But if styles incorporated into keyboards prevent you from using an instument you buy off the shelf from recording that work then that is a serious problem. While you may not choose to record a commercial track using an inbuilt style, that should be your choice and not a legal obligation.

To my knowledge there is no legal statement with Yamaha's PSR keyboards that indicate that commercial release of music using their styles is illegal. If that was the case then where would it stop. Would using preset arpegiators also present a copyright issue. My own personal view is whatever is released on a keyboard is completely free to use as you see fit, styles, patches or otherwise.

Incidentally music copyright only covers melody which styles don't provide. Rhythm patterns and chord accompaniment aren't covered by copyright to my knowledge. While the style files themselves are covered the use of those files is not at all restricted.

The day I see a big sticker on a keyboard announcing that it cannot be used for commercial purposes then I will simply pass by it. I have always considered any instrument to be a useful tool whether it was called a home keyboard or pro instrument. If it made a cool sound then that was all that mattered.


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 05-29-2002).]