Hi,
question for PA800/PA2X owners.
Ok, my PA800 has a lot of style types covered, but it's always a case of, I wish I had more swing styles , or I wish I had more ballad styles etc

Just be fascinated to know what style types we mainly use??

best wishes
Rikki

Without a doubt there needs to be more country styles with realistic instrumentation.

Also, many of the "big band" styles need to be reworked with better backgrounds and lead voices.

I also find the waltz catagory lacking.

Hammer

[This message has been edited by hammer (edited 03-30-2008).]

Hi Hammer,
sounds like you still haven't had a great deal of luck tracking down some country styles.

I could run some of my old ex keyboards country styles thru EMC for you, only problem is I wouldn't be able to tweak them, timewise, plus, a style edited on a PA800 wouldn't load into your PA1X. Running them thru EMC wouldn't be a hassle.
If you find something useable great.
best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hammer:
[B]

I just can't seem to have enough soft-jazz or latin-jazz styles; you know, the kind of styles that would be good to play Ramsey Lewis' stuff.
Also, I am amazed at how difficult it seems to be for style manufacturers to come up with a real, simple, bossa nova style, a la Jobim (just listen to his recordings with Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto and you will understand what I mean). The worst bossa nova styles -and by a wide margin- are to my ears those by Yamaha, while Roland has the more authentic and Korg is somewhat in the middle (but they need a lot of tweaking because there is too much stuff going on at the same time).
From the demoes I have heard, looks like the Audya is on the right track, in this area...

[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 03-31-2008).]

Hi Rikki,

Here is my list of needs:

1. Country Rock and 2-Step and basic 2/4 "Chattahoochee" type stuff.
2. Blues Rock like simple "Mustang Sally" Rock and some "Brown Eyed Girl" rock, more off-beat 4/4 rock.
3. R&B/Motown ala "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch"
4. More Disco with 16th's on the High Hat sort of like Madonna's; "Ray of Light". Disco like; "My First, Last, Everything". Disco/Funk like Jive Talking, Electric Slide.
5. More 6/8 Slow Ballads and Blues styles.
6. Latin; missing are really good reggae, Carnival, Caribbean styles ala; Hot, Hot, Hot, You can cal me Al.
7. More swing styles ala; Moondance and more progressively exciting Big Band styles that get more complex with each variation.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head right now.

Thanks and Regards,
Al

------------------
Al Giordano
http://www.arrangerworld.com


Korg Pa2xpro, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland TD-12 Vdrums, Roland SPD-S.

Hi Rikki and Group,

1. 2/4 Country: A la "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" How hard can that be?? Out of 400 styles there are only 16 so-called country styles; and if you eliminate the "country boogie" and "country shuffle 1" which are atrocious! you're left with 14.

2. More Dixieland: I think on my PA2X there's only one! I need Fast, slow, and in-between.

3. More waltzes: Good Slow Orchestra, country (there is only one), even a Cajun waltz or two.

4. Good light Jazz and swing styles. Guitar, bass, and drums.

5. As was stated by Hammer: More realistic instrumentation in the OTS. Not much imagination was used. Havn't heard an organ in country music since Jimmy Wakely and Margaret Whiteing sang together in the late 1940s and early 50s.

The people at Korg did not make very good use of single lead instruments. Every time I think I need a good trumpet or clarinet lead I got some guy whistling, or that damned organ again. I know I can change them but I'd like it right out of the box.

AND MY BIG COMPLAINT: A bit off topic but the PA2X needs better GUITARS. Especially pedal steel and a good clean country lead guitar. IMO Yamaha really beats Korg in this area!!

Don P

I am right on with Dreamer ...

t.

Hi,
reason I asked is, I don't know or haven't actually found any sites that sell Korg Styles?? .
So only other choice may be converting.
I've been going thru a heap of my old styles, & deleting stuff that doesn't convert reasonably well.
Basically most styles still need some tweaking, but I've dumped most of the ones that are really bad.

