Yamaha YC-30

The Yamaha YC-30 is a compact organ, which I believe is from the 1980's. I recorded this through a Fender amplifier a few weeks ago at a studio that I frequent, but only recently had a session where we had a need to use. It's kind of like a Farfisa, but at times can be even a bit more cheesy. It has a similar type make up to a Yamaha Electone in that you can choose between different models of acoustic instruments and mix them in out, although you won't get sounds close to the real thing.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of the Yamaha YC-30 isn't difficult to figure out, as it really just takes some messing around with to get the hang of. You've got a slew of sliders to work with to help you change your tone, featuring different instruments but also featuring presets and also a unique portamento control. You also have control over attack and fuzz. I haven't seen a manual for this and don't expect to every see one.

SOUNDS

I really dig the sound of the Yamaha YC-30, although it's definitely cheesy and should be used in situations where something like this is called for. We decided to use it over the Farfisa that we also had available, as it's a bit more unique and you can mess with the sound a little bit more. Recording it through a Fender amp, we ended up getting a really cool sound that fit the song perfectly.

OVERALL OPINION

While I don't know that it's worth it to have the Yamaha YC-30 outside of the studio, the YC-30 is a very cool compact organ for those looking for some cheesy, Farfisa-like sounds. I don't know how readily available the YC-30 is as I wouldn't have ever used it if it wasn't available in the studio where we were working and it's a studio I work at a lot, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. I also don't know the price of these used, but they do seem to be out there if you can find one used. The Yamaha YC-30 is definitely a cool keyboard worth checking out for all interested in analog compact organs!