Yamaha CK Series: Hammond Organ Controls

Getting The Most Out Of Your Yamaha CK Series (CK61 & CK88)!
Video 2: CK Series Hammond Organ Controls - PLUS AN EXPERT INTRO ON HAMMOND ORGANS!
In this video I'm excited to welcome my first guest on the channel - pro keyboard and Hammond organ player, and founder/head instructor of Online Rock Lessons - Marine Lacoste! Marine is going to provide an expert introduction to the basic controls on actual Hammond organs, and then I will go over how to access those controls on the Yamaha CK Series.
I HIGHLY recommend that you check out Marine's online course,
ONLINE ROCK LESSONS
My Review: • Online Rock Lessons Re...
Get Started: onlinerocklessons.com - USE COUPON CODE "PIANOTONE" if you choose to sign up for the yearly subscription: this will let Marine know I referred you, and she will include a free 20 minute orientation call with you!
Connect A 2nd Keyboard To Your CK: • Yamaha CK Series: Conn...
Yamaha CK Series Playlist: • Yamaha CK Stage Keyboards
Here are some affiliate links if you would like to check out current prices on the products I mention in this video:
Check Prices On Amazon:
Yamaha CK61: geni.us/ZdDw6S (Amazon)
Yamaha CK88: geni.us/iSAhII (Amazon)
M-Audio Expression Pedal: geni.us/ejZUL10 (Amazon)
Intro/About My Guest: 0:00
Intro To Hammond Organ & Its Controls: 2:28
(By Marine Lacoste)
Tour Of The Controls: 2:58
2 Keybeds (Manuals) vs. 1: 4:00
Drawbars: 4:58
Presets: 5:15
Percussion: 10:24
Chorus & Vibrato: 12:33
Rotary Speaker/Leslie: 13:50
Beginner Tips: 16:00
Hammond Organ Controls On The CK Series: 19:25
Display Drawbars vs. Physical: 20:09
Drawbars: 21:40
Upper & Lower Keyboards With The CK: 22:56
Hammond Presets-CK Equivalents: 26:34
Rotary/Leslie Speaker Controls: 28:00
Percussion: 30:12
Chorus & Vibrato: 32:11
Marine's Beginner Tips: 33:37
Expression Pedal Setup: 35:55
CK Hammond Organ Presets: 39:16
Final Thoughts: 41:19
If you enjoy this video and want to help support my channel, feel free to buy me a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/pianoton...
Thanks a bunch for stopping by the channel, please subscribe (really helps me out!) and happy piano & organ playing!
Please note that this description contains affiliate links which I may earn commissions from on qualifying purchases.

[@jessesingersongwriter]

Excellent, Tony! Amazing have Marine on too. Helpful for me and my CK 61

[@PianoTone]

Awesome glad you found it useful! And yes, Marine is awesome as is her course!

[@frans688]

Thanks!!!! This is a video worthy of seeing more than once 👌💯

[@PianoTone]

Thanks for checking out the channel feel free subscribe

[@tmarkrogers]

That was a really useful introduction for someone like me, who is no 'organist' but has chosen the CK88 because it has that option in a stage piano. Thank you for your time in putting this together 👍

[@PianoTone]

Thanks a lot glad you found it useful! Thanks for checking out the channel

[@ricklarson9312]

Thank you so much for this video ! Lee 3-10-24

[@PianoTone]

Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe

[@marceldymanus6372]

A great help!

[@PianoTone]

Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe

[@winddealer1]

Saw your video on the DoReMidi USB to midi adapter! Thank you. Just what the DGX- needs. Couldn't help myself so I thought I'd pass on some detail on my research with Leslie simulations related to Yamaha in particular. The newer bigger brothers of the Reface YC were introducted several years ago, in the form of stage keyboards; the YC-family (88 and 61). The YCs include multiple unique capabilities that have not yet been available with the CK, CP, Montage, Genos, Tyros and CLP, P-seies and DGX families. Namely all these product families make use of conventional Yamaha Rotary DSP effects. The YC series make use of Yamahas Virtual Circuit Modeled (VCM) Rotary effect which comes at a higher price point. The VCM Rotary does more closely simulate a Leslie. Amongst other things, the VCM Rotary effect provides controls over Cross over frequencies, Drum and Horn amps, individual ramp / up down speeds for the Drum and Horn simulations (and several other useful parameters). The user can save custom presets for each of these parameters allowing precise simulated controls over how fast the drum speaker accelerates and decelerates. This speed is traditionally independent for both the Horn and Drum speaker simulations. The Horn speaker speed in a true Leslie has its own ramp-up / down acceleration/deceleration times vs the Drum speaker. One of the characeristics of a good Rotary Simulation on an Electronic Keyboard is the ability to clearly hear / identify the variablity of speeds between the Drum and Horn speaker output when moving from Chorus, Stop and Fast speeds. The cross over settings create a break point between low frequencies going to the Drum simulation and the mid to high frequencies to the Horn speaker simulation. Many VST products include Rotary simulation and some external hardware products also provide great alternates instead of having the Rotary effect be part of the keyboard. Listen closely next time you hear a Hammond organist using a Leslie and try to discern the low end rotation speed (drum) vs the high end rotation speed of the horns. For most of us the standard Yamaha DSP Rotary Effects do a fine job w/o going to the VCM Rotary. I do however appreciate the VCM Rotary feature and wish it was available in more Yamaha offerings other than the YC-61.

