I just read this on the Styles group. I responded with some questions I will post it here too. I am curious about the implications Yamaha is making in this letter. There were several sections that bothered me but his area stuck out very loudly and I quote:

> collection of Style Files, and those Style Files are Yamaha's
> valuable assets. As the owner of rights in these Style Files, Yamaha
> has the sole and exclusive right to reproduce and distribute them.
> While Yamaha welcomes playing your music on our styles, it only
> permits reproduction within the scope of personal use.

I understand the copyright issue here. However, have I read this quote from the letter correctly? This seems to say that if you use your keyboard styles for anything other than personal use your are violating the copyright? Does this mean the professional musicians may be violating a copyright law if they use the original (even slightly altered) styles to make money? Or, worse, they record music with these styles and make money off the recording? Just wondering.

While the original styles in their original state are indeed copyright, I can not see how an altered style would be. The sole purpose of the keyboard is to create music using these styles. Why would you buy one if you have limitations? Makes no sense if a company can pick apart a peice of your music and claim copyright infringement. Are ALL Yamaha keyboard styles for personal use only? Not professional? What other manufacturers have restrictions like this? Maybe someone reads this differently than I have. Anyone?

-Linda