At this stage I've mainly gone thru my technics & rolands, & what I've got left is a bit of, Country ( waltzes, rock, bluegrass etc), Latin ( bossa's, rhumba's beguine's), Waltzes ( slow, vieneze, swing etc) Jazz, Bigband, Swing, Dixieland & Ragtime, Boogie, Foxtrot
Unfortunately Rock, Pop, R&B, Ballad, Motown, 8/16 Beat type styles were pretty awful.( I've kept backup copies, but they possibly would require too much fixing)

If anyone can be bothered tweaking for themselves, I'm happy to convert & upload them.
I'll probably end up tweaking some myself, but only as I need them.

Surprisingly some of the old technics convert more easily than the Yamaha's or Rolands.

best wishes
Rikki

"Cool" swing jazz styles!!
Michael Buble...that's the styles I want!!!
New ... Fresh!!! Korg has the right idea with what is on the PA2Xpro now .... I want more!! Unplugged, Contemporary and Jazz styles. Uncluttered .. simple styles!!
PLEASE SOMEBODY make them!! I will pay for them!!

Hi Rikki
Tyr this for a few http://www.carillonstudios.co.uk/korg_styles.htm
Regards

Bill

Thanks Bill,
they nearly had me with the Piano styles.
Can't beleive this day & age with all the internet technology, they have to be posted instead of being done as a download.
I'm able to download gig's of Band in a Box software, but have to have a style disk shipped.
Thanks anyway.

best wishes
rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by abacus:
[B]Hi Rikki

Carillion will send their styles via the internet I have purchased from them.

I really liked what I hard in the the brief brush styles samples. I'll certainly try them when they offer download.

Graham

Graham,
They do offer downloads. Just email them when you purchase.

Seeing JCKeeys post, I emailed them to understand what they offer via download or email. I'll let you know.

Graham

Hi JCkeeys,
thank you. I'll get in touch with them also.
Pity they don't appear to mention that option on site , unless I missed it.

You've tried some of their styles, how have you found them?? It's a bit hard to tell when they only appear to have a couple of mp3's from each disk.

best wishes
rikki

I emailed John at Carrilion before I ordered. That is how I found out about the download option. The styles are not at the level of "Factory/Original" but in all fairness to them they were created on the PA1x and I played them back on my PA2x.

Korg should update "ALL" of their styles to PA800/PA2x level. The additional styles they include on the CD with the PA2x are not redone for the PA2x!! I love the PA2x but I want to see QUALITY styles available from somebody!! This, as we all know, is were YAMAHA has the advantage.

Again this was the deal breaker for me & my pa800....Although what is factory is very good just not enough in the STYLE department & conversions to Korg are very difficult to achieve at best....& the folder system OS makes the task even harder. Its a shame with so many great on-board features the main thing of an arranger "STYLES" is sparse....Korg needs to really stock their style libraries & put style making NUMBER ONE making many more choices available to the users.

Again this was the deal breaker for me & my pa800....Although what is factory is very good just not enough in the STYLE department & conversions to Korg are very difficult to achieve at best....& the folder system OS makes the task even harder. Its a shame with so many great on-board features the main thing of an arranger "STYLES" is sparse....Korg needs to really stock their style libraries & put style making NUMBER ONE making many more choices available to the users. Yamaha trumps all else in the style category availability but not necessarily the style dynamic one on many of their styles. If you could only take bits & pieces of each arranger you could possibly create the "PERFECT ARRANGER" other wise is will always be Choose, Buy, Settle & Workarounds



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-02-2008).]

I would like to see more Reggae, Trance, Pop/Hip Hop, R&B, styles and/or a way to get around the arduous process of creating our own. When Korg released the PA800 they said 3rd party styles were immenent. I've see nothing so far. A tutorial that goes into creating custom styles would help me.

I totally agree with DNJ's remarks.

thanks
Brian

[This message has been edited by greenkidd (edited 04-02-2008).]

[This message has been edited by greenkidd (edited 04-02-2008).]

Rikki, and all

I will volunteer my time in starting to build a Nice style library for the Pa2/Pa800. I have found that converting Yamaha styles to the Pa2 using EMC styleworks functions pretty well. You do have to tweak them a bit. If we put our collective efforts together, we can end up with a nice little set of styles.

I can even host them on my Arrangerworld site. I have already started to convert some styles and have shared them with a few SZ brothers. We should make a list of the styles and then attack and convert them in order of priority.

