Okay, I have had a YC61 for over a year and absolutely love it, especially with the latest update which really improves the Leslie and has some other great upgrades as well. I could be wrong but I believe this gentleman does not EQ or alter the factory presets but please correct me if I am wrong. If this is true, then IMHO, you give me 5 minutes to tweak the Yamaha and I could get it so close to the Nord that you could not tell the difference in a blindfold test. Having said that, I am in NO WAY taking anything away from the Nord which by all accounts is a fabulous piece of gear. I merely am putting forth the idea of instead of only comparing these presets and delcaring a "winner" that you simply spend some time with whatever you want to buy and go by your gut reaction and feeling. Again just my 2 cents but I LOVE LOVE LOVE sitting at the Yamaha and having those really cool looking and feeling switches and playing it, especially the organ section. It puts a smile on my face just to look at it sitting in my living room. The waterfall keyboard is a dream to play and it is one of the most user friendly pieces of equipment I have ever owned and I simply HAD to come home with it when I tried it out. I am sure many other folks have had the exact experience with the Nord. Reading the comments here I would think I am reading about a sports competition. LOL. Anyway, thank you Jack, for these videos and again, if I am wrong in thinking Jack is comparing presets right out of the box, PLEASE let me know. Thank you all, peace love and namaste. ✌❤🙏
A very important detail missing from this test, which is "how do they sound through a less than perfect PA in mono?". This is the situation many of us find ourselves in. Don't let the slightly anemic Yamaha sound in this video fool you. The Yamaha samples sound much cleaner through a PA, and plenty lively. I'd say the Nord may be the better choice if you're mainly recording or play absolute high end stereo gigs in nice sounding rooms. Otherwise, Yammy all the way. Really enjoyed the video though.
@@lonesomelooch5661 I have the same setup. 2 K10.2s with the electro 6D. What mode do you use (eg live bright) for live shows? I know it may sound stupid to ask but I can’t get a acoustic piano sound I really dig using “live” or “studio”. Don’t know if using the K10s built in EQ would really help or if I should be trying out something else. Hopefully my question make sense…
I own the yc 61 and like it much together with my Yamaha Genos and a Korg PA 4x. Have a Stage 3 compact also. Of you have many „children“ you love them all because they are different from each other 😎✌️🔊🎹👍
From someone that has both Yamaha and Nord, I feel like Nord in general has more realistic, playable pianos, eps, and clavs because of what happens when you release the notes. String resonance, pedal noise etc. Great playing as usual Jack! 👍😁 Also, sample sizes doesn’t mean better sounds. Nord continues to make better sounds with smaller samples!
Eu tive ambos. O problema é que a dinâmica para tocar pianos no nord é muito ruim para toques suaves (pianissimo). A.minha experiência com ambos me indica que o Yamaha vale mais a pena.
Thanks for the cool vids. I’m just getting started in my quest to learn to play the organ after many years of playing professionally as a guitarist/ bassist/ vocalist. Your vids are already helping a bunch. Keep up the good work.
I think a comparison when both instruments are dialed in by a consumer would be more interesting, though not very practical for a shop like Andertons. Reason being that a simple EQ tweak can drastically alter the character of each instrument. Not to mention reverb, chorus settings and so on.
All these modern boards are so tweakable and you can just dump the samples you dont want and replace em on the nord. Its impossible to cover every possibility.
Yamaha sounding more than thin....sounding like a toy and not a pro instrument..bummer. Everything these days is made to “ cut through the mix” so sounds are thinned out and made generic sounding. Roland especially does this to their pianos sounds. For a decent piano in the same price range look at the Casio ps-5s.....fat pianos and the ability to layer and split make it the winner over these two over priced hotdogs. Keep up the good work Jack. Love your gospel sounding playing style.
I wouldnt use the word thin per se, but for sure less dynamic. Not in terms of being able to get many different volumes, but in how "shaking" of a sound you get. Its a bit less dramatic of a sound, smoother....less harmonic undulating sound signiture. Both have their place, but I'm a guy who likes to have both, and Nord has the library access, where Yamaha gives what they give, even though they have an archives. But other benefits to the Yamaha way of doing things for sure. For sure, Im hearing more comfort on the NORD in this video for pianos and E.P.s.
I wish I could express how much fun it is to watch your videos, Jack, without sounding like a complete tosser. 🤓 Cheers for all your delightful content.
I think the one thing what miss that Nord is...not have pitch bend and modulator for expression... But in sounds concern, Nord have more quality sound than Yamaha for me. GREAT VIDEO Jack!! 👍🏻👍🏻
It's painfully obvious which one inspires him more. As a musician, I can totally relate when an AB comparison is not even close! Also, this wasn't a shootout. It was a massacre.
YAMAHA YC61 Pros : Amazing Organ emulation, Amazing sounds, Waterfall keys on YC61, Portability Cons : Needs bass pedal emulation The Yamaha YC61 was the best investment into getting back to playing organ and having a more portable keyboard for my needs. This board is also a great competitor to the Nord series for half the price. The organ sounds on the YC are very good. It really gets the job done for your average Organist. The waterfall keys on the YC are a plus as well. I would however, love to see Yamaha implement a organ bass pedal option in the next firmware update for external keyboard control, so when we connect any external board via midi we will have a bass pedal control option (embed sound) along with the upper and lower manual options. This would allow us to connect a midi bass pedal to our yc61 and play real organ bass pedal sounds within the YC while still controlling the upper/lower manual on the YC.
I do Think Yamaha has done a good job rethinking the Nord idea, but in my ears , using good earphones, Nord sounds best i most cases 😊. Biggest difference is the leslie, sounds like Yamaha has missed something there. Great videos 👍🏻, some bass+ piano setups could be interesting for me
Can you use something like a breath controller for pitch bend, not ideal as using a joystick or is there some other device you get to give pitch bend/ modulation
Layers are super quick and easy. Just flip the little metal switch in front of the respective section (Organ, Key A or Key B), select your sound for each, and adjust the section volume to taste (each section has its own dedicated volume knob). You can assign the octaves for each section separately as well with the push of a button. You can run all three sections together and assign a foot controller and/or footswitch to a number of parameters for each sound, although that takes a bit more time. If you want Hammond Organ/Ep/Pad at different octaves with the pad on a volume controller, you can do that. If you want FM organ/acoustic guitar/synth bass with the bass split to the left side (or right side if you're adventurous), you can do that. The only thing you cannot do with the YC61 is assign the pan of any sound. For example, you can't put a bass sound pan-left and a guitar sound pan-right with organ in the middle. There is no function for that, although I hope they release an update that does have that function.
I have had a NS3 for years and the YC61 for about 8 months. Accoustic pianos and Wurli are better on the Nord, but Rhodes and Hammond are much better and more fun to play on the YC61. I love both !
I’ve wanted a YC73 for years now as a gigging keyboard but when it came time to pull the trigger I had to take some serious looks at these two. I like the YC better but ultimately it came down to size and weight. The YC is twice as tall (almost 6”) and 3” wider. Nord is small and light so that sold me🤷♀️
Nice review! Nord piano sounds wonderful and "more" realistic but for live performance the Yamaha projects better. EPs/Wurly's, both are just great! The global EQ on the YC is fantastic.
