Yamaha Factory Styles

[rattley]

Greetings Friends!

This is going to be a long post. I have recently become almost obsessed with all the available original factory styles. A previous post of mine described the similarities between some of the styles. As new Yamaha models have been released many styles from older models have just had their OTS changed. Most of the styles also have their background voices changed as new models are released.  There are many style files that have the same construction and names across Tyros 1 - 5 and Genos.


An example could be the NewCountry style on Tyros 1 - 5. If you listen to all 5 of the different Tyros model's NewCountry style they each possess different instrumentation in the accompaniment and OTS. I toggle between all 5 versions of that same style admiring the sometimes subtle differences in the accompianments. The newest model does not always have the best styles in my opinion. Hearing the differences between the various models styles has just increased my curiosity on how Yamaha upgrades styles over each new model.


When Yamaha comes out with a new model..... who decides which older styles stay? Is there an entire team who assembles and edits styles? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in one of those style making sessions.


Another thing I have noticed is that many of the Legacy voices are excellent. Sometimes when I look for substitutions a newer voice isn't necessarily a better one. Some people think you don't need thousands of styles. Not me!! I love the ability to have so many style choices.  I am NOT a singer!!   I count on the right hand voices and accompaniment to embellish my playing style. The style is the star!!!!   -charley

[Divemaster]

You're absolutely right Charley

I have pretty well all of the factory styles downloaded, for both current and older keyboards, and not just Yamaha. I have some from Roland, Technics, Ketron, Korg and I have some from Orla too but haven't found a way to convert those.. Yet.

Like you, I've found, many times, that as genres of music go in and out of popularity, finding a style in the older files is often productive. For example.... some old songs and instrumentals on say the Tyros 2 can't be found on the later Tyros 4 or 5.

Some of course are timeless, Miller, Gershwin, Shadows etc and by keeping a selection of them in a separate folder I find I've pretty well always got a suitable backing for what it is I'm playing or composing.

Keith