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Yamaha YC Series | Sound Demoplay button

Yamaha YC Series | Sound Demo

Yamaha YC Series | YC OS v1.1 | Sound Demoplay button

Yamaha YC Series | YC OS v1.1 | Sound Demo

Yamaha YC88 | Uri Gincel | Performanceplay button

Yamaha YC88 | Uri Gincel | Performance

Yamaha YC88 | Nahre Sol | Artist Profileplay button

Yamaha YC88 | Nahre Sol | Artist Profile

Yamaha

collapse expand iconDescription

Yamaha's YC88 88-Key Organ Stage Keyboard lets keyboardists take their show on the road. This gig-ready workstation packs piano, organ and synth voices with realistic touch and sound into a lightweight yet robust design. Yamaha's proprietary Virtual Circuitry Modeling technology recreates the nuances of vintage tonewheel organs for an authentic analog experience, while the triple-sensor hammer-action keyboard responds like a finely tuned concert grand.

Express Yourself with Legendary Yamaha Sound

The YC88's sonic palette spans acoustic and electric pianos, strings, brass and more, in addition to iconic FM synthesizer sounds that shaped '80s pop. An array of editable organ tones—from warm and woody to bright and biting—are on tap for crafting a signature sound. Effects like overdrive, distortion and rotary speaker simulation complete the package for players seeking a contemporary edge.

Play the Part with Premium Keyboard Feel

Yamaha designed the YC88's 88 hammer-action keys to satisfy discerning pianists while facilitating organ technique. The triple-sensor mechanism detects the speed and pressure of each keystroke with precision for nuanced control of tone and sustain. A balanced weighting provides enough heft for expressive phrasing without fatiguing performers during lengthy sets.

Take Command of Your Performance

Despite its vintage character, the YC88 employs a modern, intuitive interface for taming its extensive capabilities. Nine assignable sliders and an array of buttons give players hands-on control of volume, effects, voice selection and more. An easy-to-read LCD screen displays essential information at a glance while streamlining navigation of the YC88's deep functionality.

Travel in Style and Comfort

A sturdy yet lightweight chassis and included gig bag make transporting and protecting the YC88 simple. You can move this workstation between venues with ease, while the nylon soft case's padded handles and straps prevent fatigue over long hauls. Multiple compartments provide space for cables, straps and other accessories.

Yamaha YC88 88-Key Organ Stage Keyboard
Yamaha YC88 88-Key Organ Stage Keyboard
Yamaha YC88 88-Key Organ Stage Keyboard

collapse expand iconFeatures

  • The VCM Organ engine provides vintage organ character by modeling component-level circuit behavior
  • VCM Rotary Speaker features two authentic rotary speaker sounds with customizable speeds, balances and more
  • FM Organ provides pure synth sound with massive low end and simple drawbar control
  • Dual Keys Sections provide realistic acoustic and electric pianos, strings, brass and more to real FM DX EPs and synths
  • Nine FX processors let you customize the sound on the fly with dedicated panel controls
  • Seamless Sound Switching: change sounds while holding notes without sound cutoff
  • Waterfall keyboard provides authentic organ touch, ideal for "squabbling," "palm glisses" and more
  • 2-channel USB Audio/MIDI Interface for audio recording and playback and MIDI control
    • Included Accessories
    • FC3A Continuous Piano Style Sustain Pedal
    Optional Accessories
    • YSC-YC88, FC4A, FC5, FC7

    Featured Articles

    collapse expand iconReviews

    4.67

    12 Reviews

    100%

    of respondents would recommend this to a friend

    One star short of the perfect board (polyphony issues)
    BEST IN CLASS YAMAHA ORGAN, GRAND PIANO & STAGE KEYBOARD
    Filters
    Best Uses
    1. Live Performance7
    2. Accompaniment3
    3. Chamber Music3
    4. Concerts3
    5. Electronic Music2
    Cons
    1. I wish it had separate1
    2. expression control for organ sounds only1
    Describe Yourself
    1. Professional Musician2
    2. Experienced1
    Pros
    1. Easy to Use3
    2. Good Audio3
    3. Portable3
    4. Responsive / Good Action3
    5. Touch Sensitive Keys3

