YAMAHA Keyboard - Style Creation Course

After setting up the main structure we will add at the very beginning of the file:
• Copyright notice
• Track Name (= Style Name)
• System Exclusive Messages
    - GM System On = F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7
    - Yamaha = F0 43 73 39 11 00 46 00 F7
Furthermore is often added:
    - XG Works On = F0 43 76 1A 10 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 F7

Style file events

Next thing to do is to add voices - and voice parameters - to the channels 9 - 16 within the first measure of the MIDI file as shown partly below.

In this example we add to each voice:
• Volume, Expression and Chorus Controller data
• Voice MSB Bank, LSB Bank and Program Change - in this order

As shown we have added in Channel 10: Drums; in Channel 11: Electric Bass (finger); and in Channel 12: Acoustic Piano. There are added other non-shown instruments in channels 13, 14, 15 and 16.

Style file events

You can place an instrument in any MIDI channel, except channel 10 which is a Drum channel only.

In this course we will follow a "simple" layout (MIDI source channel = Keyboard destination channel).

A typical setup will be:
• 09: Rhythm Sub: Often the various Latin American percussion instruments
• 10: Rhythm Main: The drum set
• 11: Bass: Any bass instrument, or piano, or tuba
• 12: Chord 1: Often Rhythm Guitar
• 13: Chord 2: Often Rhythm Guitar or Piano
• 14: Pad: Often a "floating" voice like Strings or Choir
• 15: Phrase 1: Small melodic phrases often played on a brass instrument
• 16: Phrase 2: Small melodic phrases often played on a brass instrument

Tip of the Day

Old Yamaha keyboard Pages

The internet evolves every hour: New information is added; and old is removed.

This latter happened to many pages from Yamaha. But most pages can be found again. Check the Yamaha page for details.

Also check the Resources page for links to closed forums.

Software of the Day

Style Old Format Converter

Style Old Format Converter is for converting style files (SFF1 style format only).

The program will convert SFF1 format styles to the appropriate SFF1 sub format for older/smaller keyboards.

More at the Style Old Format Converter Home Page.

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