Nord wins by the best sound! But there are other things to note. I have never played a Nord, but all my life I have preferred Yamahas over Kurzweils, Korgs, Casios for the playability and responsiveness of the pianos!
i didn't know before watching this video and listen again and again : now its obvious for me : nord is a better instrument it has more substance but the yam is very good
Pulento, estaba a punto de cambiar mi NP3 por un YC73, pero definitivamente sigo quedándome con NORD solo por los sonidos de piano, quizás lo cambie por un E6HP, gracias por el video, muy buen canal.
Just got a Yamaha YC73 and absolutely love it! I definitely think it rivals the Nord stuff and the Korg SV series can't even compete! Thanks for doing these - an older video is what made me lean towards my Yamaha. Did I hear a tiny bit of Jamie Cullum's "These Are the Days"?
Well, that was obvious. The nord samples have that natural low end that gives a 'real' or acoustic feel to it. The yamaha sounds way more digital and thin. The same goes for the organs imo
How would compare the key-bed action between the Nord and the Yamaha? Its SO difficult to actually get in front of either of these with everything going on right now. So much of the feel of an instrument is how the manufacturer tailors, or matches, the key-bed to the internal sounds.
The YC61 keybed is great but the keys are thinner than the electro which can be an issue at times when trying to play riffs and chords. But the feel is great, where as the electros keybed is wider and has a semi-wegihted feel overall
Important factors Yamaha YC61 - Better Tweakability - Easy access to change sounds - Addition Rotary features - Global EQ - Pitch bend lever - Mod Wheel - Easy split point button - Easy Tranapose button - Midi Zones - Different Tonewheel models - Brighter and wider sound - More output/inputs Nord - Bigger sample library - warmer and wider sound - No pitch bend - no mod wheel - C2D Organ engine - 73 Waterfall keys - Output/Input limitations - Assignable foot switch inputs - cannot layer two pianos or two synths
Been a Yamaha guy all my life, but after purchasing the Electro 6D last weekend, I have officially switched teams. Both are brilliant, but the Nord is better.
I'm getting there lol. Just got an electro 6d for the 73 waterfall keybed. Even though I still love the YC61, the sounds are definitely fuller on the Nord. Keybed is amazing too
Honestly all the nord instruments sounded like having a built-in processing applied already, like a subtle band compressor setted by default, for me was evident especially when you played softly and accented. Yamaha sounded more close to the real things in terms of collateral characteristics of the sounds (the volume was lower however), it sounds not processed and without messing around with compressor fits better for lonely executions where the full control over expression becomes important. To me the piano and EPs of 6d sounded too much overcharged of processing, maybe ready for mixes, and specific setups, and I would like to ear it without that processing...
Great playing as always Jack🤗🎹🎶. Unfortunate the YC is not the 73 keybed as the Nord Electro is 73 - the YC73 has better keybed for the pianos. Also, it’s not stated which OS the YC is being played as the YC has had two significant OS updates (1.2 & 1.3): upgrades with additional features & sounds! … and a 3rd Leslie emulator too, “Studio Leslie” that rectified what B3/Leslie 🎹 players had asked Yamaha to improve the YC Leslie FX for being their highly portable gigging B3/Leslie🎹. The Yamaha pianos are less fussy than the Nord’s for amplifying the grand pianos to sound fab in the band mix! Musos ought to check out the additional features & sounds the YC (OS 1.3) Keyboards come with! - see the YC Specifications 👍. I have owned & played 4 x different Nord models since 2006, & presently a NE 6D 73 - if playing with a gigging band again, I personally would definitely exchange the Nord to the highly featured and versatile Yamaha YC73 🎹🎶. 😄
To my ears, the Nord pianos have a bit better spacious, full sound, but somehow muted … like a distant-mic'd, closed-case grand. The Yamahas are brighter and more dynamically rich, like a close-mic'd open-case grand. Nord pianos are beautifully rich, but Yamaha piano sounds in general are chosen most often by pros because they have a way of standing out in a full band mix. Nord EP's sound a bit muddier to me. Yamaha's EP's have a cleaner, crisper sound that would cut through a band better. I think the Nord would overload the low-end spectrum unless you EQ'd or filtered out the low frequencies. CP's are no competition here - Yamaha wins by a mile - full, rich and natural. The Nord sounds way too nasaly on that one. And lets not forget about Yamaha's famous FM synthesis. You get that with the YC61. You get the real DX EP's, not some other manufacturer's models or samples. Many authentic DX7 sounds are stock on the YC61. That alone is worth a lot. But no question the Nord beats out the Yamaha on the Hammond organs. (I own a YC61, fwiw)
Well, I generally have to see that I see red Nords (electros/stages/pianos) way more often than Yamahas on stages these days just because they sound more natural imo.
@@callmekarlos6184 I wonder if there’s a regional element to that, related to price. I’ve noticed that here in the US states, Yamaha tends to be more affordable than in Europe, while the Nord’s are more expensive than in Europe. I have rarely seen a Nord on a stage here, except in some professional videos.
@@callmekarlos6184 Interesting. I know when the YC61 came out it June it was around 2400 Euros. I saw pricing now in British Pounds at anywhere from 1500 to 1800 (bundled). I hadn’t checked since I got mine. As a stage organ, the YC61 is a lot weaker than the Nords, but the big selling point for the Yamaha is not only some of the included top tier sounds, but also the FM synthesis engine, not to mention the pitch bend and mod wheels that Nord Electro’s don’t include. For my money, the Nords here in the states are just too cost prohibitive, and sound for sound not as good as Yamaha (to my ear).
Nords sounds more 3D, doesn't it. I also feel it has more "zing" in ff which is lacking in many samples (including Keyscape). Overall more detailed, dynamic, spacious and "acoustic" feeling. The more straight santized (and arguably compressed) sound of the Yamaha may be advantageous in certain situations though (like in a pop / rock band context where there's some competition between instruments).
Nice - perhaps worth doing a little more prep to get patches that broadly sound similar for A/B comparisons. I feel for example the 2nd Yamaha clav would have been better compared with the first Nord one, and vice versa. With a little more of a play through the sounds in advance you could have matched them up better. Anyway no hate here - keyboardists lives matter!
PS thanks to you Jack I am now the proud owner of a Nord Stage 3. I'd like to see a video where you show us what patches you would load from the Nord website into a Nord Stage or Electro as a default for general function work
Do think if the Yamaha was controlled by a weighted board - it might trigger better? Interested in a stack with a basic feature piano on the bottom and the nord or yc61 up top being the main sound engine.
The Yamaha samples are quite beautiful but seem to be lacking a fullness of sound. Does the YC have pedal down samples or string resonance like the Nord?
Rhodes / EP sounds get muddy in the mix really fast if they have a lot of mid-tone harmonics in them. The Nord's sound good on their own but get muddy in the mix fast vs the Yamaha for me, which handles the mid range mud better with less EQ.
PA is very destructive, I prefer a real grand piano (second hand) of about 4000,- Only then you really feel the sound through your living room. Probably Nord is slightly better, but I'd probably choose Roland or Hammond. Yamaha is good in low-end sector with cheap keyboards, that's their strength. Good sound quality at Yamaha is for Sax and some piano's.
