So far, I can't convince my BK-9 to load my user style at startup. I created and saved a custom performance, and saved the performance list (on USB of course.) Then I went into the Performance Edit menu and selected "Save as default." When I reboot the board, most of the performance settings are in place. But for some reason, instead of my user style it always loads factory style number 3.

On my E-50, I can specify a style from the PCMCIA card for the default Performance. So why won't the BK read from my USB stick? I've done enough programming to know the risks of defaulting something from removable media. However, it could at least check the USB, and if the style isn't there or the name is different, THEN it could display a warning message and load something else!

Am I missing a step, or is what I'm trying to do simply not possible on the BK-9? I'm getting really frustrated with this!

No, you’re not missing a step… unlike the G/E series, only ROM styles can be addressed at startup.

I think it’s because USB sticks are easily swapped whereas those PCMCIA cards weren’t, and if the wrong stick is in the slot (or no stick at all) the Performance won’t find it and your arranger won’t start (did you ever try to startup your E50 with the card out if the startup addressed it?).

Having the startup address a ROM style ensures it will ALWAYS start up…

A workaround would be to place a copy of the Startup Performance at the very top of your main Performance List but addressing the user style you want, and immediately after startup, load your Perf. List and you will have your startup Perf. immediately visible and selectable.

I always do this with every Perf. List I create, in fact I have a few I place at the top of each List for different tasks - style play, SMF/Audio backing, live band, LH bass etc.. This makes it quick and easy to set up for specific tasks right from the start.

Long experience has taught me that it’s not a good idea to assume that any newer Roland will do things the same as previous ones! More than any other brand, Roland’s seemed to start fresh each model series, and often useful stuff from previous models is lost while new things are added.

I’ve never quite understood why, perhaps they didn’t keep a consistent design team together, and each new generation had different people on the design team, who knows..? But yes, along with the delight of new sounds, styles and features each new generation brought, there was always some disappointment over what went missing. And it often felt like they were being designed by people who hadn’t used previous Roland’s and didn’t realize how useful certain things were.

We’ll never know for sure, but this explanation seems to fit the facts!