Ryuichi Sakamoto

I’m also excited about my new Yamaha Celeste and Kawai toy piano

Your innovative live show combines audio and video elements, and is based around two Yamaha Disklavier grand pianos. How are they connected and programmed?

Yamaha Opera Piano is custom made pianos for Ryuichi Sakamoto's opera LIFE performed in 1999. Only two bodies were produced.

This sampler was used in his albums starting with the soundtrack to "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence". It can be seen starting 25:24.

It can also be seen in this video: https://youtu.be/fXcCdy0dkGo

From a 1988 concert.

From a 1988 concert.

Live from Budokan in 1980 with YMO, starting 0:45.

As part of YMO's setup during their 1980 world tour.

Can be seen at 8:27.

Sakamoto discusses using the synth as part of his 1978 work "Memories of Nazca" "I mostly used a Korg PS-3100 for the recording. I loved this equipment back in the day—I even used it on the first YMO album. It was a pretty expensive synth, but I just went for it. Somehow these Korg and Roland circuits sound more Japanese compared to the Moog or ARP synths, even though in theory they are the same. You can hear what I’m talking about on the YMO pieces ‘Simoon’ and ‘Firecracker.’ From the second album, Solid State Survivor, our sound became sharper, but the first album really contained a lot of exotic sounds which all came from the Korg."

As part of YMO's setup during their 1980 world tour.

As part of the setup for YMO's winter 1981 tour.

It can be seen at 7:29.

It can be seen at 7:29.

Can be seen starting 0:17.

Can be seen starting 0:42.

Features in this recent Japan NHK TV interview, in his New York studio, under his Prophet 5

Can be seen in from the start of this video.

I’m also excited about my new Yamaha Celeste and Kawai toy piano. So that’s probably my natural character. I’m always looking for something new, something I haven’t known. It’s always exciting.

Features in his New York Studio as of 2014

I love my Roland EP-10 as well.

[Sakamoto reaches over and plays an RMI Electra-Piano.]

Sakamoto plays the Yamaha Motif ES8 on his live performance in the early-mid 2000s. He also plays the Kaoss Pad 2 in the middle of this particular performance.

Sakamoto plays both the Prophet-5 and Prophet T8 on YMO's final live tour "YMO Japan Live1983".

Sakamoto started to use the Synthi AKS in the 2010s.

Sakamoto uses the EX5 in his soundtrack for Love Is The Devil. He hardly plays it in live performance except this CF.

Ryuichi played a Minimoog on his "Thousand Knives" album, according to the liner notes.