What is a Style?

Styles essentially are the backing rhythms and accompaniments used on so called "Arranger" keyboards. These let the musician play a chord on the keyboard and the style plays the drums, bass and a number of accompaniment instruments to the same harmony as the chord played. Choose say a Bossa Nova Style, play a C chord and you will hear an accompaniment band playing a Bossa Nova backing in the key of C, change to a different chord, say A minor, and the backing band will continue playing in A minor.

All arranger type keyboards have built in styles, but if you want more, or a specific type, you can buy extra ones on floppy disk (assuming the keyboard has a floppy disk drive). Usually these extra styles work in exactly the same way as the built in styles i.e. if the keyboard provides 2 Intro's, 2 endings, 3 fill's and four variations for each style, the styles on disk will have the same number and work in the same way as the built in styles.

Styles, Patterns and Arrangements. What's the difference?

In practice these are the same thing, just the various makers way of expressing what a style is. For simplicity, Carillon Studios refer to patterns and arrangements as styles.

What is the difference between a Style and a Registration?

A Style is the rhythm being played. A Registration is the sounds, volume balances, pans and effects to be played with the Style.

Will all styles work on my keyboard?

Unfortunately not! Each keyboard maker uses their own system for creating styles. One assumes they all consider their own system to be the best and so there is not a unified format. Worse still, the formats between models within a makers range varies so it is important to choose not only a style disk for your keyboard make, but also the model. We have tried to give information required on the keyboard makers specific page rather than cloud the issue here.

What is a Midi File

Midi files are many things to many people. They are spoken about by musicians, computer users, studio engineers, etc. Each of these different types of users may have individual applications for Midi files; leaving the newcomer bemused at what may appear to be a ‘Black Art’. In this section we will try to inform the beginner of the use and advantages of Midi files, and explain some of the terms used to identify the various formats.

Midi files are most commonly supplied on a 3.5” floppy disk, exactly the same as used on today’s computers. This is a Media. The floppy disks are usually either type DD (Double Density), or the higher capacity HD (High density). Keyboards fitted with HD disk drives can use either HD, or DD disks. However , keyboards with DD disk drives can only use DD disks. For this reason, most Midi files are currently supplied on DD disks.

The full title of a Midi file is a Standard Midi File (SMF), with the key issue being that they are standardized. Part of this standard is that the disk format must be of a DOS type. This makes certain the disk can be read by the following computers: PC’s, MAC (via Apple file exchange), Atari, Amiga (via any DOS file exchange), and of course, all musical instruments, with a disk drive that bears the GM, GS, or XG logo.

A Midi file, Unlike a record or tape, does not carry any sound. It’s best to think that the Midi file data is pressing the keys of a keyboard automatically. Therefore, The sound of the Midi file is as good (or bad) as the keyboard that’s playing it. Similarly, the control that you have over the Midi file depends on the controls offered by the keyboard or computer program. For example; the Midi file may be playing in the wrong key for the musician. All Midi files can be transposed, but if the hardware does not have a transpose control, obviously this cannot be done.

In their simplest form, a Midi file could be regarded as an intelligent record, but their use goes much further than this. As mentioned before, what you get out of a Midi file depends on how much you can control it. A keyboard may just be able to mute the melody line, enabling the user to play along with the backing. Most keyboards will also give the musician a tempo control. Both of these basic features are not available on a tape recording (remember, if you alter the tempo of a tape recording, the pitch will also change!). So, immediately there is an advantage for Midi files.

Further controls found on computer programs offer a wealth of benefits over audio recordings. Here are just a few features that can be achieved: Change individual voice sounds/volume/pan/reverb/chorus, Transpose individual tracks, adjust tempo, view Midi file lyrics, analyse harmony and create chord structure, view as notation, print music chords and lyrics, and of course, the ability to edit every single note. Just imagine, you can make your own personal arrangements of your favorite songs, and save the changes.

Many Midi files feature encoded lyrics (where appropriate). These are not merely printed, but actually encoded in the data to synchronize with the song. This recent development can only be viewed on the very latest keyboards and computer programs that are equipped with this function - but the future will most likely see all new equipment providing this amazing facility.

Vocal harmony tracks are also offered on many Midi files. To use these, the system must include a Midi Vocoder unit. A number of these currently exist, i.e.; Korg iH, Digitech Vocalist, and now, Midi Harmony Box - a specially optimized Midi file vocoder by Tune 1000. Harmony works by setting the vocoder to Midi channel 5. This track contains the notes that make up the harmony of the selected song. When the singer sings into the microphone, the original note and words are mixed with the programmed harmony to produce the effect of up to four singers! - Magic.