[@PianoTone]

Thanks so much for all that detailed info!

[@winddealer1]

@@PianoTone Correction on the Montage M.... Yamaha now includes VCM Rotary on the M series... whoo hoo!

[@TheMg49]

Very entertaining video Tony. Much too complicated for me, but fun to watch. Very nice work by Marine. Gotta love the Hammond Organ sound. If I ever get one of the CK Series, it will be a great reference video. Thanks and thumbs up.

[@PianoTone]

Thanks Thomas! Don’t forget your 425 has rotary speakers you can add to the live control knobs for organ voices (I did a video on that :)

[@TheMg49]

@@PianoTone Yeah, the ew425 control knobs are great. I've done some organ stuff in the distant past. Might do some more. Anyway, cool vid Tony. Looking forward to more.

[@Triplechorus2]

On a real Hammond the expression pedal not only changes the volume but also the sound spectrum. At low volume you still have a strong bass. It sounds a little bit like the loudness control on hifi amplifiers.

[@PianoTone]

Thanks for sharing that info super helpful! I so need to spend some time on an actual Hammond! And thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe

[@chueco9940]

killer video. i def learned a lot from this.

[@PianoTone]

Awesome! Marine is super talented; she’s added a Hammond course to her main course now (I’ll be reviewing that once I complete it; I’ve started it and it’s fantastic). Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe

[@chueco9940]

Yeah no problem. This is quality content. Keep it up for sure.

[@moclairemac]

Thank you for the video. Im interested in hearing the ck88 both through an amp and an earpiece at same time. Do you know if or how this possible?

[@extremepotato908]

Hello Tony, can you share how you connect your ck88 with ct s1🙏. Great video btw.

[@PianoTone]

Thanks! There's 2 videos that might be useful - the first is how to connect an external keyboard and configure it (play one voice, all voices etc): kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXqoaISoZ89mqqM But the above video assumes your external board has a 5 pin MIDI out (USB MIDI doesn't work directly). To connect something the CT-S1 (any keyboard with only USB MIDI) you need an extra converter box like the DOREMIDI USB Host: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnSzeHxnbMifr5o Hope that helps! Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe

[@chadley5350]

Do you know if there's any way to start up the organ and have it default to the current position of the drawbars? It seems annoying to have to move each drawbar before you can hear them. Thanks!

[@PianoTone]

No it wont default to the current setting of drawbars; you have 2 choices (in the controller setup menu) either catch or jump. Jump is the default when you unbox your piano; when you choose an organ voice, the drawbars on screen will be your current setting, but the second you touch any of them, then setting “jumps” to where you had the physical one. Catch means that the sound/drawbar setting won’t change until your physical control matches the on screen. The jump setting was driving me crazy (drastic immediate changes depending where the physical bars happen to be); so I switched to catch and it works awesome (and no surprises!). I try to get in the habit when I choose an organ patch that i immediately move the physical bars until they “catch” (and match the onscreen ones) before I start the song. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe

[@marcusstrymon693]

so uppon more forum deep dive, the internet says that the ck organ sounds are supposedly "bad" because they have so much top end and are aggressive and hurt the ears. The internet says, that the ck is a "cheap" sound and that the yc sounds are very superior I was wondering about your opinion if the internet talks nonsense - i mean just from guitar i have years of experience with thses gear snobs Now for me, i will not spend 3k on a stage piano, but if the internet is right and the ck sounds are unpleasant than I would save the money and get the pxs 3100 - since as we were talking it has good organs anyway.... Since you have both of them andnits between those 2 (ck88 vs pxs 3100) I would be curious on your opinion on this and if the ck sounds in general are worth the upgrade over the privia. Thanks!

[@PianoTone]

To be honest I don’t have the 3000 anymore and didn’t use the organs much when I had it (was all piano and Rhodes back then) but I love the organ sounds on my CK, and keep in mind the CK has drawbars, rotary speaker, percussion, chorus and vibrato organ controls - the Casio has none of that, so playing organ on that would be a bit limiting if you’re really wanting to get into it. The organ sounds on the CK come from the Yamaha reface line and there are lots of people who say they’re not the greatest out there, but they’re usually comparing them to alternatives that cost twice the price or more so you have to keep $ in mind. And there are lots of experienced Hammond players that say the CK isn’t bad at all and is really good for the price. I’m still new at organ playing, and I’ve never touched a real Hammond so I’m not a specialist at all; you could blindfold me and I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the CK or the Nord or the Yamaha YC so I’m super happy with my CK (as are my band mates in my blues band). The organ samples on the Casio might me fine too, but without drawbars and rotary speaker controls I think the CK is a far better choice for organ. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe

[@marcusstrymon693]

@@PianoTone 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Thank you Tbh for me it was clear 5 yrs ago that I would love an organ style instrument and the ck... it seems too good to be true Subscribed :)

[@teetie192]

When I make live music, I also want to be able to play with enough space for my hands. 61 keys on such a light weight keyboard are not ideal. I can already see the bowl shaking on all sides. And I have to frantically play small. Too bad the sound is very good but the keyboard is too small. I'll go for the 88 if it also has a light touch, otherwise I'll continue looking.

[@PianoTone]

The 88 is fully weighted hammer action like a piano (but on the light side) but it is much heavier feeling than the 61. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe