Friends,

The styles are not software. They are DATA. A processor (in the arranger) acts upon that data.

For data to be copyrighteable, it has to be expressed in a tangilble medium. Although the data may be displayed on a screen, it is still a representation of known musical events, based on a multitude of earlier renderings.

Facts, and common events about known things can not be copyrighted. For instance, one can not copyright data about the moon or planet earth. In this case, the data refers to KNOWN musical events. Compendiums of old data can no longer be copyrighted even if it involves A LOT OF COST AND EFFORT TO PRODUCE IT. It has never been known that accompaniaments be copyrightable, i.e., chords and rythms. Much old music is public domain by law. Rithms have never been copyrighted.

If a judge were to be shown the SCREEN with the code he would insist on what it refers to. If someone were to play it for him, he would smile and say "Hey that's Rock and Roll". You can not copyright Rock and Roll, sorry.

They can not even say it is 'proprietary' data because it represents commonly known events.

Anyhow, this is all hypothetical, 'cause Yamaha would not sue an individual who is making no money from the common rythms, WHERASS -THEY- are!!

Musical rythms and music in general are patrimony of humanity! (I did not say songs, although many oldies are, by law).