Yamaha YC-73 Review from a Longtime Nord Owner

[anotherscott]

When you call up a patch that uses the expression pedal, the volume defaults to the loudest value

This behavior is user-selectable (controller reset, p.37 of the manual).

There is a master EQ, but it’s global and not programmable like on the Nord. That’s a shame.

This was addressed in the new update.

All the factory piano programs come with the expression pedal enabled as a default. What’s up with that?

It is common on many boards for expression pedal to default to volume for all programs. I think the Nord approach is actually the more unusual one, where the pedal won't do anything until you program it to do something.

One thing to add with the YC, is it has an inbuilt audio interface where you can use an Ipad or other device to layer, and setup zones/ splits in combination with the onboard sounds.

Yeah, external MIDI zones is one more "stage-but-not-electro" feature of the YC. Nord's implementation is nicer, with front panel knob access (YC is all menu diving for this function), but YC gives you 4 external zones while Stage gives you only 2 (and Electro zero).

One of the biggest advantages either Nord has over the YC is user memory into which you can load your own custom samples.

[Gambold]

i finally got around to reading this excellent series of posts by Rusty Mike on the YC vs Electro decision. I just haven't clicked with my E6 like I thought I would. I'm pretty sure I know the reason - the keybed. I sorely miss playing piano on a decent weighted bed. I'd go so far as to argue that my technique (such as it is) suffers for the lack of one. I had a Korg SV-2 for awhile to make up for this, but it was a heavy, cumbersome beast, and other than its excellent EPs was pretty weak as a piano and unusable as an organ. So I sold it off.

The Nord Piano 6 in all its costly glory would seem to be the next step, but - no organ. I am a traditionalist player - piano, B3 and classic EPs. I will sullenly play strings or sound effects if the band insists upon it. But as I get older I'm realizing more and more that synth samples are just not my jam. My keyboard heroes are people like Ahmad Jamal, Joey DeFranceso, Ray Charles, and Nicky Hopkins - all of whom just played traditional keyboards.

SO - I am naturally interested in the YC73. It seems from Mike's posts that the chief advantages of this board over the Electro are the keybed and maybe the organ engines. I know that no-one is going to beat Nord's acoustic piano library (although we tend to praise that to the skies - a lot of it is getting pretty old and is of little use). I think the Great Rhodes debate is often solved by keybeds....it's pretty hard to get that Rhodesy bounce on a waterfall organ platform. Frankly if people are dead serious about playing a Rhodes simulation, they shouldn't be buying an Electro.

BUT - it sounds like the YC is coming to end-of-life. I'm not keen on buying more dated technology - the Electro is already starting to show its vintage charms more than I'd like - if I'm going to buy a digital keyboard that is purposed for reproducing classic ones, then ironically I want the most modern tech available.

[anotherscott]

I just haven't clicked with my E6 like I thought I would. I'm pretty sure I know the reason - the keybed.

Which E6? Waterfall or HP action?

[Rusty Mike]

i finally got around to reading this excellent series of posts by Rusty Mike on the YC vs Electro decision. I just haven't clicked with my E6 like I thought I would. I'm pretty sure I know the reason - the keybed. I sorely miss playing piano on a decent weighted bed. I'd go so far as to argue that my technique (such as it is) suffers for the lack of one. I had a Korg SV-2 for awhile to make up for this, but it was a heavy, cumbersome beast, and other than its excellent EPs was pretty weak as a piano and unusable as an organ. So I sold it off.

The Nord Piano 6 in all its costly glory would seem to be the next step, but - no organ. I am a traditionalist player - piano, B3 and classic EPs. I will sullenly play strings or sound effects if the band insists upon it. But as I get older I'm realizing more and more that synth samples are just not my jam. My keyboard heroes are people like Ahmad Jamal, Joey DeFranceso, Ray Charles, and Nicky Hopkins - all of whom just played traditional keyboards.

