With the introduction of the FISA Suprema, now is the perfect time to look back through time and discover the intertwined history of Korg and the accordion.
Tadashi Osanai (1910-1977), a co-founder of Korg (formerly Keio Electronic Laboratories) and a prodigious accordion player who shone during the Showa era (1928-1989), left an indelible mark on the world of music. His unwavering passion and vision for the accordion were instrumental in the creation of Korg’s first digital accordion, the FISA Suprema.
After graduating from the Tokyo Imperial University’s Faculty of Engineering, Mr. Osanai began his career as an accordion player. Combining his engineering knowledge with his musical talent, he gained prominence through NHK’s New Performers Competition and later formed the wildly popular “Tokyo Standard Accordion Club”. His unique background set him apart from other musicians, captivating audiences with his combination of technical skill and creativity.
Mr. Osanai faced issues with the acoustic properties of the accordion, particularly mid-range tones being too dominant alongside weaker high and low tones, making them almost inaudible in large halls. To address this, he developed an electric accordion. He did this by combining a powerful 120W amplifier, three microphones, and a mixer, to achieve a more balanced and powerful sound.
Mr. Osanai’s innovative spirit extended beyond the accordion. He ventured into developing a synthesizer accordion. By replacing the reed sound source with 60 synthesizers, it allowed for a wide variety of tones and harmonies to be played. However, he realised the limitations in the range of melodic expression possible with just five fingers and the complexity of the setup.
Tadashi Osanai’s passion and vision have left an indelible mark on the history of music and musical instruments. Inspired by his groundbreaking ideas, we are proud to have made that dream a reality with the introduction of FISA Suprema.
