never announced, except perhaps to the company's shareholders. 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.''
}}</ref>

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 and were notable for their short demo songs, short selectable phrases, funny sound effects and distortion and crackly sounds progressing on many volume levels when battery power is low.<ref name="portablekeyboards">{{cite web|title=PSS-14 Portable Keyboard|website=Yamaha|accessdate=24 January 2017}}</ref>

In 2002, Yamaha closed down its [[Engineering:Archery|archery]] product business that was started in 1959. Six archers in five different [[Social:Olympic Games|Olympic Games]] won gold medals using their products.<ref name=yamaha02>
{{cite web
 | title     = YAMAHA to Close Archery Products Business
 | date      = 2002-02-01
 | url       = http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2002/20020201.html
 | publisher = Yamaha Corporation
 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20040116235552/http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2002/20020201.html
 | archivedate = 2004-01-16
 | accessdate = 2008-04-30
}}</ref>

It acquired German audio software manufacturers [[Company:Steinberg|Steinberg]] in January 2005, from [[Company:Pinnacle Systems|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 arm, the company being renamed Yamaha Music U.K. Ltd in autumn 2007.<ref name=yamaha07july>
{{cite web
 | date      = July 10, 2007
 | title     = Cancellation of Joint Venture Contracts for Sales Subsidiaries in U.K. and Spain
 | url       = http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2007/20070710.html
 | work      = Yamaha Global website
}}</ref> Kemble & Co. Ltd, the UK piano sales & manufacturing arm was unaffected.<ref name=mipro07>
{{cite news
 | last      = Barrett | first = Andy
 | date      = July 10, 2007
 | title     = Yamaha buys out Kemble family
 | url       = http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/news/28011/Yamaha-buys-out-Kemble-family
 | work      = MI Pro
}}</ref>

On December 20, 2007, Yamaha made an agreement with the Austrian Bank BAWAG P.S.K. Group BAWAG to purchase all the shares of Bösendorfer,<ref name=forbes07>
{{cite news
 | title     = Competition For Bosendorfer
 | date      = 2007-11-30
 | url       = https://www.forbes.com/2007/11/30/bosendorfer-bawag-yamaha-markets-equity-cx_jc_1130markets04.html
 | periodical = Forbes
}}</ref> intended to take place in early 2008. Yamaha intends to continue manufacturing at the Bösendorfer facilities in Austria.<ref name=yamaha07dec>
{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha Reaches Basic Agreement with Austrian Bank to Purchase All Shares of Bösendorfer
 | date      = December 20, 2007
 | url       = http://www.global.yamaha.com/news/2007/20071220a.html
 | work      = Yamaha Global website
}}</ref> The acquisition of Bösendorfer was announced after the NAMM Show in Los Angeles, on January 28, 2008. As of February 1, 2008, Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Yamaha Corp.<ref name=bweek08>
{{cite news
 | title     = Bosendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH
 | date      = March 3, 2008
 | url       = http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1554618
 | periodical = Business Week
}}</ref>

Yamaha Corporation is also widely known for their music teaching programme that began in the 1950s.

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.<ref name=ypg625>
{{cite web
 | title     = YPG-625 - 88-key Weighted Action Portable Grand
 | url       = http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID%25253D65229%252526CTID%25253D205200,00.html
 | publisher = Yamha Corporation of America & Yamaha Corporation
}}</ref> 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.

Other companies in the Yamaha group include:
* Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
* [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Company]]
* Yamaha Fine Technologies Co., Ltd.
* Yamaha Golf Cart Company
* Yamaha Livingtec Corporation
* Yamaha Metanix Corporation
* Yamaha Music Communications Co., Ltd.
* [[Company:Yamaha Pro Audio|Yamaha Pro Audio]]

