What do you prefer.? (Considering you have acces to several options for a song)

1)Using songstyles which are specifically created for a certain song, including the perfect intro

2)Or using general styles which can be used for many songs, dont sound as authentic as songstyles, but give room for your own interpretation of a style


And while we are at it, several other style related questions..
- do you edit your styles any further then volume settings and choosing instruments?
- do you create your own styles?
- do you buy style packs regularly?
- would you consider yourself a style collector?


Or are you stricktly a midi-file user?

I prefer general styles, unless there is a song that has specific drum beat.But, for regular let's say 8 beat song I would always go for general 8 beat style.I still prefer playing as much as I can ..
I also don't want to sound that close to the original.What is the point then playing it live.
I do a lot of fixing to the styles I use.Basically every style in my keyboard I will change something.With T5 I always start with drums, and I go from there.
I don't make styles myself.I don't have time or will to do it from scratch.

It depends on the song. Some of them have such an identifiable hook and/or drumbeat, or tempo change, that if I can't play it exactly right, or don't want to, it is easier to use a song style. I'm thinking about Sweet Home Alabama, Suspicious Minds and a few others.
I use probably 98 percent general styles and make 'em work.

I too have edited song styles for certain songs, changing voices, drum sets, etc. ... There is a ballad style on my KORG Pa900 that the Intro and Ending 1 is perfect for "Unchained Melody", but when I use that same style for any other song, I use Intro 2 and give my own intro ... Other than that, I fall in with what mirza and Don said about 'specific' styles ...

I can think of only 5 midi files that I use regularly: the Bobby Darin version of "Mack The Knife" (edited to add a 1 chorus piano solo); "New York New York"; "Sweet Caroline"; Van Morrison's "Moondance", and "My Girl" ... I have others but seldom if ever use them ...

I'm with DonM (and others) in that mostly I use general styles. I try to find (for example) an 8-beat style (from the many onboard) that seems to "work well" for a given song, even if it's not exact.

There are a few exceptions; someone gave me a great style for "In The Mood" that I now use. I also use a few others, can't think of them now, for songs that (as other said) have an unusual or unique hook or rhythm to them. Oh, I bought one a long time ago that is great for "Time Is Tight", so I use that song-specific one.

Probably ~95% of the time, I find a general styles that works well for each song that I set up up Registrations for ...

Jim

I'm kinda of in the middle with this, mainly because I have thousands of great style files, many of which are song specific. If there is a song, such as Sweet Home Alabama, Old Time Rock And Roll, Bad Leroy Brown, My Girl, and loads of others with specific, identifiable intros that always seem to trigger a positive response, I'll go to those styles every time. If the song is more of a generic nature, and I can accurately play the intro, I'll use one of the onboard styles, most of which do not require tweaking or tuning for the song.

Good topic,

Gary

I only use about 30-40 goto factory styles, converted, or third party, that are tweaked for my needs that will cover any song in my repertoire,.....I either use the factory or play my own intros, endings, etc, if needed or make up your own,..I also use these same styles to record more complex multitrack backing tracks too adding the parts I want..

i'm using Editied factory Styles as I have for years and am now delving into Edited SMF's. Actually having fun playing along with the SMF's since Roland included the Mark/Jump function in the BK9 menu.

I hear ya Bill with the SMF it's just like playing with a band..and leaves two hands free to concentrate on the keyboard ..etc,..mix it up baby!

I really don't use the factory intros much. Only on a few songs, such as Blue Suede Shoes, Heartbreak Hotel, etc. The Korg intro number two allows you to play your own chords and it is useful sometimes. 90 percent of the time, I just use Syncro-start and play my own intro with one of the style variations.
I almost always use the short ending too.