A new chapter for cherished keyboard styles
For generations of keyboard players, the right accompaniment style can evoke an entire era: the rhythm of a familiar favourite, the arrangement that inspired a first performance, or the special character of a much-loved arranger keyboard.
Now, Strawberry Music and ArrangerX are working together to explore an exciting possibility: giving cherished arranger styles from earlier generations a useful future alongside today's technology.
Strawberry Music's Neil Blake has spent years developing and supplying specialist keyboard styles. His catalogue spans material associated with several much-loved arranger families, including Technics, Yamaha and Roland. Much of this music deserves to be heard and played again, even as the hardware it was designed for becomes less common.
A remarkable musical heritage. With more than three decades in the industry and a catalogue incorporating Technote, BCK, Soundsoft and the Ariel Club, Strawberry Music says it believes it has the largest range of keyboard software in the world. That is Strawberry Music's own description of its collection, rather than an independently verified world record. The collaboration with ArrangerX offers the exciting possibility of bringing some of that legacy to new generations of performers.
ArrangerX takes a different starting point: a performance-first arranger experience on a Windows computer, designed to let players sit down, choose a sound and style, and make music. Bringing these worlds together could offer a practical route for new audiences to discover legacy arrangements and for existing enthusiasts to revisit them.
There's also something immediate for new customers. ArrangerX is working towards a launch collection of 100 carefully selected styles. The final collection will depend on hands-on musical audition, importer reliability and the necessary rights clearances. No style will be described as compatible until it has passed the appropriate checks.
That distinction particularly matters for historic Technics material. Native KN7000 files are being analysed, but full, faithful conversion of every accompaniment section and chord behaviour is not yet established. Older Yamaha and Korg-format material offers a more mature technical starting point while the Technics work continues.
The longer-term opportunity goes beyond one format or one keyboard. It is about helping musical arrangements survive changes in technology, giving performers more choice and ensuring the craft invested in these libraries can continue to be enjoyed.
Read our interview with Neil Blake, the man behind Strawberry Music’s success. Neil shares his story, his hopes for preserving cherished arranger styles, and his thoughts on ArrangerX. Read the full interview →