==Corporate mission==
{{Nihongo|''Kandō''|感動}} is a Japanese word used by Yamaha Corporation to describe their corporate mission. Kandō in translation describes the sensation of profound excitement and gratification derived from experiencing supreme quality and performance.<ref name=ymukmission>
{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha Corporate Mission
 | url       = http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/corporate/mission.aspx
 | publisher = Yamaha Motor UK
}}</ref> Some reasonable English synonyms are "emotionally touching" or "emotionally moving". Stated by the president of Yamaha, Takuya Nakata, Yamaha looks to maintain dominance above its competition through creativity and innovation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/message/|title=Message from the President - About Us - Yamaha Corporation|website=www.yamaha.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-09-28}}</ref>

==Yamaha Music Foundation==

The Yamaha Music Foundation is an organization established in 1966 by the authority of the Japanese Ministry of Education for the purpose of promoting music education and music popularization. It continued a program of music classes begun by Yamaha Corporation in 1954.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha Music Foundation History
 | url       = http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/english/about/history.html
 | publisher = Yamaha Music Foundation
}}</ref>

==Products==
{{stack|
[[File:RichterCF.jpg|250px|none]]
<!-- Sviatoslav Richter plays Yamaha CF. -->
{{Listen
 | filename = Variations (played with Yamaha Grand CFIIIS).ogg
 | title = Yamaha Concert Grand Piano CFIIIS<!-- sound -->
 | plain = yes
 | image = none
 | style = margin:0; padding:0; border:1px solid #CCC;
}}}}
[[Image:Yamaha YSP-2200--G Digital Sound Projector.jpg|thumb|243px|
YSP-2200//G: an award-winning innovation from Yamaha.
]]
Yamaha expanded into many diverse businesses and product groups. The first venture into each major category is listed below.<ref name=grobalhist>
{{cite web
 | title     = Yamaha History
 | url       = http://www.yamaha.com/about_yamaha/corporate/history/
 | work      = Corporate Information, Global website
 | publisher = Yamaha Corporation
 | accessdate = 2012-11-13
}}</ref>
* 1897 Keyboard instruments (reed organ, pianos in 1900)
* 1903 Furniture
* 1914 Harmonicas
* 1922 Audio equipment (crank phonograph first)
* 1942 Guitars
* 1955 [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Company]] (motorcycles and vehicles/watercraft, YA-1 motorcycle first)
* 1959 Sporting goods (starting with archery)
* 1959 Music schools
* 1961 Metal alloys
* 1965 Band instruments (trumpet first)
* 1967 Drums
* 1971 Semiconductors
* 1984 Industrial robots
* 2001 Yamaha Entertainment Group (record company)
* 2010 Applications<ref name="grobalhist" />

===Synthesizers and samplers===
<!-- [[File:Yamaha DB50XG Sound Daughter Board (top).jpg|left|thumb|Yamaha MIDI interface board for the Acorn A5000 and Risc PC.]] -->

Yamaha announced the singing synthesizer [[Software:Vocaloid|Vocaloid]] for the first time at the {{wipe|Germany}} fair Musikmesse on March 5–9, 2003.<ref name=bwire03>
{{cite web
 | title     = New Yamaha VOCALOID Singing Synthesis Software Generates Superb Vocals on a PC
 | date      = March 4, 2003
 | url       = http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/miscellaneous-mfg-musical-instrument/5721117-1.html
 | work      = {{wipe|Business Wire}}
 | publisher = AllBusiness.com
 | accessdate = October 25, 2010
}}</ref>

