Like Don, I made my own styles years ago. I would take a style and create the bass line, the drum part, all four variations, four fills, two introductions and two endings. I was putting a lot of time and effort in. I came to the realization that the pros who were creating were far more talented than myself. I was not a piano player, or a drummer.

Now that’s one view. Here’s another view: It was a heck of-a-lot of fun making the styles.

What I do now:
1-Change the instrument, and change their volume, octave, and the EQ if needed.
1-One dedicated mute control button to mute 1 to 5 parts of the style, on-the-fly, while adding pads ( I do create some of my own pads) – now the style is no longer what it was. Sometimes I used the full style and the four pads for a strong ending. I try to visualize a band with 12 musicians. It is rare to hear them playing all at once. If it is a three-piece R&R band, the only thing I change is the rhythm.

What I am saying is there are so many ways to play with your keyboard, find which one you enjoy the most. If I could create fantastic styles, but hated doing them, they would never get done.

Just saying, no more, John C.

I like John's method-find something close to what you want and tweak it. I'll be the first to admit that I'm too lazy to do it from scratch.

Pretty much why the younger generation does not use arrangers..... They want to make beats and create and record their own music using other means.... Multitracking, vst, pads, etc... This way it's original.

The younger generation in the U.S. doesn't know what an arranger is. Nobody markets them correctly. The younger generation in other parts of the world do use arrangers. Look at youtube.

Very true. One can see some evidence that Yamaha has recognized the need for different marketing by looking at their video series that was released when the Genos came out. Beth Nielsen Chapman, who is a Nashville songwriter, appeared in one extolling the virtues of using Genos for that purpose. Whether or not it will work-I don't know.

I can see that,... it is a shame here in the USA arrangers are pretty much fading into obscurity becoming dinosaurs of a bygone era the same way the old wooden arranger style organs did.

If I had a crystal ball capable of peering into the future... I'm thinking it would show a bright future for Arrangers... after the war was over and the media had been penalized for attempting to "Dumb us down." Children (including teens) would be actually taught instead of being "baby-sat" and their bright minds would see the opportunity Arrangers present... because Music would once again be part of the curriculum.

Yeah, I know, I've turned into an optimist as "old age" begins to take it's toll. LOL!

It ain't over 'til it's over, Guys!