Functional and useable nice piano sounds in portable keyboards good for travel. Good for pop applications and even tracking they'd pop out in a mix. But it's really impossible to get the sound of say a huge sample library like the VSL Syncrhon CFX (Yamaha), the 9' Steinway, or the Bosendorfer Grand Imperial all from Vienna Symphonic Library but all requiring a sophisticated 88 note weighted controller and powerful computer. With that said in your samples I like the Nord for it's body in the sustain as the Yamaha seems to be thinner.
Yes, but this 78 Rhodes from Yamahai like more than every single of the 8 Rhodes samples in the Nords, and i have both in use, Yamaha YC 73 and Nord Stage.
@@1970piano Nice. I'm dyin to try the crumar seven.. John Reyna says the action feels very close to a well setup Rhodes. I guess because it's modeled the connection of the sound to the keys is real tight. ruclips.net/video/Pgt8PBEXnPc/видео.html
I bought a yc 73 and am struggling to like the piano. I am a pianist and wouldn’t call myself picky but just find the piano almost unplayable. Organ and eps are good though. I am confused. I have played the cp88 before and loved the piano and it’s the same patch but I don’t like any of the pianos on the yc 73. Am I doing something wrong?
The one thing that would make the Nord the winner thumbs down would be the addition of mod and pitch wheels. Why have a synthesizer section if you’re not going to have modulation wheels? Overall, I like the sounds of the Nord. I have the YC73 and the action is not very responsive as it’s a cheapened weighted action to make it lighter weight. They should have made it waterfall synth action like the 61.
Not sure why so many people are saying the Nord is smoking the YC across the board? I own an immaculate 1977 Mk1 Rhodes. The Yamaha is much, much closer.
Like in the previous video.. Nord sounds like they made a GREAT job on that stereo sound engine... It's stereo coverage is FULL. Yamaha sounds thiner, more centered (in a bad way)
The EQ on the Yamaha appears flat. I don't know how the Nord is set. The Yamaha seems to lack low end and is a little thin compared to the Nord. Maybe this can be fixed with EQ?
I own a Nord electro and a Yamaha Motif and though the Nord sounds more impressive by itself - cause it has generally a fatter or thicker sound... this creates all kinds of issues when recording (with other instruments) the Yamaha sits in a mix much easier. You have to remove a lot of the low end from the Nord to make room for bass guitar, drums, synth, etc. And then the Nord looses to the motif everytime. It really shocked me. This was across the board meaning pianos, rhodes and organ. Then there is the ability to alter the on board sounds either through on board filters or effects and the Yamaha is way more flexible. I've spent hours downloading and recording the Nord's samples and yet the Yamaha always sounded better. This video and other head to head comparisons convinced me to buy the Nord but as a recording artist it was mistake.
I had both the YC61 & YC73. The YC73 feels and responds better with real EP keys. It has balanced outs also. The 61 is really toy-ish on the keys but maybe organist like that. The way Yamaha works internally it's difficult for them to achieve dynamics because of memory and/or sensor limitations. The 88 has the 3 senor technology but why not the others as well? It does have a dedicated key touch button that might help. Nord sounds bass heavy and is it processed more to some extent? Yamaha tends to stay treble heavy by nature. The YC has mod & pitch levers & a real FM engine and other bells & whistles and more gadgets I suppose. Fun factor is high.
I actually ordered the yc73 to maybe replace my yc61 but couldn't get over the boxy sound I was getting even with using the same patches. Very noticeable when playing Rhodes and piano patches
@@itsmaistro Something was off not sure why it would be different from the 61 which I don't have anymore. Plays better on the Osmose. The guts of the YC73 should have actually produced better sound but when they change things It could go backwards I suppose. The action or interaction makes sense that it causes changes when they change out the bed. The action or response can get messed up however that works internally.
What's ridiculous about NORD is also the power supply. It is fixed 220V/50Hz on instruments sold in Europe and fixed 110V/60Hz in Northern America. Just like a DVD Regional Code. Here in Brazil, we unfortunately have 110V in the Southeast and South and mostly 220V in other regions (Northeast and North). So you have to be careful not to burn your $2.000+ instrument (at least blow its fuse) depending on where you bought it and where you pretend to play it and carry it around with a humming voltage transformer... Ridiculous for such a super expensive instrument that is meant for professional use.
I kinda gotta say, I like the sounds of the Yamaha way better... they sound so rich and realistic. The Nord sounds more "vibrant" - no wonder it is popular for gigging. The CP80 was clearly nicer on the Yamaha - again the Nord sounded extremely bright and - I'm almost gonna say like it was "screaming". The EPs - more a matter of personal taste, I'd say. Neither steals the butter from the other's bread ;-)
…. Actually hey Jack, your other interesting video with the Nord Electro & Yamaha YC included in your 5x Hammond/Leslie emulators Shootout demo video together with Mike Patrick reveals in the last 8 minutes summary comments that the YC 🎹 is the better option for a Bandmix gigging keyboard✔️ 🎹👍🎶🤩. The YC is so highly featured, eg. not 1, but 3 x Leslie models, & 3 x Amp models (if I remember correctly), & plus FM Hammonds, & with the YC 73 & 88 models stereo XL outputs, & the YCs with USB interface connection to an iPad for additional software Sounds APPs that can be played directly through the YC stereo audio outputs - no notebook computer 💻 needed for additional layered or split sounds at gigs! 🤗🎶👍. The YC stage keyboards out feature any other Stage Performance keyboards on the planet thus far. 🤗
I gotta add something else to this discussion: I own the CP73 and the Electro 6D 61. Some things on the Yamaha are just quicker and easier to get to - for quick Piano/EP stacks, it takes you literally seconds. Try making a quick "David Foster" Acoustic/DX stack on the Nord. I believe you can't stack your favorite XL piano with an XL EP. Reason enough for me to consider trading the 6D for a YC61. And all the Nord-Crowd scream "yes, but you can load samples into the Nord". Ok. Still doesn't fix the Usability issue :(
Well, well. I usually think Nord boards are extremely overpriced with poor keybed actions, blah, blah. But wow, imo, the Nord is crushing the YC-61 for only a few hundred extra $$. I wouldn't use either for piano because of the action, but for everything else, I think I have to order this Nord. Super impressed. Thanks Jack.
I own the Yamaha, the Nord, the Casio, the Roland ( duhhh, I own a shop) and I use a lot of vst plug-inn on the computer . With the band I play easy jazz and fusion and I use mostly a Nord....because...the feeling-the action- response. Mostly the most clones sounding good but their action is like playing a sample synthesizer.
@@kaankaral Depending on the position and type music in a band, it is usually fine with 76k. If you are alone and play quiet jazz or classical and have little pa to carry...88. With musicpeople around you who also claim their position...76 ---> good enough for an occasional solo
plenty of real advantages, though. The action is getting high praise, multi-samples for a much wider variety of sounds, tri-timbral, organ plus two others....the built in audio interface, the even more fleshed out front interface....people are debating how good the Yamaha organ is, so i think its too close to call until i can play with it myself, so ill say PROBABLY goes to NORD.
based on looks alone the Yamaha wins. I can't stand that red color, but that's just my opinion. I think it's becoming so gimmicky, i know it's their thing though.