SO - I am naturally interested in the YC73. It seems from Mike's posts that the chief advantages of this board over the Electro are the keybed and maybe the organ engines. I know that no-one is going to beat Nord's acoustic piano library (although we tend to praise that to the skies - a lot of it is getting pretty old and is of little use). I think the Great Rhodes debate is often solved by keybeds....it's pretty hard to get that Rhodesy bounce on a waterfall organ platform. Frankly if people are dead serious about playing a Rhodes simulation, they shouldn't be buying an Electro.

BUT - it sounds like the YC is coming to end-of-life. I'm not keen on buying more dated technology - the Electro is already starting to show its vintage charms more than I'd like - if I'm going to buy a digital keyboard that is purposed for reproducing classic ones, then ironically I want the most modern tech available.

I find playing Rhodes EPs on the Electro 6 waterfall is a decent experience. It's the APs where the expression is difficult.

That said, there is really no universal action that is equally great for both piano and organ. It's pretty much one or the other. If you want optimal actions, you need a 2-board rig. I don't have the energy for that, so I'll compromise.

I'm 95% piano, so playing organ on the YC73 piano action isn't going to kill me. The YC73, although more of a piano action than organ, is still not terrible for organ. It does lack a high trigger point however, so you can't really do that cool percussive stuff on the Electro. It's always a trade off.

Who knows whether the YC series is near end of life. The CP line came out well before the YC and they're still being sold. Besides, I would not judge the usability by how "old" something is. Gambold, I know you refer to a lot of the Nord samples as old, but if they're usable, the age is irrelevant. I still use the "old" EP2 sample a lot in my music. And the White Grand and Amber Upright, regardless of age, just suit my music very well.

[anotherscott]

If you need to play piano and organ from a single board, after considering whether you indeed make use of techniques that are hard to do on the "wrong" action (for one, the other, or both), the choice will basically come down to finding a board with an organ-friendly action that isn't too terrible for piano, or finding a board with a piano-friendly action that isn't too terrible for organ. But going with two actions is usually preferable, and not necessarily terribly expensive nor cumbersome to travel with, compared to some single-board options.

[Gambold]

>And the White Grand and Amber Upright, regardless of age, just suit my music very well.<

Well, sure, those are the last two most recent and decent samples in their categories. What came after...things like the Felt, the Baby, the Soft, the Pearl...range from a not-very-useful scale of quaint to suck.

The fun factory has slowed down dramatically in Stockholm...new boards are being released with flagship samples that are five years old. This was never the paradigm in the past. And we know that Clavia has improved their sampling technology given the ever-increasing file sizes, so we can only assume that cost-cutting and/or leadership interia are the reasons.

As useful as the golden moldies might still be (although I have large doubts that many players now are ever using most of them, it's hardly acceptable that Clavia has not released a new Wurlitzer sample in 12 years. The Clavinet was also a one and done for them, and even their FM sample set, once a source of fairly regular and interesting variations, has fizzled out. Things are taking on an ever more vintage feel. New boards like the Piano 6 and Stage 4 are not revelations. But the prices keep on climbing, way up to the ionosphere...

[Gambold]

>But going with two actions is usually preferable, and not necessarily terribly expensive nor cumbersome to travel with, compared to some single-board options.<

Yes, that of course is the best answer...and Hammond just released an over-priced 63 key organ for just that purpose. There is no way to get two actions on the same keybad...I guess...so one has to make the hard decision. Trouble is, I don't think Nord is the front-runner anymore. With skyball pricing, an eternal wait for a new Electro, and a tech platform that appears to be the hill they will die upon....I dunno anymore.

[tsss27]

The Rhodes on the YC are better than Nord in my personal opinion. Lots of choices, and every single one plays beautifully.
The pianos are perfectly fine -- Hamburg Grand is similar to the White for me. I would still give Nord the edge, but Yamaha has come a long way in this area. They also cut really well!
The organ is absolutely better than Nord. The updated Leslie sim is top quality. I've played it right next to a real C3 and people preferred the YC...
I can't speak to key feel as I own the 61 but if you are only interested in playing piano, EP and organ, the YC should definitely be considered. It even has a wider selection of FM pianos if you use those!
Many of the other sounds are trash, but they'll get you through a gig if you need them...just don't expect inspiration from them! But since you don't play those tones unless required by the band I don't think that will be a concern. It's absolutely a bread and butter board.