Yamaha Introduces New Stage Keyboards

US YC73 and YC88 feature new keyboard actions, drawbars and vintage sounds      15/01/21

Yamaha has announced the new YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards, which they say combine great-feeling new keyboard actions with the soulful sounds, drawbar control, and gig-ready ease of use of the YC61. They have also introduced YC OS v1.1, the first OS update for the YC Series Stage Keyboards. Here's the full details direct from Yamaha...

Yamaha YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards Put Classic Drawbar Organs and Vintage Keys in Packages for All Musicians

The YC73 and YC88 combine great-feeling new keyboard actions with the soulful sounds, drawbar control, and gig-ready ease of use of the YC61 (introduced in January 2020). The YC73 features 73 weighted, balanced keys and is ideal for keyboardists who divide their playing between organ, piano, electric piano, clavi, synth, and other staple keyboard sounds. The YC88 is meant for musicians who prioritize the touch and response of an acoustic piano, offering 88 weighted Natural Wood keys with triple-sensor action, synthetic ebony and ivory key tops. Both add options alongside the semi-weighted "waterfall" action of the YC61 -- the key shape preferred by organ players.

The YC73 and YC88 employ exclusive Yamaha Virtual Circuit Modeling (VCM) to capture not only the sound of classic "drawbar" organs, but their behavior down to the component level. VCM also reproduces the distinctive rotary speaker effect, which most keyboardists consider inseparable from the organ itself. In other words, the YC series does not merely take a digital snapshot of the world's most imitated organ sound -- it builds that sound from the ground up. This results in unprecedented authenticity.

In true vintage fashion, nine drawbars shape the sound by controlling individual footages, and essentials like percussion and vibrato/chorus enhance the tone. The player can also customize key click, "leakage," rotary speaker speed changes, and more. The keyboard may be split between upper and lower organ registrations. In addition to VCM modeling organ, the organ section also features FM synthesis, the now-famous synthesis method pioneered by Yamaha.

Complementing the organ, two "Keys" sections utilize proprietary Yamaha "Advanced Wave Memory" which provides authentic acoustic and electric pianos, strings and brass, analog-style synth sounds, and much more. The Keys section features two dedicated effects processors along with configurable envelope and filter controls for real time manipulation and interaction. Like the Organ section, the Keys section also features FM synthesis for many classic sounds like DX7 electric pianos, leads, basses and more. The Keys section may also be split with the organ section across the keyboard or played from an external MIDI controller keyboard to either the Organ or Keys section.

"A staple of keyboard playing is access to classic keyboard sounds," says Nate Tschetter, manager, Synthesizer Marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America. "Now more than ever, players want more control of those sounds to express themselves. The YC series gives them that control to easily make adjustments on the fly. And now with the introduction of YC73 and YC88, there are options to suit every player in every situation from the perfect 'top keyboard' in YC61 to the great 'all around' YC73 and finally our best stage piano action in YC88."

 

Yamaha Makes YC Stage Keyboards Even More Compelling with OS v1.1

Yamaha today announced YC OS v1.1, the first OS update for its popular YC Series Stage Keyboards. The YC Series brings classic drawbar organ and authentic keyboard sounds to the stage and studio alongside stunning acoustic pianos, and OS v1.1 adds even more Voices and features -- all backed by the no-compromise quality that makes Yamaha the first choice of keyboardists everywhere.

New to the YC Series in OS v1.1 are the Nashville C3 and Live CF3 acoustic grand piano Voices. The Nashville C3 is sampled from a grand piano that is small in size but huge in character and used on countless recordings in the city that bears its name. The piano was recorded at the Yamaha Entertainment Group studios in Nashville and processed with analog tape to provide distinctive warmth and "vibe." With Live CF3, Yamaha answers a request from pop and Gospel musicians to bring back a powerful grand piano Voice from previous instruments. Live CF3 provides another variation of this powerful and celebratory concert grand piano sound.

The first of two new electric piano Voices is 73 Rd Studio, a rendition of the famous "suitcase" electric tine piano. Its tone is smooth, mellow and well suited for playing accompaniment in jazz, ballads, R&B and more. The brighter 74 Rd Stage is ideal for attention-grabbing solos and syncopated rhythm parts.

Eight new Live Sets -- multi-part setups that can be stored and recalled with the touch of a button -- showcase the new acoustic and electric piano Voices. YC OS v1.1 also makes improvements to pitch modulation characteristics across the board, including the ability to store the initial modulation amount as part of a Live Set and the relocation of modulation depth and speed to a more intuitive home in the "Sound" settings menu. Last but not least, pressing the Enter button while in the Settings menus "backs up" to the previous page instead of returning all the way to the display's home screen, making adjusting settings easier.

Of course, the core YC experience of ultra-realistic tone wheel organs and rotary speaker effects based on our exclusive Virtual Circuit Modeling (VCM) technology is still as striking and soulful as ever.

"Yamaha strives to build a relationship every time a musician buys one of our products," says Nate Tschetter, manager, Synthesizer Marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America. "YC OS v1.1 is a direct response to feedback we've received from our users. By listening to our customers, we make great keyboard instruments even better."


Pricing and Availability:
The Yamaha YC73 and YC88 Stage Keyboards will ship to retailers beginning January 21, 2021, at manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $2,999 and $3,499, respectively.

Yamaha YC OS v1.1 is a free download and will be available beginning January 14, 2021.

More information:

 

 


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