I love your channel but think this comparison isn't accurate. You are comparing the brighter Yamaha grands (CFX) against the darker Nord Steinway sample. It's like comparing a Les Paul vs a Strat. The two pianos have different tonal quality. I own both the Nord Electro and several Yamaha stage pianos and synths. I prefer the Yamaha bright pianos - probably because I play on an acoustic Yamaha in church. The Nord Electro 6D you are playing is a 73 key and has hammer action and the Yamaha YC is a weighted B3 action - more like the Nord Electro 61 key. I would always prefer the weighted hammer action for piano (more control and expression).
Just to be the Devil's advocate for a minute: it occurs to me that in such discussions there is often a parallel between guitar videos in which the "tone zealots" lust after sounds that feel great to a player but would be far less practical in a full band arrangement. I don't disagree with people's assessment of the comparison but at times, I felt there would be more work for an engineer to do with the Nord when jumping between patches while some of the perceived limitations of the Yamaha may in fact have minimised this through the production of more sculpted tones. Just a thought.
Possibly, but when you look at the number of top session players who want an instrument that will provide them with the best balance between 'feel' and features, the Nord seems to be way up there. Sound engineers seem to get over it.
If it's just EQ, that's an easy adjustment for the engineer or the musician. The Nord sounds fuller to my ears, but you could probably thin it down by turning off string resonance. Or, if you download the smallest version of the piano, it won't have pedal down samples which could also have the benefit of thinning it down for a mix. I personally love the fullness of the Nord, and while it may have a fatter frequency array, I don't think it would make it any harder to mix than a real grand piano which can also make quite a racket.
Exactly why I just sold my Electro 6D and going with the YC73. I've been mostly a Yamaha/Motif guy all my life. I'm not a concert pianist. More of a keyboard player. I play with full bands usually accompanied by guitar players and another organ/aux player. As phenomenal as the Nord pianos sound, everything that makes it sound great go out the window when the band cranks up. With that said....Yamaha pianos have always seemed to not only sit in the mix better but with my hands alone, I can stand out when needed. With my Electro, i often found myself jumping through piano patches, messing with eq, reverb etc from song to song or room to room.
I’d purchase a Yamaha for the build quality but the key drop is shallow....Nords infamous customer service is a serious negative. Regarding sounds though, the pianos on the Nord are limited to around four worthwhile instruments, lovely sounding too, while the Yamaha is a little fizzy on the decay.
My opinion, Piano's Nord got way more definition in the middle range and sound more authentic solo wise, Yamaha seems to absolutely miss this and is sounding thin. Maybe ok on stage with other instruments but I still miss the mid range. Rhodes. I don't like the Nord. Way to bassy and not much definition in the middle. They seems to sound ok both, but you'll have to edit the Nord to sound good. Wurlies, Pretty much the same. Both sound good. Clavi .. better luck next time Nord. Clear Yamaha win. Really Wish Yamaha would give us a 73/76 version with waterfall keys. If for Piano play I would go for the YC73 but its not very practical for organ playing with weighted keys. Pretty sure the sample sets is the same as used in ModX, Genos and Montage and it is good Piano's just need some editing to suite the individual sound each person like. I'm not a Nord person and will never be, but granded .. out of the box this demo clearly favors Nord for the Acoustic Piano sound. Don't know why the YC61 sound so thin. And frankly .. drop the retro shite with 73 keys. We'we been used to 76 key for the last 4 decades .. yeah I know a Rhodes only had 73 notes but really ...
Okay, I have had a YC61 for over a year and absolutely love it, especially with the latest update which really improves the Leslie and has some other great upgrades as well. I could be wrong but I believe this gentleman does not EQ or alter the factory presets but please correct me if I am wrong. If this is true, then IMHO, you give me 5 minutes to tweak the Yamaha and I could get it so close to the Nord that you could not tell the difference in a blindfold test. Having said that, I am in NO WAY taking anything away from the Nord which by all accounts is a fabulous piece of gear. I merely am putting forth the idea of instead of only comparing these presets and delcaring a "winner" that you simply spend some time with whatever you want to buy and go by your gut reaction and feeling. Again just my 2 cents but I LOVE LOVE LOVE sitting at the Yamaha and having those really cool looking and feeling switches and playing it, especially the organ section. It puts a smile on my face just to look at it sitting in my living room. The waterfall keyboard is a dream to play and it is one of the most user friendly pieces of equipment I have ever owned and I simply HAD to come home with it when I tried it out. I am sure many other folks have had the exact experience with the Nord. Reading the comments here I would think I am reading about a sports competition. LOL. Anyway, thank you Jack, for these videos and again, if I am wrong in thinking Jack is comparing presets right out of the box, PLEASE let me know. Thank you all, peace love and namaste. ✌❤🙏
A very important detail missing from this test, which is "how do they sound through a less than perfect PA in mono?". This is the situation many of us find ourselves in. Don't let the slightly anemic Yamaha sound in this video fool you. The Yamaha samples sound much cleaner through a PA, and plenty lively. I'd say the Nord may be the better choice if you're mainly recording or play absolute high end stereo gigs in nice sounding rooms. Otherwise, Yammy all the way. Really enjoyed the video though.
Spring for 2 QSC K8.2s and your life will be more fulfilled regardless of the keyboard. :-)
@@webnuts4u2 Amen. I have a pair of K10s. Almost as good as the real thing running a pair of them in stereo on stage.
@@lonesomelooch5661 I have the same setup. 2 K10.2s with the electro 6D.
What mode do you use (eg live bright) for live shows? I know it may sound stupid to ask but I can’t get a acoustic piano sound I really dig using “live” or “studio”. Don’t know if using the K10s built in EQ would really help or if I should be trying out something else. Hopefully my question make sense…
So funny, that's exactly my setup. Long live QSC.
@@errolpereira8292 I have a Yamaha YC. I found the Nord pianos muddy with my live setup.
Thank you Jesus for that over-head cam! Jack you are a legend!🙏🏾🙌🏾🔥🔥
Literally just watch these vids to hear your playing. Love your vibe man!
Same here. I could listen to the intro all day along
I own the yc 61 and like it much together with my Yamaha Genos and a Korg PA 4x. Have a Stage 3 compact also. Of you have many „children“ you love them all because they are different from each other 😎✌️🔊🎹👍
I’ve got a Stage 3 Compact too, but have an irrational urge to get a YC too. Which would you choose if you had to?
Yay... a Sunday morning bonus! Thank you Andertons. Need to have these more than twice a week....
Geoff Webber dude, it's Sunday night.
From someone that has both Yamaha and Nord, I feel like Nord in general has more realistic, playable pianos, eps, and clavs because of what happens when you release the notes. String resonance, pedal noise etc. Great playing as usual Jack! 👍😁 Also, sample sizes doesn’t mean better sounds. Nord continues to make better sounds with smaller samples!
Eu tive ambos. O problema é que a dinâmica para tocar pianos no nord é muito ruim para toques suaves (pianissimo). A.minha experiência com ambos me indica que o Yamaha vale mais a pena.
