Yamaha SHS-10
Yamaha SHS-10
ManufacturerYamaha
Dates1987
Technical specifications
Polyphony6 voices
Timbrality4
Oscillator2 operators
LFOnone
Synthesis typeDigital Frequency modulation
Filternone
Attenuator1
Aftertouch expressionnone
Velocity expressionnone
Storage memory25 patches
Input/output
Keyboard32 mini-keys
External controlMIDI 1-16 (out only)

The Yamaha SHS-10, known in Yamaha's native country, Japan, as the Yamaha Sholky, Sholky being derived from "Shoulder Keyboard", is a keytar (a musical keyboard that can be held like a guitar) manufactured by Yamaha and released in 1987.

It has a small-sized keyboard with 32 minikeys and a pitch-bend wheel, vibrato and sustain buttons, an internal Frequency modulation (usually referred to as FM) synthesizer offering 25 different voices with 6-note polyphony, two operators, and a very basic chord sequencer. It also has a loudspeaker.

It supports MIDI, having a MIDI Out connector which allows the keyboard to control external MIDI equipment. It does not have a MIDI In connector. Although originally made for the consumer market, this keytar's MIDI out features are very powerful. Its drum rhythms and accompaniment are transmitted on separate MIDI channels, so that an external drum machine, sampler, or other MIDI equipment can be programmed to play the backing parts. Drums are transmitted on channel 16; Bass on 15; and three chord harmonies on channels 12-14. MIDI start/stop and tempo sync are also transmitted so an external sequencer may be utilized as well.

It was manufactured in three colors: grey, red, and black.

Its demo is an arrangement of Wham!'s hit "Last Christmas."

The Voices are the following:

00 Synthesizer 20 Violin 40 Flute
01 Jazz Organ 21 Cello 41 Oboe
02 Pipe Organ 22 Jazz Guitar 42 Harmonica
03 Piano 23 Rock Guitar 43 Whistle
04 Harpsichord 24 Wood Bass 44 Music Box
10 Electric Piano 30 Trumpet
11 Celesta 31 Trombone
12 Vibraphone 32 Horn
13 Marimba 33 Saxophone
14 Steel Drum 34 Clarinet

The numbering scheme reflects the fact that the selection is done with buttons numbered 0-4.

A larger model, the Yamaha SHS-200, was released the following year, and came with 49 keys and dual stereo speakers.[1]

  • Yamaha SHS-10 at SynthMania (featuring MP3 samples of the demo, instruments, and styles available)
  • Yamaha SHS-10 reviews at Harmony Central

References

  1. Yamaha: SHS-200 Retrieved on 20 March 2022
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