Part of doing what you love means that you get to become good at it. Some people even become really great at it. But there’s also a downside to it; the constant repetition of the same thing sometimes leads to what was once sharp becoming blunt.

I say this because Project AH A MAY was conceived to give two separate divisions of Yamaha->ke301 a chance to work on a project devoted entirely to the other division. We already saw what Yamaha Corporation, which normally specializes on musical instruments, cooked up with the (√ ) Root motorcycle. This time, Yamaha Motor Corp., the division that makes the motorcycles, unveiled it’s creations, and for what it’s worth, these musical instruments are out of this world.

The first instrument is called the Fujin, a name derived from the God of the Wind in Japanese folklore. Basically, the Fujin is a large, circular two-person marimba that comes with wooden keys and rotates on a frame. Based on the video, the person in front is tasked to strike the wooden keys, acting in my head as the driver, while the person in the back rotates the keys, acting as the navigator.

I’m not exactly an expert in musical instruments but I do know that the sound created by the Fujin is incredible. It’s soft and delicate, like the kind of music you’ll hear in a spa.

The second instrument is called the Raijin. Like the Fujin, Yamaha evoked the name of Japan’s God of Thunder to depict this instrument. Basically, the Raijin is a confusing assembly of drums and cymbals that’s encased inside a globe structure. There are no seats inside this contraption and the performer pretty much has free reign to bang and smash whatever drum and cymbal that’s within his arm’s reach.

Visually, the Raijin looks stunning. The cocoon-like set-up bristles with energy that’s waiting to explode, kind of like what you feel when you wait for the clap of thunder moments after a lightning appears in the sky.

Why it matters

Like I said, I don't know too much about musical instruments and the intricacies that come with engineering them to make them look and perform like they do. But last I checked, I still have a functioning set of eyes and ears and from what I can tell, the Raijin and Fujin instruments both look incredible.

The Raijin, in particular, seems to be the kind of instrument that rock bands would love to use. It's aggressive appearance and the boisterous sound that comes out of it would fit right in on a rock concert.

The Fujin also looks impressive but unlike the Raijin, I see this instrument being used in a more delicate and reserved environment. I mentioned that the sound it creates is the kind of sound you'd hear in a spa or any place of relaxation. You just lie down, relax, and let the soft sound from the Raijin soothe you to sleep.

Personally, I like the Fujin better than the Raijin, only because I'm way past that stage in my life where I get pumped up from noise. The more relaxed the music is, the better I like it.

That said, I'd be remiss if I don't give deserved props to Yamaha Motor Corp. for creating these two instruments. For a group of designers and engineers who spend all of their time creating motorcycles, they're stab at designing these music instruments resulted in two incredible creations.