Thanks for the cool vids. I’m just getting started in my quest to learn to play the organ after many years of playing professionally as a guitarist/ bassist/ vocalist. Your vids are already helping a bunch. Keep up the good work.
I think a comparison when both instruments are dialed in by a consumer would be more interesting, though not very practical for a shop like Andertons. Reason being that a simple EQ tweak can drastically alter the character of each instrument. Not to mention reverb, chorus settings and so on.
Adam Norell not to mention, they will both sound completely different in a mix.
@@officialWWM That too! Very important aspect! :)
All these modern boards are so tweakable and you can just dump the samples you dont want and replace em on the nord. Its impossible to cover every possibility.
Nord sounds wonderfully dynamic and full bodied.
Yamaha sounds a bit thin and static
Yamah is always sounding thin, for every musical instrument...
Yamaha sounding more than thin....sounding like a toy and not a pro instrument..bummer. Everything these days is made to “ cut through the mix” so sounds are thinned out and made generic sounding. Roland especially does this to their pianos sounds. For a decent piano in the same price range look at the Casio ps-5s.....fat pianos and the ability to layer and split make it the winner over these two over priced hotdogs. Keep up the good work Jack. Love your gospel sounding playing style.
@@ReallyDudeYouGottaHearThis I got the px 5 s , exactly for these reasons.Happy to see other people who think the same.Of course.
I wouldnt use the word thin per se, but for sure less dynamic. Not in terms of being able to get many different volumes, but in how "shaking" of a sound you get. Its a bit less dramatic of a sound, smoother....less harmonic undulating sound signiture. Both have their place, but I'm a guy who likes to have both, and Nord has the library access, where Yamaha gives what they give, even though they have an archives. But other benefits to the Yamaha way of doing things for sure. For sure, Im hearing more comfort on the NORD in this video for pianos and E.P.s.
I wish I could express how much fun it is to watch your videos, Jack, without sounding like a complete tosser. 🤓 Cheers for all your delightful content.
I think the one thing what miss that Nord is...not have pitch bend and modulator for expression... But in sounds concern, Nord have more quality sound than Yamaha for me. GREAT VIDEO Jack!! 👍🏻👍🏻
well..there IS the Nord Stage 3...lol
It's painfully obvious which one inspires him more. As a musician, I can totally relate when an AB comparison is not even close! Also, this wasn't a shootout. It was a massacre.
YAMAHA YC61
Pros : Amazing Organ emulation, Amazing sounds, Waterfall keys on YC61, Portability
Cons : Needs bass pedal emulation
The Yamaha YC61 was the best investment into getting back to playing organ and having a more portable keyboard for my needs. This board is also a great competitor to the Nord series for half the price.
The organ sounds on the YC are very good. It really gets the job done for your average Organist. The waterfall keys on the YC are a plus as well.
I would however, love to see Yamaha implement a organ bass pedal option in the next firmware update for external keyboard control, so when we connect any external board via midi we will have a bass pedal control option (embed sound) along with the upper and lower manual options. This would allow us to connect a midi bass pedal to our yc61 and play real organ bass pedal sounds within the YC while still controlling the upper/lower manual on the YC.
I do Think Yamaha has done a good job rethinking the Nord idea, but in my ears , using good earphones, Nord sounds best i most cases 😊. Biggest difference is the leslie, sounds like Yamaha has missed something there. Great videos 👍🏻, some bass+ piano setups could be interesting for me
Hey Jack, another enjoyable video of yours!!
Nord has the best sound with no FX ( i heard loads from the Nord though) !!!!! better samples at a guess.
I think the Yamaha U1 upright is approaching Nord level of realism in the way that it resonates.
They are both beautiful and sound gorgeous cannot miss with either your choice make it happen and get both
Ooh first comment. Hey jack. Love the intro piece you're playing. Expensive chords for the win.
I own a NE6 and the only thing I miss is being able to have mono patches on the synth section. That would fix the lack of a pitch bend (sort of)
Can you use something like a breath controller for pitch bend, not ideal as using a joystick or is there some other device you get to give pitch bend/ modulation
mono patches? Can't you just play ONE note at a time? FIXED !!
@@mrsugmad It’s not The same... It’sver y difficult to imitate The feel of a minimoog without a mono-legato patch
Always had you down as a 'Cagney and Lacey' fan Jack. I'll meet you at the 'Rat & Parrot' tonight around eight, don't be late!...
Have you demonstrated how to do layers with the Yamaha. Can you? Are they adjustable on the fly with the organ drawbars?
Layers are super quick and easy. Just flip the little metal switch in front of the respective section (Organ, Key A or Key B), select your sound for each, and adjust the section volume to taste (each section has its own dedicated volume knob). You can assign the octaves for each section separately as well with the push of a button. You can run all three sections together and assign a foot controller and/or footswitch to a number of parameters for each sound, although that takes a bit more time.
If you want Hammond Organ/Ep/Pad at different octaves with the pad on a volume controller, you can do that. If you want FM organ/acoustic guitar/synth bass with the bass split to the left side (or right side if you're adventurous), you can do that.
The only thing you cannot do with the YC61 is assign the pan of any sound. For example, you can't put a bass sound pan-left and a guitar sound pan-right with organ in the middle. There is no function for that, although I hope they release an update that does have that function.
Love that Yamaha, I gotta admit. It reminds me of the P330 back in the days
I have had a NS3 for years and the YC61 for about 8 months. Accoustic pianos and Wurli are better on the Nord, but Rhodes and Hammond are much better and more fun to play on the YC61. I love both !
I’ve wanted a YC73 for years now as a gigging keyboard but when it came time to pull the trigger I had to take some serious looks at these two. I like the YC better but ultimately it came down to size and weight. The YC is twice as tall (almost 6”) and 3” wider. Nord is small and light so that sold me🤷♀️
Nice review! Nord piano sounds wonderful and "more" realistic but for live performance the Yamaha projects better. EPs/Wurly's, both are just great! The global EQ on the YC is fantastic.
Nord wins by the best sound! But there are other things to note. I have never played a Nord, but all my life I have preferred Yamahas over Kurzweils, Korgs, Casios for the playability and responsiveness of the pianos!
... but does it come in black?
No
Thanks Jack, I was split between these, but the Nord wins for me. Any chance of an Electro vs Stage vid? Feature comparison type vid?
i didn't know before watching this video and listen again and again : now its obvious for me : nord is a better instrument it has more substance but the yam is very good
Love the Van Morrison arrangement at 6:20 ish...
Only one indeed: the Kawai MP7. And of course, the MP11SE is the only game in town if you want an actual grand piano action.
Do you happen to know which has the most suitable action for electric piano (rhodes sounds) MP7 or MP11?
@@edunabie MP7 definitely
Pulento, estaba a punto de cambiar mi NP3 por un YC73, pero definitivamente sigo quedándome con NORD solo por los sonidos de piano, quizás lo cambie por un E6HP, gracias por el video, muy buen canal.
Just got a Yamaha YC73 and absolutely love it! I definitely think it rivals the Nord stuff and the Korg SV series can't even compete! Thanks for doing these - an older video is what made me lean towards my Yamaha. Did I hear a tiny bit of Jamie Cullum's "These Are the Days"?
