I'm trying to get a sense of what is the best method and equipment for making your own styles. Who is doing it? Are you Successfull? What tools do you use?

I have tried to make styles on the PSR9000 and the Tyros, and for the life of me, they sound like crap. Is there a better keyboard out there to do this?

I'm sort of hoping the new G70 will help in this regard. Is this wish without merit?

Al

I first started making styles on the PSR 510 don’t laugh!! It did the job at that time.

I now use the gem genesys. I usually start with the drum tracks then do the bass and then cords and comping.

One technique is to copy one or two tracks from other styles and include them in your new style.

It really depends on
What style of music you are trying to create for,
How many tracks you want to use in your styles
And what your playing style is like.
Also, it is always good before you start making the style to have an idea as to how you want the style to sound after it is done and how you will be using it at a gig.

Once you get the Hang of it, it definitely makes a difference in the quality of the live performance. I personally try to create the styles to make them sound like a live 3 or 4 piece band.

I don’t know specifically about the 9000 and the tyros, but if they are more advance than the psr 510, I am sure that they have the tools to make a decent style.

If you wanted Country styles for the 510, you almost HAD to make them yourself! I think Technics had the easiest provision for making your own styles.
I made some up through the PSR8000, but haven't found the need to make any lately. However it should still work the same way. The way To The Gen. described it is exactly how I did it.
DonM

I'm trying to make my own Jazz and fusion styles. I use the same method you do; ie I start with drums, bass, then chords, etc.

I can't seem to get the groove and timing just right. It sounds off and not "stitched" correctly. Even after I quantize.

Do you use the metronome?
Also you may want to experiment with the quantize value for a particular style. Sometimes with jazz and other music it may be best to quantize to the nearest triplet value. May be and 1/8 or 1/16 or 1/32 triplet.

Hi,
I used to create styles for my kn7. I didn't actually have the imagination to start from scratch, so I used to work with midifiles of style parts from other keyboards. It was a great keyboard for style creation.

I've now found I can do a lot of the editing & style creation functions ( my kn7 had) in OMB arranger software. I've now gone back to psr's.

I used to have the 9000pro, but I was never particularly happy with it's style editing functions ie the only parts that were readily editiable in the keyboard were the drum parts.
With OMB I can load the psr style into the software and step edit any of the style tracks ( drums bass etc) . I can save individual style tracks to import into other styles. I can save individual style parts ( intro's, endings variations)
I can create a style from a midifile. Where that comes in handy is, I could use one of my software sequencers ie cakewalk, power tracks pro, xgworks etc create the style in the sequencer then import the midifile into OMB and create the actual style. Software sequencers have great editing functions.
Another source I use for style parts is Jammer 5 and BIAB software.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by kbrkr:
[B]

I actually make all my own styles. I play a lot of klezmer, horra, arabic and eastern music and no keyboards cater for this at all.

I programmed most of my styles on the psr 8000, and then tweaked them when I upgraded to the tyros. I do all my programming on board the actual keyboard and have never had a problem.

I actually have two or three template files I use for creating my styles - ie: files with all the instruments, volumes, pans etc preset, and all I have to do is record the parts and do minor mixing changes.

It just needs practice. It took me a while to create my first decent sounding style. But once you hit that jackpot, you're set.

Chony

I play arabic music, but what I will say should be good hints regardless of style. I currently own the Ketron X1 as an arranger. I make all my styles from scratch.

Differences between what I make and what factory set are is that in almost all arabic styles ketron team or GEM team or any other arabic style making company does, is that hey gear it to sound like a STUDIO quality...they try to make it sound like it was studio recorded.

I don't need that, I can become a DJ if that is what I wanted to do with my arranger, and I will simply sequence every song and play it exactly as the original. What I try to do with my styles is make them sound as LIVE as possible. What I mean by that is I try to close my eyes and hear that there is a real drummer, or bassist or what ever i record in those tracks, rather than the obvious over sophisticated arrangement.

Thus here are my hints:

1)Keep it simple
2)Make more than one of the same style, but with some variation. So for example I have a style called SAIDI, I make 4 styles that have 4 variations each. I can either go from Variation A to B on same style, or go from Saidi1 variation A to Saidi2 Variation A and get a different kind of variation.
3)Before I record, I make the keys NON TOUCH SENSITIVE, no velocity dynamics =>This makes life much easier when recording the drum track. Once its all recorded, I use the velocity function (may not be avaialble on other keybaords) and I control the volume of each key I want, to do the final mix of my drum track. IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
4)I use FILLS from REAL SONGS. In any kind of music, there are really so many fills for a certain style that you might hear over and over in different songs (or at least the punching parts are heard over and over). So I build my fills based on most common ones I hear in songs.
5)Bass in certain songs (in arabic anyway) is very sophisticated very complex, and very westernized. I record my bass track based again on what i hear a real bass player doign in a band in someone's wedding (lately I am going after the bassist in my own wedding 4 months ago ).
6)I compare my styles to the styles of a band playing the music I want...I hear them on TV, or in an audio live recording...this way I can hear what are the parts that are most important to keep the ambience going, and those are what I stress in my styles.

I hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by Mosiqaar (edited 10-25-2004).]

I have only a little suggestion: never quantize a style (or a sequence whatsoever), unless you want to sound robotic!

Well said Mosiqaar,

I do the same thing. My styles are not designed to be studio quality. I try to have them sounding as live as possible.

Chony