Yamaha also began to get involved with the sale and production of Vocaloid applications themselves with Lily being the first; Lily 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 September 1, 2010.<ref name="vocaloid-store1">
{{cite web
 |date=August 13, 2010 
 |title=新型ボーカロイド「VY1」公開です! 
 |trans-title=New Model Vocaloid "VY1" Presentation! 
 |language=Japanese 
 |url=http://blog.vocaloidstore.com/2010/08/vy1-1.html 
 |publisher=Bplats 
 |accessdate=August 13, 2010 
 |deadurl=yes 
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717230038/http://blog.vocaloidstore.com/2010/08/vy1-1.html 
 |archivedate=July 17, 2011 
 |df= 
}}</ref> 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.<ref name="VY1-IT Media">
{{cite web
 | first     = Yuka | last = Okada
 | date      = August 13, 2010
 | title     = キャラクターなしのVOCALOID「VY1」　初のヤマハ製、9月発売
 | trans-title = "VY1", a Vocaloid With No Character, First Yamaha-Made, Sold in September
 | url       = http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1008/13/news005.html
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = IT Media
 | accessdate = September 5, 2010
}}</ref> VY1 saw 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 [[Engineering:IPhone|iPhone]] and [[Engineering:IPad|iPad]], which exhibited at the Y2 Autumn 2010 Digital Content Expo in Japan.<ref name=itmedia10>
{{cite web
 | date      = October 14, 2010
 | title     = デジタルコンテンツEXPO：VOCALOIDがiPad／iPhoneアプリに　ヤマハが開発
 | trans-title = Digital Content Expo: Vocaloid Becomes iPad/iPhone Applications. Yamaha Develops Those
 | url       = http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1010/14/news093.html
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = IT Media
 | accessdate = October 17, 2010
}}</ref><ref name=dcexpo10>
{{cite web
 | title     = Y2 Autumn 2010 {{!}} Digital Content Expo 2010
 | url       = http://www.dcexpo.jp/programs/y2/
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = Digital Content Expo
 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20101007200048/http://www.dcexpo.jp/programs/y2/
 | archivedate = 2010-10-07
 | accessdate = October 17, 2010
}}</ref> Later, this version of the software was released using the VY1 voice.<ref name=itmsvy1>
{{cite web
 | title     = iVOCALOID-VY1
 | url       = https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/ivocaloid-vy1/id396081265?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = [[Company:Apple Inc.|Apple Inc.]]
 | accessdate = December 13, 2010
}}</ref><ref name=itmsvy1t>
{{cite web
 | title     = iVOCALOID-VY1t
 | url       = https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/ivocaloid-vy1t/id396082845?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = [[Company:Apple Inc.|Apple Inc.]]
 | accessdate = December 13, 2010
}}</ref> VY2 will also be released for this version of the software.<ref name="itmedia110415">
{{cite web
 | date      = April 15, 2011
 | first     = Kōya | last = Matsuo
 | url       = http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1104/15/news084.html
 | title     = 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
 | trans-title = Codename Is "Yūma". I Heard the Story of the Yamaha Pure Cool Vocalo "VY2"
 | language  = Japanese
 | publisher = IT Media
 | accessdate = April 28, 2011
}}</ref>

==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.

*Kakegawa Factory
**1480, Ryoke, Kakegawa-shi, Shizuoka

*Toyooka Factory
**203, Matsunokijima, Iwata-shi, Shizuoka

*Tenryu Factory
**283, Aoyacho, Minami-ku Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka

==Sports teams==
*Yamaha Jubilo&mdash;Rugby
*Júbilo Iwata&mdash;Football

==See also==
* List of phonograph manufacturers
* List of Yamaha products
* [[Company:Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha Motor Company]]
* Star Motorcycles
* [[Company:Yamaha Pro Audio|Yamaha Pro Audio]]
* [[MLAN|mLAN]]
* Yamaha XG
* Yamaha Artist

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/takuya-nakata Takuya Nakata Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2009)
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/hitoshi-fukutome Hitoshi Fukutome Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2013)
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/hiroo-okabe Hiroo Okabe Interview] NAMM Oral History Library 
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/tetsuya-takagi Tetsuya Takagi Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2005)
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/mitsuru-umemura Mitsuru Umemura Interview] NAMM Oral History Interview (2009)

{{Yamaha Corporation|state=autocollapse}} {{Nikkei 225}}
{{Japanese Automobile Industry}}
{{Japanese Electronics Industry}}

[[Category:Audio equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Headphones manufacturers]]
[[Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers]]
[[Category:Music equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Unmanned aerial vehicles]]
[[Category:Companies (Engineering)]]
[[Category:Companies]]

{{Sourceattribution|Yamaha Corporation|1}}