As a previous owner of a Yamaha PSRS700 and a Korg PA500, it was always hard work for me to create new orginal styles. In this demo by the ultra-talented Bert from Yamaha, he creates a new style (one variation) in what seems to be 15 seconds(approx. 6 mins). Is this "new" Yamaha technology or has it always been this easy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKPaMVjJqqQ

He's extremely talented, and he only created drums, bass, and piano for one variation. To create a full band style with 3 intros, 4 variations, 4 fills, 3 endings, and a break, that would be pretty time consuming.

But he did make it look a lot easier than it's ever looked before.

Ofttimes you may only want to change a part of a style...let's say the Piano part in Chord 1.

You can do what Bert has done and remove and play in another piano part in one section or all parts of a style, or you can use the Style Assembly section of Style Creator and replace the piano part with one from another style. It doesn't even have to be a piano part; you can substitute in a guitar (or any other) part if you wish, and you don't need to create (edit) all sections if you don't want to.

I usually teach the latter method (Assembly) on follow-up clinics...it is very easy to do, especially if your chops aren't quite up to Bert's level. You can also use step record in place of Real Time play.

Like anything else, the more you practise and experiment, the better results you will get.

Ian

All this is nothing new it's on many Yamaha arrangers its the same method used multitracking on any workstation sequencer,...BUT, let me say if you are not talented enough to be able to record all the parts almost perfectly results will vary BIG TIME. Yes it can be done on yamaha, korg, ketron, roland, in different ways,..is it easy NO!....can it be done? Yes, of course, with practice and experience. These are on-board style creating features should make everyone KEEP their arranger KB's forever as why not?...you can just keep making custom styles using something like what is shown in the demo, right? hey give it a try and see wheat do you got to lose?....have fun!

If you have a Yamaha arranger keyboard, the best advice I can give anyone is to go to the PSR-Tutorial forum, then download all the style libraries. Better yet, purchase their style library CD(s), which will provide you with nearly 50,000 styles, many of which are fantastic.

Cheers,

Gary

In reviewing the demo, I did notice Bert say that he was programming (entering music data) in the key of "C". Seems like this was the same on the PSR S700. Programming in any key other than "C" major was a nightmare, if my memory serves me correctly.

I was hoping Yamaha had made some new workflow enhancements along with the great features of the new PSR series. I sometimes use an arranger keyboard for music creation... Anything I can create on an arranger gives me unlimited potential for live situations.

I will be sure to do that. Thx.

The simple answer is yes it's that simple if you can imagine a style and play the component parts. That's what I do and I have not needed to by another arranger in nearly 8 years

Don't be fooled Manufacturers like style creation to be difficult as a financial sales stand point,....this in turn makes buyers jump at every chance to buy NEW releases, which in turn = more sales & money. If players hold on to units too long sales stay stagnant & that's a bad thing.
Selling KB's is a business first and foremost.
Good Marketing & Hype is the life line. I know I have a dismal track record for switching KB's but I hope that 8 yrs from now I still have my Pa3x time will tell. People do change.

I get your drift, Spalding. What is also really cool is that the styles I made back on my old PSR-3000, S900, S910 will work in my new Tyros4 with very little, or no tweaking.

However, with the T4, I can now use SA/SA2 sounds in the styles, so I can also update those old styles with these great new voices by doing a style revoice, which is very easy to do.

Style creating/editing/assembling is something I use almost everyday...the styles I use while performing are all my own creations using factory styles as a basis.

I have feeling the Tyros4 will be my last big investment in arranger instruments, and it's Style Creator facility will ensure that my keyboard will always be able to adapt to suit whatever I happen to be playing, both now and in the future.

Ian