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Finishing the Style
Style File Format and Name
We have finished the MIDI content of the style, and have to save the file as MIDI format 0 file. Style files had some years ago always ".sty" file extension. Now a number of files extensions are used: pst (pianist); pcs (piano combo); sst (session); prs (pro); bcs (basic) and fps (free play).
Next is to add a CASM section; and OTS and MDB sections except for older keyboards, which do not support styles with these sections.
CASM section
The CASM section tells the keyboard how to interpret the MIDI data. CASM sections can NOT be created in MIDI software; but can be created at the keyboard if the "MIDI source channel = Keyboard output channel" layout is used. However if the style is enhanced with features described in the next part,
you will have to use software, e.g. CASM Editor.
The CASM section controls these parameters:
| Redirection Schema | Defines redirection of the 16 source channels to the 8 keyboard style channels (read more in Part 11) |
| Chord Root / Chord Type | Determines the original key of the source pattern. The default is CMaj7 (chord root is "C" and the chord type is "Maj7") is often used. |
| Note Transposition Rule (NTR) | Specifies the transposition rule to be used by the transposition table: "Root Trans" or "Root Fixed". SFF2 format: Adds a "Guitar" rule. |
| Note Transposition Table (NTT) | Specifies the note transposition table to be used for source pattern transposition: "Bypass", "Melody", "Chord", "Bass" (Replaced by "Melody" in newer models), "Melodic Minor", "Melodic Minor 5th Var.", "Harmonic Minor", "Harmonic Minor 5th Var.", "Natural Minor", "Natural Minor 5th Var.", "Dorian" or "Dorian 5th Var."
SFF2 Format: The Guitar setting in NTR (above) has 3 NTT settings: "All-Purpose"; "Stroke" and "Arpeggio". |
| High Key | Specifies the upper root limit |
| Note Low/High Limit | Specify the low and high note limits for all notes in the specified part |
| Retrigger Rule | Specifies how notes held through chord changes will be handled: "Stop", "Pitch Shift", "Pitch Shift to Root", "Retrigger" or "Retrigger to Root" |
| Bass On | If set, the channel recognizes on-bass chords allowed in the Fingered On Bass mode, regardless of the NTT setting |
| Auto Start | If set, the channel will start playing when a key is hit (if Sync Start is On) |
| Editable | If set, the channel can be edited in the Keyboard Style Creator |
| Active Keys | If a note value (e.g. the "A" note) is set to "On", all "A" notes in the channel will play; otherwise they are muted |
| Active Chords | If a chord type (e.g. the "aug" chord) is set to "On", all "aug" chords in the channel will play; otherwise they are muted (read more in Part 11) |
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A default CASM section file (in zip format) can be downloaded here. Unzip the file and use the Style Split and Splice software to add the CASM section file to the MIDI part of your style file.
This default CASM section uses "MIDI source channel = Keyboard output channel" -layout. It also uses identical settings for all style parts. You can use this CASM for further editing.
More about the CASM parameters here.
OTS section
The OTS section holds the 4 One Touch Settings (OTS) = the predefined voice settings at the keyboard. Each OTS has some common settings for the entire OTS, and some specific settings for 4 channels: the Right 1, the Right 2, the Right 3 and the Left voices.
The common settings are System Exclusive messages controlling Harmony, Multi Pad etc.
The channel specific settings are:
• Voice Control: Program, Voice MSB, Voice LSB;
• The 20+ MIDI Controllers for Modulation, Main Volume, Panpot, Expression, Sustain etc.
• The 10+ NRPN controllers for Vibrato Rate, Vibrato Depth, Vibrato Delay etc.
• The 4 RPN controllers for Pitch Bend Sensitivity, Fine Tune, Coarse Tune, Modulation Sensitivity
• A number of System Exclusive (SysEx) Messages for Velocity Sense Depth, Velocity Sense Offset, EQ Bass Gain etc.
• DSP Effect Settings
OTS sections can be created and edited at the keyboard or with the OTS Editor software.
MDB section
The MDB section contains the Music Data Base records in the style file.
Each record has these data: Song Title; Genre; Keyword 1; Keyword 2; Tempo; and Time Signature.
MDB sections can be created and edited at the keyboard or with the MDB Editor software.
The End
Coming so far we have ended the creation of a style. However some feature enhancements can be done as describes in the next Part.
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