Yamaha has released a free OS update for the YC Stage Keyboard line, YC OS v1.3, that adds new sounds, features and workflow enhancements.
Here’s what’s new in YC OS v1.3:
- New sounds – An expressive Hamburg Grand, intimate Felt Piano from the CP Series, and an all-new CP80 sampled from the Yamaha Synth Space collection have been added. The YamahaSynth IdeaScale community requested the CP80 Voice, which Yamaha says delivers the expressive bite you would expect from this classic stage piano.
- In addition to the new Piano Voices, are 32 new FM Voices. You’ll find 16 classic DX7 basses, brass and pads and 16 modern FM sounds for contemporary genres.
- Vibrato and Chorus for FM Organs: Vibrato and Chorus effects are now available for FM Organs, and the F2 and F3 types match the classic effects found in vintage 60s combo organs.
- Pan to Parts Settings: Freely adjust pan for each Part separately for greater stereo mix flexibility.
- A/B Parameter Link Function: Press and hold the Keys A/B button and you’ll get control of Volume, Tone, Filter/EG and Effect settings for both Parts simultaneously. Great for controlling both Parts when set up in a Split or Layer.
- Rotary Speed Hold: Before OS v1.3, Rotary Speaker speed settings were saved in the Live Set. This new setting allows you to keep the Rotary Speaker speed settings the same regardless of the Live Set.
- Studio Rotary Speaker Type Default: All organ Live Set sounds using the Rotary Speaker effect now default to the Studio type introduced in OS v1.2.
The Yamaha YC OS v1.3 update is available now and can be downloaded via the Yamaha site. Users are advised to back up their settings before installing the update.
YC is awesome.
Yamaha is smart to enhance this one. Its not a Nord killer, but it can hold its own. I need that era of FM sounds like I need a third buttock, though. The other enhancements are the right kinds of incremental moves, especially if you need a beefier organ presence. The more onboard sequencers fade away, the more potent the resulting instruments seem to become.
I hope Yamaha soon take their “Virtual Circuitry Modeling” engine into some more synthesizer focused products 🙂