Well, that was obvious.
The nord samples have that natural low end that gives a 'real' or acoustic feel to it. The yamaha sounds way more digital and thin. The same goes for the organs imo
The tag prices are so much different for them, the results is pretty obvious!
How would compare the key-bed action between the Nord and the Yamaha? Its SO difficult to actually get in front of either of these with everything going on right now. So much of the feel of an instrument is how the manufacturer tailors, or matches, the key-bed to the internal sounds.
Yes would really like to hear this also
The YC61 keybed is great but the keys are thinner than the electro which can be an issue at times when trying to play riffs and chords. But the feel is great, where as the electros keybed is wider and has a semi-wegihted feel overall
Well both great in their own way.. but my back is saying go with 15lbs. I’ve lugged too many heavey keys in my day. YC61!
Electro is only 20IBs
With Yamaha’s recent firmware updates you need to redo this video. Yamaha has made some vast improvements.
Important factors
Yamaha YC61
- Better Tweakability
- Easy access to change sounds
- Addition Rotary features
- Global EQ
- Pitch bend lever
- Mod Wheel
- Easy split point button
- Easy Tranapose button
- Midi Zones
- Different Tonewheel models
- Brighter and wider sound
- More output/inputs
Nord
- Bigger sample library
- warmer and wider sound
- No pitch bend
- no mod wheel
- C2D Organ engine
- 73 Waterfall keys
- Output/Input limitations
- Assignable foot switch inputs
- cannot layer two pianos or two synths
Been a Yamaha guy all my life, but after purchasing the Electro 6D last weekend, I have officially switched teams. Both are brilliant, but the Nord is better.
I'm getting there lol. Just got an electro 6d for the 73 waterfall keybed. Even though I still love the YC61, the sounds are definitely fuller on the Nord. Keybed is amazing too
Honestly all the nord instruments sounded like having a built-in processing applied already, like a subtle band compressor setted by default, for me was evident especially when you played softly and accented. Yamaha sounded more close to the real things in terms of collateral characteristics of the sounds (the volume was lower however), it sounds not processed and without messing around with compressor fits better for lonely executions where the full control over expression becomes important. To me the piano and EPs of 6d sounded too much overcharged of processing, maybe ready for mixes, and specific setups, and I would like to ear it without that processing...
Esse é um problema comum nos nords (tive 7). Dificuldade de tocar em dinâmica ppp. Hoje tenho um YC73 e estou muito satisfeito.
I think I’ve watched that intro about 15 times now. Oh and also ordered a keyboard :D
Which one?
Great playing as always Jack🤗🎹🎶. Unfortunate the YC is not the 73 keybed as the Nord Electro is 73 - the YC73 has better keybed for the pianos. Also, it’s not stated which OS the YC is being played as the YC has had two significant OS updates (1.2 & 1.3): upgrades with additional features & sounds! … and a 3rd Leslie emulator too, “Studio Leslie” that rectified what B3/Leslie 🎹 players had asked Yamaha to improve the YC Leslie FX for being their highly portable gigging B3/Leslie🎹.
The Yamaha pianos are less fussy than the Nord’s for amplifying the grand pianos to sound fab in the band mix! Musos ought to check out the additional features & sounds the YC (OS 1.3) Keyboards come with! - see the YC Specifications 👍. I have owned & played 4 x different Nord models since 2006, & presently a NE 6D 73 - if playing with a gigging band again, I personally would definitely exchange the Nord to the highly featured and versatile Yamaha YC73 🎹🎶. 😄
Nord Electro 6 deffo wins. I have one and it's amazing. Just saving for a stage 3 now!
So, not biased at all 🙄
To my ears, the Nord pianos have a bit better spacious, full sound, but somehow muted … like a distant-mic'd, closed-case grand. The Yamahas are brighter and more dynamically rich, like a close-mic'd open-case grand. Nord pianos are beautifully rich, but Yamaha piano sounds in general are chosen most often by pros because they have a way of standing out in a full band mix.
Nord EP's sound a bit muddier to me. Yamaha's EP's have a cleaner, crisper sound that would cut through a band better. I think the Nord would overload the low-end spectrum unless you EQ'd or filtered out the low frequencies.
CP's are no competition here - Yamaha wins by a mile - full, rich and natural. The Nord sounds way too nasaly on that one.
And lets not forget about Yamaha's famous FM synthesis. You get that with the YC61. You get the real DX EP's, not some other manufacturer's models or samples. Many authentic DX7 sounds are stock on the YC61. That alone is worth a lot.
But no question the Nord beats out the Yamaha on the Hammond organs.
(I own a YC61, fwiw)
Well, I generally have to see that I see red Nords (electros/stages/pianos) way more often than Yamahas on stages these days just because they sound more natural imo.
@@callmekarlos6184 I wonder if there’s a regional element to that, related to price. I’ve noticed that here in the US states, Yamaha tends to be more affordable than in Europe, while the Nord’s are more expensive than in Europe. I have rarely seen a Nord on a stage here, except in some professional videos.
@@vanessajazp6341 Not really, I just looked it up, a nord electro 6D 61 costs around 1600 euros at the moment, the Yamaha YC61 is at 1600 as well.
@@callmekarlos6184 Interesting. I know when the YC61 came out it June it was around 2400 Euros. I saw pricing now in British Pounds at anywhere from 1500 to 1800 (bundled). I hadn’t checked since I got mine.
As a stage organ, the YC61 is a lot weaker than the Nords, but the big selling point for the Yamaha is not only some of the included top tier sounds, but also the FM synthesis engine, not to mention the pitch bend and mod wheels that Nord Electro’s don’t include.
For my money, the Nords here in the states are just too cost prohibitive, and sound for sound not as good as Yamaha (to my ear).
One feature I like is that the other 3 organs (F1-F3) are produced by the FM engine and dang are those smooth sounding. No one can beat those.
Nords sounds more 3D, doesn't it. I also feel it has more "zing" in ff which is lacking in many samples (including Keyscape). Overall more detailed, dynamic, spacious and "acoustic" feeling. The more straight santized (and arguably compressed) sound of the Yamaha may be advantageous in certain situations though (like in a pop / rock band context where there's some competition between instruments).
Right off seemed the nord has more bottom end which sounds more ‘rich’ but I’m going to bet the Yamaha is going to fit in the mix better
Nice - perhaps worth doing a little more prep to get patches that broadly sound similar for A/B comparisons. I feel for example the 2nd Yamaha clav would have been better compared with the first Nord one, and vice versa. With a little more of a play through the sounds in advance you could have matched them up better. Anyway no hate here - keyboardists lives matter!
🤣
Good points Stuart, thanks for the kind words and constructive comment my G.
PS thanks to you Jack I am now the proud owner of a Nord Stage 3. I'd like to see a video where you show us what patches you would load from the Nord website into a Nord Stage or Electro as a default for general function work
Do think if the Yamaha was controlled by a weighted board - it might trigger better? Interested in a stack with a basic feature piano on the bottom and the nord or yc61 up top being the main sound engine.
Keep in mind that nord doesnt have a weighted keybed too.
