Yamaha YC-20 User manual

YAMAHA
COMBO
ORGAN
YC-20
S MANUAL

OWNER'S MANUAL
CONTENTS
Introduction
..........................
2
Assembly:
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nm
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Y
Rex
3
Parts’
Identification
..................
4
How
to
Use
Your
YC-20
..............
6
1.
Keyboards
..................
6
2.
Tone
Levers
..................
6
3.
Effect
Levers
................
9
4.
Other
Controls
................
10
Care
of
Your
Combo
Organ
............
11
Specifications ........................ 12

INTRODUCTION
Thank you for selecting the Yamaha YC-20 for your combo organ! We hope you will
read this manual carefully and will experiment with the organs many special features,
in order that a more complete understanding of its versatility will be yours.
The Yamaha YC-20 Combo Organ includes such features as percussive effect, continu-
ously variable tone levers, a manual-bass control for independent bass section, and
bright effect, allowing you to select exactly the tonal rendition which you desire. And
in addition to ordinary variable-speed vibrato, this model has the phenomenally popular
‘Touch Vibrato’, an exclusive Yamaha feature previously available only on the costliest
console organs. Another grand feature is a choice of two channels on the manual that
can be mixed to your taste. The two channel feature can be used as a preset by manipu-
lating the balance control from one extreme to the other, however it is much more versa-
tile than a preset, as the two channels can be mixed in any degree. The result is a range
of tonal mixtures sufficient to please the most demanding musician without the vast
number of controls needed by other makes that sometimes discourages the coming
musician.
The above mentioned controls and features will be explained in more detail in the
following pages so that you again and please, read on.

ASSEMBLY
1. After loosening six screws (А) about half
way, install the legs (which are in a separate
vinyl carrying bag) as shown in the figure
and tighten the screws.
2. Open the cover by releasing catch (B. The
expression pedal and power supply cord
can then be removed.
3. Check the input cord for loose or intermittent
connections.
4. When standing the unit upright, balance
it by adjusting balancing screw (©).
Completely disassembled, parts stored, and
cover in place, your YC-20 Combo Organ |
becomes a convenient, portable unit as shown.

PARTS' IDENTIFICATION
(S CHI Tone Levers
@ Effect Levers
Manual Bass Lever @
Manual Bass Tone Levers Ө)
@ Balance Lever
Bass Volume Фф @ CH п Tone Levers
Master Volume @
Pitch
Control
Ө
(B
Power
Switch
with
Pilot
Lamp
Q Manual Keyboard
Manual Bass Keyboard б)
@) Expression Pedal

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Manual
Bass
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Manual
Bass
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Manual
Bass
16
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Balance
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se
Ф
Bright
(for
CH
11)
Vibrato Ө
Touch Vibrato
Bass Volume e|
Master Volume e|
Pitch Control @
-Manual Keyboard
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Ф chug
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ФӨсні2
QD Percussive
Ф Power Switch
with Pilot Lamp