Any other volunteers? Sign-up HERE!

------------------
Al Giordano
http://www.arrangerworld.com


Korg Pa2xpro, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland TD-12 Vdrums, Roland SPD-S.

Donny, It's just a matter of time before
quality styles start appearing for the new Korg Arrangers. As long as the base features and sound quality are there, adding converted styles is a small compromise to make to get to use the board you really want. I suggest you take another look at the Pa2. So many things to like about it...

Hi Brian,
I ended up with some Trance & possibly hip hop styles in a download from one of the freebie sites. Can't remember where though. I don't really play this type of music, but a couple of the trance styles sounded really good. If I kept them, I could send them to you.

What were you hoping to do as far as creating your own, ie record from scratch??
copy style tracks & do a mix n match, convert & edit??

best wishes
Rikki

I really hope your right Al....
Korg certainly is on the right track & I hope that progress continues in future Models....I will be waiting patiently this time around for the next wave of arrangers from Roland & Yamaha, Ketron & whatever else there is before I make another purchase...we'll see.

Hi Al,

I've got a few that I've actually tweaked. Though mine are a mix. PSR, BIAB, Ketron.

I could do a number of the technics conversions without tweaking. I normally only tweak if I may have a use for the style.

I wonder how many of us actually know how to fix a style though?

I may be able to help a bit, I've worked out some of the editing functions on the PA including the Note Transposition Tables, a fair bit of the Guitar Mode options etc

Might make for an interesting discussion on http://www.arrangerworld.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=9&CAT_ID=1&Forum_Title=Style+and+Arrangement+Forum

best wishes
rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kbrkr:
[B]Rikki, and all

I will volunteer my time in starting to build a Nice style library for the Pa2/Pa800.

Hi Donny,
hopefully you didn't give up on the Korg too soon.
I ended up with quite a number of reasonable styles from various downloads on one of the sites. Mainly Swing & Bigband , but also some nice ballads.
Some of the PA1X styles also differ to the PA800& sound quite good.
I had a huge collection of Technics styles, most of which I've dumped because they didn't convert terribly well, but the one's that are left should convert reasonably well. Again fortunately for me it's mainly the bigband /swing & latin styles that I've been left with.

best wishes
Rikki

Hello Rikki

Well, I was really hoping to create some contemporary R&B, Soul, Reggae influenced styles. Yes, I thought I saw one of your threads where you discussed making custom styles (ie copying style elements) with the PA800. I want to see if it's worth the time and effort so, to answer your question, I will probably see if just copying tracks leads anywhere. I am also waiting for the Rob Sherrat DVD's so I can understand the possibilities creating customer styles.

thanks
Brian

Maybe so Rikki....but its too late now Ive moved on....with eyes wide open....who knows what the future brings.....appreciate your never ending help also....


Stay well

Hi Brian,
copying style parts is relatively simple once you get the hang of it.
I did a bit of an article, but have since changed my method, only in so far as to start with a "New" style instead of copying tracks to an existing style. http://www.createsongstyles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=56

If you're interested in giving it a go, we could discuss it further on Al's forum.
http://www.arrangerworld.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=9&CAT_ID=1&Forum_Title=Style+and+Arrangement+Forum

Copying style tracks from existing styles could be an easy way to get started. From there you could do something similar to what I did with this Beguine style http://www.arrangerworld.com/dl.asp?cmd=6&cid=49

ie it's a mix of PSR & KorgPA800 style tracks ie
Intro 1 & Ending 1 : totally psr except for korg drum tracks

The variations are Korg except for the bass & guitar tracks which were taken from a psr style.

best wishes
rikki

Hi Donny,
certainly hope you find what you're looking for with the next generation of keyboards.


best wishes
rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dnj:
[B]

Hi Rikki,
Have you had success developing styles based on the Band in a Box styles. I particularly like many of the styles BB offers.
Ciao,
Jerry

Hi Jerry,
have worked out a couple of methods of doing it.
First method invloves using EMC's Song to style section of the program. Makes it a bit more automatic, than method 2.