    Reviewed by 12 customers

    • Nearly Perfect - For Me, The Best Available Stage Keyboard

      4

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda month ago

      byWayne

      fromDallas/Fort Worth

      Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

      I'm very pleased with my YC88 Stage Piano and recommend it. I'm an active musician playing on stage in the DFW area. I've been using a Hammond organ and Leslie, and a Nord Piano 5 for performance. However, the Hammond is infrequently needed in my current act, so I decided to get a great stage piano with a decent Hammond sound and physical drawbars. I love Nord's live stage controls, but I prefer Yamaha's keybed and their authentic, very playable piano sounds, so I chose the YC-88 to replace both of my previous instruments for this current act - It is the best available stage keyboard for my needs. The YC-88 is nearly perfect, with piano voices and a key bed that are noticeably better than any other stage piano I've used or tried out. The Hammond organ voices and the Leslie simulation are more than fine for non-organ focused performances. The control panel arrangement and the navigation controls for changing "patches" between songs and changing effects settings within songs are much improved over previous Yamaha instruments I've known - now much more easily used in live stage situations. Nord is the gold standard still in this area, but Yamaha is catching up. There is room for improvement, especially in how Live Set Sounds are organized and re-organized for different songs during performances. A dedicated computer or tablet application providing these functions could greatly improve this critical task for working musicians using the YC stage instruments; I sincerely hope Yamaha recognizes and fulfills this critical need.

    • Everything I need to express myself

      4

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda year ago

      byRealKey

      fromQuebec - Canada

      Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

      Very good key action - Easy access to effects - Good sounds but could have more - Too small screen - I love organ section - Many good things to discover ...

    • Great quality as always!

      5

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda year ago

      byJohn

      fromSouth Carolina

      Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

      Great quality. Sturdy, well built as I expect from Yamaha for the price. Plug and play with my DAW. Has the action I love.

    • One star short of the perfect board (polyphony issues)

      4

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda year ago

      byPiano Rob

      fromEden Prairie, MN

      First off, I LOVE this keyboard. I recommend it to literally anyone I know who is looking for a great stage board. Obviously, something like this isn't going to be super synth-heavy, but Yamaha still gave us some great sampled synths. Once you have you Live Sets programmed, performing is a breeze with quick editing options that are instantly at your fingertips. I play anywhere from 1-4 pop shows a month with this board and it is my main studio board as well. At this point, I can't live without it! Not only is it great for pop, but I also play lots of jazz/fusion/RnB which it does better than anything else on the market. It has: Best piano sounds, best EP sounds, best FM/DX synths sounds, and the BEST organ engine on the block. You cannot buy anything better than this under $3200. However, here is my biggest issue which I constantly run into: It has extremely limited polyphony. Anytime I have a piano/pad sound, I manage to max out the polyphony by playing about 25 notes. This includes very minimal reverb and a very short delay trail. nothing that should be hindering the polyphony that much. If Yamaha can update this with increased polyphony for all voices, it will finally reach perfection. (any maybe a better sawtooth/square waveform that I can hook my talkbox up to). That is all. YC88 is the best sounding and most flexible board. Even with saying that, the polyphony is the only downfall. I'm not sure if it's possible to increase the polyphony with a software update, but I would really like that.

    • Best board ever!

      5

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda year ago

      byMac

      fromMississippi

      Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

      One off the best keyboards I've ever purchased. It actually has replaced my other boards for my gigs as it does the work of at least 3 units. Not to mention the awesome piano and authentic B3 settings!

    • Beautiful instrument

      5

      originally posted on

      http://usa.yamaha.com/

      brand logo

      submitteda year ago

      byMikeMo

      fromPunta Gorda, Fl

      Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

      This is the perfect stage keyboard for me. Incredible versatility, really high quality sounds and emulations, really good organ emulation (especially the Leslie). Everything is adjustable and tweak able. Seems to be very well made, nothing cheap anywhere. Feature after feature on the machine and they all work well.

