Which Octave?

 The SS-30 has 49 keys. That's four octaves plus one more C. Depending on which voice you're using the pitch you're playing and hearing will vary, however. This is obvious when playing the instrument, but not something you can look up or get any definite infomation on. Until now!

SS-30's 49 Keys

As discussed in the TOG post, the four 'top' octaves generated from the master oscillators are 3 to 6, ranging between C3 and C7. All those octaves are also divided by two, duplicating the pitches one octave lower. This second range is thus C2 to C6, adding a fifth octave to the total range available in the SS-30, which is C2 to C7. 

Top Octaves and Divided Octaves

The undivided TOG octaves and the divided octave ranges are designated "8" and the "16" in the Service Manual. These numbers refer to organ foot-pitches, the length of pipes, where eight-foot is the middle or standard pitch and sixteen-foot is one octave lower.

Top Octaves - 8' - and Divided Octaves - 16'

These two ranges are used seperately in the SS-30. The Violins voices are derived from the eight-foot, undivided range and the Viola and Cello voices from the sixteen-foot, divided down range. So, the octave range for the Violin 1 & 2 voices is C3-C7 and the range for Viola, Cello 1 and Cello 2 is C2 - C6.

SS-30 Voice Octave Ranges

Own Your Owners’ Mess

You won't find that documented anywhere in the Yamaha Owners Manual or Service Manual. Indeed the information that is there is either incorrect or misleading. The Owners Manual is quick to state the keyboard has 49 keys and these are "C-C4". It then clarifies that this is four octaves. On that basis, the bottom C would be C0. We know this is simply wrong, assuming we use the normal numbering for octaves. 

Well, that's the harsh judgement. Being more reasonable I could conclude that they are talking about keys, not particular notes or pitches (or octaves). Afterall, the octave depends on the voices being played. Then again, there are five Cs, not four. 

There is some internal consistency to this as the section on the keyboard split uses this numbering to describe where the splits occur: C1, F#1 & C2.

SS-30 Keyboard Split Points - Owners Manual numbering

It's worth noting here that when the Keyboard Split is applied the notes start from C2, not C3. This means there is (kind of) a gap of one octave in what you can play. Where the gap comes depends on the exact split, of course, and the gap only exists for the Vioins, not the Viola... But, my point here is: how could Yamaha’s manual authors summarise the keyboard range and define it correctly with this kind of complication?

Keboard Split Applied with gap in octaves between Cellos and Violins

Disorder Of Service Manual

The Service Manual is there to lay bare these complications though. Could it be more forthcoming? No. No, it can't. In fact the first thing it does it repeat the fudged statement in the Owners Manual. 

Further down the first page though it has another go. The Assembley Layout diagram shows how the insides of the SS-30 are physically arranged in the cabinet. Under the K boards is the "Key Board" area and here it has another go at numbering the octave. This time gets it half right. The range is claimed as "C2 - C6", which we know is right for Cellos and Viola. It takes some working out to know that though! 

SS-30 Service Manual 'Assembly Layout'

The remainder of the Service Manual avoids differentiation between octaves on different boards. G boards have their 8 and 16 labels wih octave split into upper and lower ends. Once they are mixed the infomation is lost though.

The annoying thing about the foot-pitches is that the tuning is misaligned with convention. The A above middle C should be A4 at 440Hz. In the undivided top octaves of the SS-30 the middle C is C5 though. It should really be designated 4’ and the divided range of the Viola and Cellos 8’. Oh well!