Personally I prefer method 2 ie midi to style. I have more control over the style section I want to use. BIAB seems to randomly choose it's phrases ( based on certain criteria) when playing back a song.
ie I type in a C chord choose a style, & let it play for 16 bars or 32 bars whatever, (over time it changes.) I just save the song as a midifile, then use the import function on the PA800 to import the midifile into a style part, then use the edit function to cut out the bars I don't want. I do it for each variation of the style . Intro's I just use the automatic intro section of BIAB & just record the 4 bars. Endings are pretty basic ( 2 bars)unless one records their own.

Using EMC, I create a complete song ie intro , variations , fills etc in BIAB (based on just the c chord) Save it as a midifile & load it into EMC's Song to style function to create the style.

Neither method is automatic because unfortunately EMC doesn't convert BIAB styles.

I did a couple of them mainly for experimentation, I sent them off to AL earlier, ones's the Laura Swing style , the other is the Orch Arpeggio style 3/4.
Al should have them on site in a couple of days or so. I mainly wanted to see if it could be done.

I'd possibly be more inclined to do them if I couldn't find an existing style to suit.
EMC's Song to Style function makes it a bit quicker & easier.

If you're at all interested I could go into more detail, I'll just have to refresh my memory. I've been busy sorting thru all my old styles & working out Guitar Mode, so BIAB was put on the backburner for the time being.

I'm trying to think back, was it boogie styles or shuffle styles ? you asked about for the Ketron a while back?
I found some boogie ( boogie woogie?) amongst my old Technics files. They appear like they mayconvert reasonably well to Korg, haven't tried doing them for Ketron.
Just not sure I've got the right idea of the type of style you were after.

(Be no hassle running them thru to either format.)

best wishes
Rikki

Hi Rikki,
I have EMC as well, and as I am going back to a PA1xpro (elite version) I will have to get to and convert some of the great Yamaha and Ketron styles I have kept form the units I have owned.

In a direct answer to the OT, i reckon we need more really solid rock styles as well as the hiphop and dance ones mentioned earlier. A lot have really good drum riffs and beats but the basses and guitars are woeful, so much so that when I use them I play bass and guitar from the keyboard.
Dennis

I'm spending most of my time, now, with Band In A Box, rather than my S900, since it has many more styles available. I'm a guitarist who gigs solo several times weekly and needs plentiful backing tracks across a wide variety of styles. Like the original post suggests concerning styles, I've found too little of what I need on arrangers, or too much of what I don't need or will use. Plus, a laptop is easier to transport than a keyboard. At present, BIAB seems to be a better choice. What would be great if one of the major arranger manufacturers could collaborate or buy-in with BIAB to have its styles tweaked for arranger play and available for purchase. Don't imagine that will happen soon, if ever.

Thanks Rikki,
You're the best!
Ciao

Hi Dennis,
nice to hear you're heading back to Korg.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by miden:
[B]Hi Rikki,
I have EMC as well, and as I am going back to a PA1xpro (elite version) I will have to get to and convert some of the great Yamaha and Ketron styles I have kept form the units I have owned.

Hi J. Larry,
tend to agree. The range & variety of BIAB styles is amazing. If all I wanted was backing tracks, I don't think one could go past BIAB. It has a more diverse range than most of the keyboards.

Somehow I don't think we'll ever see the BIAB styles on our keyboards, they work differently. Keyboard style tracks just loop, wheras BIAB styles are more random. You basically don't have the same repetative 4 or 8 bars playing over & over.

Actually thought it was going to happen with EMC's Style Factory software. BIAB was mentioned in some literature. 2 years down the track I'm still waiting.


best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by J. Larry:
[B]

I would love to devout the time ..... but I do not have any to spare!! Full time job 60+ hrs a week, on the road?? Lucky to have several hrs a week to play! I will gladly purchase "Quality" styles from Korg or anyone else! I'll give it six months and if styles are not coming than .... that new Tyros3 might be very attractive!!!

Hi Al,
thanks for putting the styles on site for me. http://www.arrangerworld.com/dl.asp?cmd=2&cid=9&sid=32
My personal favourites are the
Orchestra Swing ( Ketron conversion, luv this style on my sd1) ( my latest)

& Beguine ( PSR/PA800 Hybrid conversion) ( my first attempt on the PA800)

Look forward to getting some of yours.

best wishes
Rikki

[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 04-05-2008).]