The is a Japanese

musical instrument A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make Music, musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person ...

manufacturer. Founded in 1953 as a manufacturer of

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

s, Suzuki later expanded to manufacturing Melodions,

electronic musical instrument An electronic musical instrument or electrophone is a musical instrument that produces sound using electronics, electronic circuitry. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical, electronic or digital audio signal that ultimately is ...

s, and instruments for

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as primary education, elementary or secondary education, secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a rese ...

History

Company founder Manji Suzuki began building

s and founded Suzuki Musical Instrument in 1953. In 1961 he developed the melodion which was officially adopted by the

Japanese Ministry of Education The , also known as MEXT, is one of the eleven ministries of Japan that compose part of the executive branch of the government of Japan. History The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871. In January 2001, the former ...

for use in schools six years later. In 1981 the company introduced the Tronichord and

Omnichord The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument introduced in 1981 by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It allows users to play distinctive harp-like arpeggios produced through an electronic strum plate, simulating the experience of ...

electronic musical instruments. In 1989 Suzuki bought the

Hammond Organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

Co.. The subsidiary, operating as Hammond Suzuki, markets

electronic organ An electric organ, also known as electronic organ, is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the pump organ, harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally designed to imitate their sound, or orchestral sounds, it has si ...

s and melodions under the Hammond brand, and

instrument amplifier An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier that converts the often barely audible or purely electronic signal of a musical instrument into a larger electronic signal to feed to a loudspeaker. An instrument amplifier is used with music ...

s under the Leslie brand. It has expanded to include a variety of instruments including

digital piano A digital piano is a type of electronic keyboard instrument designed to serve primarily as an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano, both in how it feels to play and in the sound it produces. Digital pianos use either synthesized emula ...

s and band instruments. The company operates distribution companies in the United Kingdom (Suzuki Europe Ltd - owned by Suzuki Japan) and in the Western U.S. (in San Diego, California).

References

External links

*
Interview with President, Fujio Suzuki
at NAMM Oral History Library (2003)
Interview with Chairman, Manji Suzuki
NAMM Oral History Library (2006) Electronic organ manufacturing companies Harmonica manufacturers Audio amplifier manufacturers Manufacturing companies established in 1953 Japanese brands Musical instrument manufacturing companies of Japan Japanese companies established in 1953 Percussion instrument manufacturing companies Companies based in Shizuoka Prefecture Hamamatsu {{Japan-company-stub

History

References

See also

External links