The Yamaha samples are quite beautiful but seem to be lacking a fullness of sound. Does the YC have pedal down samples or string resonance like the Nord?
The YC has an effect called 'Damper Resonance' in the effects section, which you can apply to any patch.
Very cool.You have great talent.
Nord by a mile! But it still needs a pitch ben and mod wheel LOL.
I prefer the Yamaha sound (sounds better in my opinion)
Rhodes / EP sounds get muddy in the mix really fast if they have a lot of mid-tone harmonics in them. The Nord's sound good on their own but get muddy in the mix fast vs the Yamaha for me, which handles the mid range mud better with less EQ.
What song is he playing on the upright?
PA is very destructive, I prefer a real grand piano (second hand) of about 4000,- Only then you really feel the sound through your living room. Probably Nord is slightly better, but I'd probably choose Roland or Hammond. Yamaha is good in low-end sector with cheap keyboards, that's their strength. Good sound quality at Yamaha is for Sax and some piano's.
Functional and useable nice piano sounds in portable keyboards good for travel. Good for pop applications and even tracking they'd pop out in a mix. But it's really impossible to get the sound of say a huge sample library like the VSL Syncrhon CFX (Yamaha), the 9' Steinway, or the Bosendorfer Grand Imperial all from Vienna Symphonic Library but all requiring a sophisticated 88 note weighted controller and powerful computer. With that said in your samples I like the Nord for it's body in the sustain as the Yamaha seems to be thinner.
Which controller would you recommend to get the best out of the software pianos?
Nord sounds a bit more authentic to my ears. Sounds like the Yamaha only really has one good Rhodes sound.. the 78’.
Yes, but this 78 Rhodes from Yamahai like more than every single of the 8 Rhodes samples in the Nords, and i have both in use, Yamaha YC 73 and Nord Stage.
@@1970piano Nice. I'm dyin to try the crumar seven.. John Reyna says the action feels very close to a well setup Rhodes. I guess because it's modeled the connection of the sound to the keys is real tight. ruclips.net/video/Pgt8PBEXnPc/видео.html
I bought a yc 73 and am struggling to like the piano. I am a pianist and wouldn’t call myself picky but just find the piano almost unplayable. Organ and eps are good though. I am confused. I have played the cp88 before and loved the piano and it’s the same patch but I don’t like any of the pianos on the yc 73. Am I doing something wrong?
Nord for real Piano players but for most producer, I feel like the YC Pianos would really cut through the mix
The one thing that would make the Nord the winner thumbs down would be the addition of mod and pitch wheels. Why have a synthesizer section if you’re not going to have modulation wheels?
Overall, I like the sounds of the Nord. I have the YC73 and the action is not very responsive as it’s a cheapened weighted action to make it lighter weight. They should have made it waterfall synth action like the 61.
It was pretty noticeable that the sound of the Nord inspired you the most 😂. Don’t worry, me too.
well done
I love the YC...but wish it came in 76 keys
They have it now it just came out YC 76 and 88 so Yamaha answer our prayers
@@jeffreyreid6981 73 and 88 ;)
I like how Yamaha is placed on subharmonicon box 😇
Hope internet business is selling well, great work hope you open soon. Qientin
Nord hands down in my opinion
todos os sons Nords são mais graves por que?
Not sure why so many people are saying the Nord is smoking the YC across the board? I own an immaculate 1977 Mk1 Rhodes. The Yamaha is much, much closer.
Yes, the first Yamaha Rhodes sample is much better than any of the eight Nord Rhodes samples! And i play Nords since years…
Like in the previous video..
Nord sounds like they made a GREAT job on that stereo sound engine...
It's stereo coverage is FULL. Yamaha sounds thiner, more centered (in a bad way)
I want the Yamaha but I want 76 keys :/
Got a second keyboard with 76 keys already?
CP73 Yamaha
The YC just came out 76 and 88 do you got your wish
Jeffrey Reid oh, that's awesome, thank you! I was literally just about to give in and buy the CP73 but that keyboard has terrible organ sounds!
The EQ on the Yamaha appears flat. I don't know how the Nord is set. The Yamaha seems to lack low end and is a little thin compared to the Nord. Maybe this can be fixed with EQ?
Yamahas are bright by default. The idea being to be used live to cut through the band. But EQ is a wonderful thing.
“Fix it in the mix” is dangerous.
Love ur stuff..... canada ...strong and free
I own a Nord electro and a Yamaha Motif and though the Nord sounds more impressive by itself - cause it has generally a fatter or thicker sound... this creates all kinds of issues when recording (with other instruments) the Yamaha sits in a mix much easier. You have to remove a lot of the low end from the Nord to make room for bass guitar, drums, synth, etc. And then the Nord looses to the motif everytime. It really shocked me. This was across the board meaning pianos, rhodes and organ. Then there is the ability to alter the on board sounds either through on board filters or effects and the Yamaha is way more flexible. I've spent hours downloading and recording the Nord's samples and yet the Yamaha always sounded better. This video and other head to head comparisons convinced me to buy the Nord but as a recording artist it was mistake.
Mark Hopkins, what Yamaha keyboard are the same as the yc73? A p125?
How come the electric piano sounds you play, but on Nord the display always shows Royal Grand 3D ?
I had both the YC61 & YC73. The YC73 feels and responds better with real EP keys. It has balanced outs also. The 61 is really toy-ish on the keys but maybe organist like that. The way Yamaha works internally it's difficult for them to achieve dynamics because of memory and/or sensor limitations. The 88 has the 3 senor technology but why not the others as well? It does have a dedicated key touch button that might help. Nord sounds bass heavy and is it processed more to some extent? Yamaha tends to stay treble heavy by nature. The YC has mod & pitch levers & a real FM engine and other bells & whistles and more gadgets I suppose. Fun factor is high.
I actually ordered the yc73 to maybe replace my yc61 but couldn't get over the boxy sound I was getting even with using the same patches. Very noticeable when playing Rhodes and piano patches
@@itsmaistro Something was off not sure why it would be different from the 61 which I don't have anymore. Plays better on the Osmose. The guts of the YC73 should have actually produced better sound but when they change things It could go backwards I suppose. The action or interaction makes sense that it causes changes when they change out the bed. The action or response can get messed up however that works internally.
What's ridiculous about NORD is also the power supply. It is fixed 220V/50Hz on instruments sold in Europe and fixed 110V/60Hz in Northern America. Just like a DVD Regional Code. Here in Brazil, we unfortunately have 110V in the Southeast and South and mostly 220V in other regions (Northeast and North). So you have to be careful not to burn your $2.000+ instrument (at least blow its fuse) depending on where you bought it and where you pretend to play it and carry it around with a humming voltage transformer... Ridiculous for such a super expensive instrument that is meant for professional use.
