One of my long standing wishes with arranger keyboards is an on board style generation tool. Not a style copy and modify tool, but an on-board tool similar to the Korg Karma algorithms that would actually allow you to built a style based on a core starting genre or a beat and tweak the hell out of it until you have a really cool style; similar to Band in a box. You could change parameters like 4/4, 2/4, 3/4 tempo, swing, shuffle, groove, bass lines, beat displacement, accompaniment, etc. until you achieved a suitable style and then save that style to your user area. Then perhaps create more styles based on the new style you just created and so on and so forth.

I think this would revolutionize the AK market. Why the heck haven't they come up with this as yet???


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Al Giordano
Visit us at ARRANGER WORLD! http://www.arrangerworld.com

Korg Pa2xpro, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland TD-12 Vdrums, Roland SPD-S.

Al,
the answer could be that -like you wrote- it's much easier to do the same thing with programs like BIAB, and then import the result as a style into the keyboard of your choice.
My experience is that the best styles are those converted from song-specific midifiles or modelled after popular songs, so the bottom line to me is that all I really need are great midifiles and a program like Styleworks 2000, to convert them into styles; the whole process takes less than fifteen minutes per style.

Speaking of song-specific styles, did anyone notice that the Tyros Afrocuban style is "inspired" by the song "At the Mambo Inn", as recorded by George Benson and McCoy Tyner in the album "Tenderly"? Intro 3 is actually a carbon copy of the original; I wonder if Yamaha paid any royalties...



[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 10-27-2008).]

i believe a fisrt step toward that was roland's morphing function, unfortunatelly they decided to drop it.
i think this would be indeed revolutionary, and it could be done, since karma already has it, but i have to use my old theory why that does not happen: the manufacturers prefer to keep the market well defined at this time, between synth/workstation and arranger division.
at one point in time, i am sure we'll see this and other great features, but right now they can live quite alright without implementing them. ;( maybe they would like to keep such a hybrid arranger/synth keyboard as the ULTIMATE instrument, which they do not want to release yet. eventough i believe they could.

dreamer, i posted after you... really, having a "style generator" is much more than that; you could generate more or less random tracks that could sound from unexpected to extraordinary. that would fit new dance/electrica styles so well.
but arranger market is just not meant for that...

[This message has been edited by adimatis (edited 10-27-2008).]

I guess I must have missed something here. There is an onboard program in all Yamaha arrangers since the PSR-2000 called Style Creator. Yes, you modify a style using it, or just use the onboard drum kits, voices, etc.. and create your own style from scratch. It's not difficult, but it does take a bit of timing, chops and skill to create a good style. To create an outstanding style you need to be creative, skilled and have lots of free time to work on the style.

Gary

gary, it is something different:



i would love to see a feature like this.

mixing together different parts of different styles only brings so much benefit, but this one would bring completely new and original (read unexpected) styles.

I think a more radical approach is needed. Namely, the combination of styles -- such as the many good ones that currently exist -- with Karma-type functions that will modify the styles in real time. This should be able to be either under user control or take place automatically. That is, the style itself should contain the parameters that should be modified by the Karma like operators. I think this will revolutionize the arranger concept and market. It is interesting that the current arrangers do not even randomize the patterns within a style, but keep repeating the same patterns. Lowrey organs, since the MX1 and I believe even now, have style patterns that have several possible segments. The organ randomly chooses among the segments so that the style is never truly repetitive. I don't understand why Yamaha and the others don't do at least this. But as I said before, the combination of styles and Karma built into the current styles would make a big difference.

Sam

Dreamer I regularly play "Mambo Inn"and when I had my Tyros2 I used the Afro Cuban style, I also liked using it for the tune "St. Thomas"

Has anyone ever used a beat box to generate beats or loops? There are quite a few of them on the market. These are more than just drum machines, they are creative pieces of hardware that allow you to start with a simple BASS DRUM beat, then add the Snare, the cymbal/high hat, then the Bass, and other synth sounds. This is how most techno and DJ music is built today.

I'm sure most keyboard manufacturers have 3-4 models that they currently sell.

Something like this: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=766

Motif
6000 phrases, 4 Arps. 88 weighted. $3200


[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 10-27-2008).]

Motif - 6000 phrases, 4 arps...NOT ONE intro or ending arp!!

If Yamaha provided just a handful of both, it would be one "smokin'" keyboard.

Dennis