For me, I'll just stick with using style files, of which I have about 50,000. A few years ago, when I was still gainfully employed, I can clearly recall many of my audience members sneaking a peak at me playing those keys, just to be sure I was actually playing. And, I remember one lady who came up to me while I was performing a song, and asking dumb questions. I got frustrated and stopped in the middle of the song, and explained to her that I cannot talk to her and sing the song at the same time. She looked down at her husband and said "Fred, you were right - it is really him singing and playing." Two seconds later, and one button push, I was back into the song and when I finished, I got a standing ovation. That song was Autumn Wind.

Fran, I know you relied on midi files a lot, and as DNJ always says, you have to mix it up. Well, I guess it's whatever floats your boat, but only as long as you are able to keep the audiences entertained with what they want to hear. My method of mixing it up was to constantly learn as many new songs as possible, them find a suitable style file and matching right hand instruments on the keyboard that would allow me to perform the song as close to the original as possible, while still allowing me to be creative.

All the best,

Gary