I kinda gotta say, I like the sounds of the Yamaha way better... they sound so rich and realistic. The Nord sounds more "vibrant" - no wonder it is popular for gigging. The CP80 was clearly nicer on the Yamaha - again the Nord sounded extremely bright and - I'm almost gonna say like it was "screaming". The EPs - more a matter of personal taste, I'd say. Neither steals the butter from the other's bread ;-)
…. Actually hey Jack, your other interesting video with the Nord Electro & Yamaha YC included in your 5x Hammond/Leslie emulators Shootout demo video together with Mike Patrick reveals in the last 8 minutes summary comments that the YC 🎹 is the better option for a Bandmix gigging keyboard✔️ 🎹👍🎶🤩. The YC is so highly featured, eg. not 1, but 3 x Leslie models, & 3 x Amp models (if I remember correctly), & plus FM Hammonds, & with the YC 73 & 88 models stereo XL outputs, & the YCs with USB interface connection to an iPad for additional software Sounds APPs that can be played directly through the YC stereo audio outputs - no notebook computer 💻 needed for additional layered or split sounds at gigs! 🤗🎶👍. The YC stage keyboards out feature any other Stage Performance keyboards on the planet thus far. 🤗
Nord no doubt best sounding than yamaha and i have nord electro 6d
You have the Nord Louder and you are playing Yamaha's crappiest keybed.? Cheers
I gotta add something else to this discussion: I own the CP73 and the Electro 6D 61. Some things on the Yamaha are just quicker and easier to get to - for quick Piano/EP stacks, it takes you literally seconds. Try making a quick "David Foster" Acoustic/DX stack on the Nord. I believe you can't stack your favorite XL piano with an XL EP. Reason enough for me to consider trading the 6D for a YC61. And all the Nord-Crowd scream "yes, but you can load samples into the Nord". Ok. Still doesn't fix the Usability issue :(
No problem to stack xl piano with xl electric piano on the Nord.
Nord wins again! 💪😎👍
Well, well. I usually think Nord boards are extremely overpriced with poor keybed actions, blah, blah. But wow, imo, the Nord is crushing the YC-61 for only a few hundred extra $$. I wouldn't use either for piano because of the action, but for everything else, I think I have to order this Nord. Super impressed. Thanks Jack.
if i had HD ears i may have a preference - ymmv
I own the Yamaha, the Nord, the Casio, the Roland ( duhhh, I own a shop) and I use a lot of vst plug-inn on the computer . With the band I play easy jazz and fusion and I use mostly a Nord....because...the feeling-the action- response. Mostly the most clones sounding good but their action is like playing a sample synthesizer.
more or less the same usage : i am in between choosing Nord piano 88 keys vs Nord Electro 73 keys ... Which one do you recommend ?
@@kaankaral Depending on the position and type music in a band, it is usually fine with 76k. If you are alone and play quiet jazz or classical and have little pa to carry...88. With musicpeople around you who also claim their position...76 ---> good enough for an occasional solo
@@playonkorg Thank you mate, really helped me. cheers
@@kaankaral With pleasure Kaan
What kind of amp did you used?
Yamaha holds no advantage over Nord especially as you can load any sound you want in a Nord Electro or Stage.
plenty of real advantages, though. The action is getting high praise, multi-samples for a much wider variety of sounds, tri-timbral, organ plus two others....the built in audio interface, the even more fleshed out front interface....people are debating how good the Yamaha organ is, so i think its too close to call until i can play with it myself, so ill say PROBABLY goes to NORD.
I thought the YC61 was based on Yamaha's YC series of combo organs. Hardly the ideal starting point for a piano.
based on looks alone the Yamaha wins. I can't stand that red color, but that's just my opinion.
I think it's becoming so gimmicky, i know it's their thing though.
I love your channel but think this comparison isn't accurate. You are comparing the brighter Yamaha grands (CFX) against the darker Nord Steinway sample. It's like comparing a Les Paul vs a Strat. The two pianos have different tonal quality. I own both the Nord Electro and several Yamaha stage pianos and synths. I prefer the Yamaha bright pianos - probably because I play on an acoustic Yamaha in church. The Nord Electro 6D you are playing is a 73 key and has hammer action and the Yamaha YC is a weighted B3 action - more like the Nord Electro 61 key. I would always prefer the weighted hammer action for piano (more control and expression).
His electro 6D has the drawbars on it so I believe that model only has the semi weighted waterfall key-bed, not the HP weighed version.
He says its the waterfall nord doesnt he? Plus you can see it written on the top of the instrument.
I wanna rock with you allllllll night. Great playing!!!!
Nord sounds better in your home studio, Yamaha will shine on the stage as the sounds are originally flatter on purpose.
Just to be the Devil's advocate for a minute: it occurs to me that in such discussions there is often a parallel between guitar videos in which the "tone zealots" lust after sounds that feel great to a player but would be far less practical in a full band arrangement. I don't disagree with people's assessment of the comparison but at times, I felt there would be more work for an engineer to do with the Nord when jumping between patches while some of the perceived limitations of the Yamaha may in fact have minimised this through the production of more sculpted tones. Just a thought.
Possibly, but when you look at the number of top session players who want an instrument that will provide them with the best balance between 'feel' and features, the Nord seems to be way up there. Sound engineers seem to get over it.
If it's just EQ, that's an easy adjustment for the engineer or the musician. The Nord sounds fuller to my ears, but you could probably thin it down by turning off string resonance. Or, if you download the smallest version of the piano, it won't have pedal down samples which could also have the benefit of thinning it down for a mix. I personally love the fullness of the Nord, and while it may have a fatter frequency array, I don't think it would make it any harder to mix than a real grand piano which can also make quite a racket.
Exactly why I just sold my Electro 6D and going with the YC73. I've been mostly a Yamaha/Motif guy all my life. I'm not a concert pianist. More of a keyboard player. I play with full bands usually accompanied by guitar players and another organ/aux player. As phenomenal as the Nord pianos sound, everything that makes it sound great go out the window when the band cranks up. With that said....Yamaha pianos have always seemed to not only sit in the mix better but with my hands alone, I can stand out when needed. With my Electro, i often found myself jumping through piano patches, messing with eq, reverb etc from song to song or room to room.
At first I thought Jack burped during the video, then I realized I had Minecraft open in the background.
I’d purchase a Yamaha for the build quality but the key drop is shallow....Nords infamous customer service is a serious negative. Regarding sounds though, the pianos on the Nord are limited to around four worthwhile instruments, lovely sounding too, while the Yamaha is a little fizzy on the decay.
My opinion, Piano's Nord got way more definition in the middle range and sound more authentic solo wise, Yamaha seems to absolutely miss this and is sounding thin. Maybe ok on stage with other instruments but I still miss the mid range. Rhodes. I don't like the Nord. Way to bassy and not much definition in the middle. They seems to sound ok both, but you'll have to edit the Nord to sound good. Wurlies, Pretty much the same. Both sound good. Clavi .. better luck next time Nord. Clear Yamaha win. Really Wish Yamaha would give us a 73/76 version with waterfall keys. If for Piano play I would go for the YC73 but its not very practical for organ playing with weighted keys. Pretty sure the sample sets is the same as used in ModX, Genos and Montage and it is good Piano's just need some editing to suite the individual sound each person like. I'm not a Nord person and will never be, but granded .. out of the box this demo clearly favors Nord for the Acoustic Piano sound. Don't know why the YC61 sound so thin. And frankly .. drop the retro shite with 73 keys. We'we been used to 76 key for the last 4 decades .. yeah I know a Rhodes only had 73 notes but really ...