HOW TO USE YOUR YC-20
1. Keyboards
The keyboards of the YC-20 Combo Organ
are as follows:
Manual Ө 61 keys C~c4 (5 octaves)
Manual Bass 17 keys C~e (1% octaves)
The Manual Keyboard has СН.І and СН.ІІ Tone
Levers (9, @ for tone color selection.
The 17 bass keys, identified by reverse key
colors, become the manual bass section when the
Manual Bass Lever &) is used. At that time, tone
color can be selected by the Manual Bass
Tone Levers@.
2. Tone Levers
On the panel of the Combo Organ, white tone
levers are divided into three groups.
(1) Channel ! Tone Levers (9 7 voices
(2) Channel Il Tone Levers (8) 4 voices
(3) Manual Bass Tone Levers (8 2 voices
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Yamaha's Exclusive Tone Lever System
Harmonics
Tone levers are of several varieties: 8, 16,
2%, etc., each variety having a different pitch.
The 8' tone levers are 'fundamentals', that is,
they have the same pitch as the written note.
The others, called ‘harmonics’ are pitched
acertain interval above or below the fundamental.
Harmonics can be further subdivided into con-
sonants, at octave intervals from the fundamental
and dissonants, separated by a third or a fifth
from the fundamental.
Each tone lever serves to impart a distinctive
tonal quality to each note played. However
instead of the usual simple on-off action, the
Yamaha tone lever offers the unique advantage
of continuously variable control. This means
that even the finest shadings of volume control
can be obtained from each and every lever, an
amazing advantage in breadth of expression
and ease of playing. For quick changes, another
aid to precision is provided: As the tone lever
is depressed, two ‘click-stop’ positions are felt,
where the lever catches slightly. These indicate
$ and $ of the maximum setting attained when
the lever is fully depressed. This exclusive
Yamaha tone lever system allows the combi-
nation of these tones giving a virtually limitless
range of tone, with a full spectrum of rich
harmonics.
The Combo Organ YC-20 is thus able to satisfy
even the most demanding professional organist.
The most important point in developing good tone
registration is the early mastery of the tone levers.
Make it a practice to listen to good music and
build your taste for sounds so you can use the
tone levers duplicate them. Experiment in the
creation of tone colors to suit your own taste.
TWO OCTAVES
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As an example of what this means when you
play, let us see which note can be produced by
using one of the tone levers and pressing the
key of middle C (с). Pressing middle C and using
the 4' tone lever, for example, will result in the
same note as would be produced by pressing
c2 (using the 8' tone lever, i.e. its Fundamental.)
It can thus be seen that the use of these harmonic
levers actually results in increasing the YC-20
Combo Organ's compass above and below that
which is indicated by the keys alone. The use
of the 16’ lever, for example, will extend the
manuals down a further octave to Сі. (See
dotted line-above). Similarly the 1' lever raises
the tone three octaves but, in actual practice,
the highest note on the YC-20 is bs. Thus when
a scale is continued upward beyond bz, the
previous octave is repeated. This is no cause for
alarm. It is inherent in the design of the YC-20
and will cause you no inconvenience at all
when playing.
The major use of the harmonic levers, however
is to increase the richness of tone—they are the
spices that, when applied to the fundamental,
will give big full sound to the performance.
Let your ears be your guide to the creation of
good music, try not to over-work the full effect
as this will weaken its effectiveness. Change
your registration as often as the mood of the
music requires.
CH.1@ (16'0,8'9.40.2:'0,2'D,
120.10)
If the Balance Lever @ is set to the “0” position
(far side), the tone color of the Manual Keyboard
can be selected by a combination of the CH.I
tone levers.
The CH.I tone color is the basic sound of the
Combo Organ.
CH. ІІ & (16' 0,8 9,4 p.29)
If the Balance Lever @ is set to the “3” position
(near side), the tone color of the Manual
Keyboard can be selected by a combination of the
CH.II tone levers.
The tone color of CH.lI can be widely changed
by operation of the Bright Lever(B. If the
Bright Lever is set at "O';aflute-family tone color
(a tone color with less overtone) can be pro-
duced. if set to "3", a string-familytonecolor
(with rich overtones) can be produced.
8
CH. I/CH. II
When the Balance Lever @ is set to the middle
position, tone color of the Manual Keyboard
can be selected by a combination of the CH.I
and CH.II tone levers(9 (8.
Volume (Master Volume)
Although this control actually belongs to a
group of OTHER CONTROLS (page 70), it will
be described here because it has a relationship
with the Tone Levers. The tones selected with
the maximum volume of the tone levers of СН. I,
CH.Il and Manual Bass are regulated with this
control.
Manual Bass@ (16'0,8'0)
If the Manual Bass lever @ is operated (set to
near side), the 17 bass keys identified by reverse
key colors, are changed to produce bass tones.
Tone color is selected by a combination of the
16' and 8' Manual Bass Tone Levers.
Bass Volume@
This also belongs to a group of OTHER CON-
TROLS (described later). Tone volume of
Manual Bass can be regulated by the Bass
Volume control, indirectly controlled by the
Master Volume.

3. Effect Levers
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The effect levers Ө ої the YC-20 provide a wide
range of tonal effects which add to the variety
of possible combinations. These levers have
the same operation as the tone levers and allow
the organist to vary the depth or speed of their
effects according to their stop positions as
illustrated.
Touch Vibrato ©
In the YC-20, Yamaha offers what no one else
can—true vibrato that will thrill you with its
sheer magic; will enthrall listeners with its
vibrant life. No other electronic organ at any
price can match this natural tonal beauty,
because no other vibrato effect is produced by the
lateral vibration of the hand, just as in the violin,
cello or clarinet. This is the ‘Touch Vibrato’,
the most revolutionary electronic triumph in
organ history. Now are opened to you almost
endless horizons of expression, all achieved with
MAN BASS
— 3 (full effect)
breathtaking authenticity.
If the Vibrato lever @ is turned on after the Touch
Vibrato lever, the latter will be automatically
cancelled.
VibratoQ
The use of vibrato adds a romantic quality to the
tone and makes relatively simple passages seem
brisk and lively. The depth of the vibrato is con-
trolled by this lever.
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Vibrato Speed O
Used in conjunction with the Vibrato lever, it
controls the oscillating speed of the Vibrato,
which increases as it is pulled down.
Bright (for CH. II)
The explanation of this effect is given under
CH. 1 Tone Levers, page 8.
Percussive (D
The Percussive lever lends a sharp, vital quality
to your playing. Percussive makes only the sound
of the first key depressed. If that key is con-
tinuously depressed, any subsequent keys which
are depressed will produce no sound. Therefore,
the first key must first be released before de-
pressing a second key.