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    collapse expand iconQ&A

    Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

    • submitted2 months ago

      asked byKevin

      fromSan Diego

      How does this keyboard compare to a ModX8+ for stage use?

      How does this keyboard compare to a ModX8+ for stage use?

      Open Reply - Gear-Support
      Keybed and Action YC88 Keybed Type: Natural Wood Graded Hammer (NW-GH3) action. Feel: Designed to feel like an acoustic piano—excellent for pianists. Best For: Pianists and organ players needing expressive touch. MODX8+ Keybed Type: Graded Hammer Standard (GHS). Feel: Lighter and slightly less nuanced than NW-GH3. Best For: Synth and piano players who want a good all-rounder. Stage Advantage: YC88 has the superior keybed feel for expressive piano and organ work. User Interface & Controls YC88 Design: Hands-on, one-to-one control for drawbars, effects, splits, and layers. Workflow: Optimized for live tweaking—ideal for organ/piano stage sets. Display: Smaller screen, but tactile controls make it fast to use live. MODX8+ Design: Touchscreen-driven interface with deep menus. Workflow: Powerful but menu-heavy; better suited to sound design than live control. Performance Mode: Strong for multitimbral setups but not as “grab-and-go.” Stage Advantage: YC88 is faster and more intuitive for live performance. Sound Engine YC88 Engines: VCM (Virtual Circuit Modeling) for organ, plus high-quality pianos and keys. Strength: Authentic tonewheel organ simulation, stunning Rhodes/Wurlitzer/CP pianos. Drawbars: Real drawbars for Hammond-style playing. MODX8+ Engine: AWM2 (sample-based) and FM-X (8-operator FM synthesis). Strength: Vast sound library, deep synthesis, motion sequencing. Flexibility: Much more than just keys—synths, pads, basses, arps, etc. Stage Advantage: YC88 wins for organ/piano/EP realism; MODX8+ wins for synth and sound design flexibility. Customization & Setups YC88 Performance Focus: Simple splits/layers with fast live setup. Memory: Instant recall of custom setups. Limitations: Less deep programming, limited MIDI controller capabilities. MODX8+ Performance Focus: Up to 16-part performances, powerful controller capabilities. Advanced Routing: Supports complex live rigs and soundscapes. USB Audio: Multi-channel audio interface built-in. Stage Advantage: MODX8+ is better for users needing deep performance setups and DAW integration. For stage use, the choice between the Yamaha YC88 and the MODX8+ depends on your playing style and performance needs. If you're primarily a pianist or organist seeking an authentic feel with immediate hands-on control, the YC88 excels thanks to its premium NW-GH3 keybed, real drawbars, and beautifully modeled vintage keyboard sounds. It's purpose-built for live gigs with a tactile interface that minimizes menu diving. On the other hand, if you require a broader sonic palette—such as synths, layered textures, complex performance setups, and integration with DAWs—the MODX8+ offers far greater flexibility. It’s lighter, more portable, and ideal for multi-genre performers or sound designers who need deep control and powerful motion sequencing. Ultimately, the YC88 shines in traditional live keyboard roles, while the MODX8+ is the better choice for modern, all-encompassing stage rigs.

    • submitted4 years ago

      asked byJohnny

      fromKansas City, Kansas

      Which key board is on the YC88? Is it the piano with wooden piano based keys or the organ with plastic waterfall keys?

      Which key board is on the YC88? Is it the piano with wooden piano based keys or the organ with plastic waterfall keys?

      Open Reply - Thomas
      Unfortunately, the manufacturer has not made that information available.

    • submitted4 years ago

      asked byRyno

      fromSioux Falls, SD

      Does the YC 88 come with preloaded drum kits? It seems to have every other set of instruments.

      Does the YC 88 come with preloaded drum kits? It seems to have every other set of instruments.

      Open Reply - Beau
      This keyboard does not come with pre-loaded drum kits.