Yamaha TYU-40

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Description

The Yamaha TYU-40 is the only keyboard I am aware of that features the "Music Card" system. Supplied with the keyboard are three so-called "Music Cards", each of which purports to contain six pre-programmed music tracks. In actual fact, the cards contain no data at all, and simply have small spikes on the underside which push against sensors in the keyboard to select a different range of tunes from the set stored in the keyboard's ROM. Thus, it is impossible to add any additional tunes by purchasing extra Cards.

Tunes are selected by simply holding down the numbered key for the tune you wish to play, then press and release the Start/Stop button. It is not as complicated as WarrantyVoid seems to think :-)

The tunes themselves are quite nice arrangements, with accompaniment, "obbligato" and main voice channels. The usual training modes are available, except the LEDs for each note shine through holes in the keys themselves, instead of being mounted above the keys as on most other keyboards. 

The "Music Card" slot looks superficially very similar to the Casio ROM Pack slots on Casio keyboards, and is clearly an attempt by Yamaha to copy the appearance of the Casio system.

It retailed for £29.99 in a 1986 Argos catalogue.

Audio Samples

Here are recordings of all 18 of the Music Card tunes:

Music Card I:

1. Beat It
2. Just The Way You Are
3. We've Only Just Begun
4. Days of Wine & Roses
5. Flashdance
6. Endless Love

Music Card II:

1. Michael, Row the Boat Ashore
2. Oh, Susanna
3. La Paloma
4. When The Saints Go Marchin' In
5. Frere Jacques
6. Londonderry Air

Music Card III:

1. I've Been Working On The Railroad
2. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
3. Auld Lang Syne
4. Joy To The World
5. Jingle Bells
6. Silent Night
   

Instruction Manual

The Operating Manual for the TYU-40 can be downloaded from the Yamaha Manual Library, but unfortunately this excludes the sheet music for the Music Card tunes.