If midi is better as a universally standard format, and "midi" styles may be modified or edited easily with cakewalk or others programas, why Technics (and Roland, etc.) styles aren't in midi format? They have its own format, and only yamaha styles are in midi format... why??

Perhaps own Tecnhics format are better than Yamaha midi format? In what sense is it better?

Perhaps the reason is to difficult using their styles for other manufacturers?

Cheers

Artaher...As you state Yamaha only use the Midi format for their Style Files, but this was not always the case. All manufactures use different formats. Technics.cmp. Roland .stl etc: The Midi File format is of benefit to us the user because it is easy to edit Yamaha Styles on the PC. Cakewalk will accept Yamaha .sty and once loaded all the markers for the Variations can be seen and changed if required.
If all manufactures followed this format we would not require a style convert program like EMC and all different styles would be exchangable.

Graham UK

ok Graham, as you say, midi format is better for styles, it is of benefit for users because the reasons you say.
But so, why all manufacturers do not follow the same midi format? why they prefer their own format? Is their format better than yamaha midi format to make styles? Is because that yamaha styles usually are simpler, canned, not so rich as others manufacturers styles?
Thanks

Artaher,

All general midi formats are the same. Instrument manufacturers each have their own instrument format for special reasons. Midi is limited to the number of instrument sounds and quality settings. The manufacturers use their own format because it allows more instruments, quality settings, versatility and, some believe sound better than midi. They are not concerned with their files being able to be used on other instruments. The Technics instruments can save music to either the Technics format or the Standard Midi File format (smf). I work with midi files a lot on my KN6500 because I find them easier to work with, and I like to work with them on my computer and then play them on my keyboard. I have 600 midi songs that I have set up for my keyboard, and I like the sound of each one. You can load a midi file into a keyboard and save it as the specific keyboard format, and you can save a specific keyboard format as a midi file. The versatility is there, you just have to decide what you want to do. I hope this helps a little. If you have any questions, just post.

Peter

Hi all

Interesting theme in this tread, may I join the club?

Don't we all whish that everything could be in one common format?
But there are probably some reasons that they are not, and as usual in
such matters, the famous thing called MONEY might be one of the main
issues here too.

Every manufacturer develope the instruments to compete in the market so
they can "catch" new customers as well as keep the old ones.
The styles are often one of the things who many users pay quite a lot of
attention to, so to create a common standard is to "destroy" a business
policy. Just look at the huge library of software most every brand have
available to the different keyboards.

At the end I think it is OK that they have theyr own fileformats, because
this might keep up the competition, and also might urge the produsers to
make even better instrument solutions, and to add more new super styles to
the list. (Good solution for those of us who don't do this part very well,
is'nt it?)
Most often, if not always, the styles made specially for the different
instruments capacity are those who sounds best, simply because "the glove
fit to the hand" who suppose to wear it.

Also the different factories claim that the system they producing is the
best available, and of course it is, is'nt it?
I think the future will bring more complex fileformats rather than use the
"standard" midi format alone, (that don't nessesarily mean larger filezize),
and maybe not even GM2, who is the new GM "standard", will be good enough.
We can already see it in the way some brands now use "live drums" etc., and
that sounds GREAT!

I think the manufacturers should pay a lot more attention to make real good
software for us to edit and work with this things in a easy way by use of
the PC, as well as on the keyboard itself.
But as always, this is only my personal view about different matters...

Kind regards
GJ