But if your phrase is 16 bars long, then you ask for a fill in Bar 8, it goes back to Bar 1 after the fill plays, not continue on to Bar 9. That means that longer phrases often seldom get the last part played if you need fills. At least it has done that in all arrangers I’ve played so far...

Perhaps something like a Korg could be set up to do this, but I can’t say I’ve come across a ROM style that did it. Generally, a fill goes to Bar1 in whatever Variation is selected next. So if it is the same Variation, it goes back to Bar 1 as well.

The issue usually boils down to, how much are we willing to pay for an arranger to be stocked with styles as complex as they would be if all of them had 16 bar Variations with fills that either continued or reset as needed (how would you tell the arranger whether to continue or repeat?)? The basic truth is, shorter 4-8 bar styles are less complex to make, less complex means cheaper... one bar fills are easier to ensure trigger correctly, etc., etc..

If you want dozens of new styles when you buy a new arranger, you’re more likely to get them if they don’t take lots more effort to make..!