Most Bossa styles use an even 8th note feel. The main feature of this style is that the off-beat 8th notes are in-between an even 8th and swing 8th feel

The piano features light, slightly-swung, even 8th comping (in the typical Bossa rhythm) and soft pushes.

The bass pattern is this: dotted-8th, followed by the same 8th note as the 3rd beat.

This is a Jazz trio style. The piano uses a sparse comping approach - featuring 2-handed syncopated chords of short duration. For this style, the piano uses chordal embellishment - so for example, a Cm7 might be voiced Cm9 to include the 9th.

This feature can be unchecked in the 'Song Settings' dialog.

Note: Brubek5.sty is a 5-inst. variation of this style.

3 instruments: acoustic piano, acoustic bass, brushes
At 'b': standard drums (no brushes)

This variation (of Brubek3.sty) features a Piano trio at 'a' and a Quintet at 'b'. Jazz guitar short comps and a string pad are added.

The piano uses sparse comping with chordal embellishment and 2-handed syncopated chords of short duration.

The bass is in '2 at 'a' and in '4' at 'b'.

Drums - brushes at 'a' and standard drums with ride cymbal at 'b'.

The main feature of this ballad style is that the rhythmic feel changes to a 'double-time' feel at 'b'. This happens often with very slow ballads - for the 'blowing section', the group goes into a double time feel Note: the overall tempo does not change and the chord placement remains the same.

At 'b' the bass plays quarter notes that feel like half notes in relation to the drums.

This is a soft, slow swing ballad style featuring un-busy acoustic

Med. Pop-Swing

This style is ideal as big-band accompaniment for a vocalist or instrumentalist. The 'a' section features a solid swing beat with a French horn pad. The piano plays un-busy comps and some fills. The guitar features strums on 2 and 4. At 'b', the sax section backgrounds and brass shots are added.

This style is a kind of blank canvas for all types of genres - from Rock to Classical. The constant swing 16, funk groove allows it to works well with funk tunes, jazz ballads, standards, rock tunes or even some classical themes.

5 instruments: Electric piano (funky chordal ostinato), slap bass2 (rhythmic roots), strat (short comps), drums, poly synth (pad). More intense at 'b'.

The main feature of this very slow, big-band, jazz-ballad style is that unusual voicings are achieved for the French horn and trumpets. In general, it features a lush horn background with some half-step voicings. This effect is further enhanced by using the horns in 4th voicings harmony for the melody.

5 instruments with instrument variations at 'b'

Use this style for tunes that feature a fast Samba feel (at 'a'), changing to a swing jazz feel in '4' for the blowing or solo section (at 'b').

In this style the 'a section is a fast (but smooth) Jazz even 8ths Samba. At 'b', the feel goes to Jazz-swing
At 'a': Fast even 8ths
At 'b': Fast swing 8ths

5 instruments: At 'a': Latin Jazz Samba feel - acoustic piano, ac bass, drums, low

Great for vocalists or instrumentalists desiring that 'big-band' style of accompaniment. There are lots of brass section fills throughout, so it works well with a non-sustained vocal style or a non-busy vocal.

This style favors melodies that have a pickup to the 1st of every 2 bars since many of the fills are in bar 1 and the first half of bar 2.

5 instruments: acoustic piano (sparse, light shots and fills), ac, bass, ac, guitar (short 4-to-the-bar strums), drums, brass fills.

This style features an even 8th jazz groove - similar to some 70s jazz rock (or even 8th) feels. The piano plays a funky repeated comp motif. The bass figure is - dotted quarter, 8th tied to quarter and two 8th notes. The drums feature an even 8th rock feel with back-beat on 2 & 4.

5 instruments: at 'a': acoustic piano (funky repeated comp motif), acoustic bass

In the 60s and 70s this style was sometimes referred to as a Bossa Rock or Jazz Bossa. The loose feel comes from the fact that the even 8th notes are very slightly moved toward a swing feel The piano plays a repeated comp motif (idea). This style might be considered slightly Pop-Jazz. The 'a section features a piano trio. At 'b, jazz guitar and strings are added.

5 instruments

This Jazz style features a loose even 8ths Calypso style at 'a'. At 'b', the feel changes to a swing jazz '4' feel This jazz style was made famous in the 60s and 70s. Normally the blowing (or solo) section would use the 'b' feel

4 instruments: Loose Calypso feel at 'a': acoustic piano, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar (rhythm), drums. Marimba is tacit.

At 'b, - the feel changes to a jazz swing feel with bass in '4' & ride

This is a 4/4 jazz style with an un-busy rhythm section feel The piano uses 2-handed comping with short, non-sustained chords and some pushes and syncopation.The bass is in a very simple '2' feel at 'a' and a '4' feel at 'b'. Drums switch from brushes to standard drums at 'b'. Very soft vibes comp at 'b'.

4 instruments: At 'a' - acoustic piano (sparse piano comp with chord embellishment), acoustic bass (in '2'), brushes.

The drums have a distinct Latin feel (featuring the Guiro and the cowbell) in this 60s and 70s even 8th jazz style. As is typical in Latin grooves, the piano plays a repeated rhythmic phrase. The bass also plays a constant rhythmic phrase - short quarter, 8th note push into beat 3 and two eighth notes. At 'b', low sax fills and strat guitar are added.

5 instruments

This style is great for easy swing, medium-slow tempo vocal backing with a bib band sound (ala Frank and Ella). The piano plays unobtrusive comping and fills throughout. The acoustic bass is in 2 at 'a' and goes into 4 at 'b'. Whether you're a vocalist or an instrumentalist, you'll find lots of uses for this style. French horn background at 'a' and Strings at 'b'.

5 instruments: At 'a': acoustic piano, acoustic bass, brushes, acoustic guitar

Prince is an up-tempo jazz waltz style. The piano plays left-hand only comping at 'a' where the bass is in a 'one' feel At 'b', where poly synth & slow string pads are added to the trio, the rhythml shifts to a 'three' feel, the piano plays 2-handed comping, the bass goes to a '3' feel and the drums switch from brushes to standard drums with ride cymbal. at 'b'.

5 instruments

This style features a loose even 8th jazz groove that became quite common in the 60s and 70s. It works very well with a funky bluesy right-hand piano melody (and of course, with any melody instrument). The key is to keep it loose, bluesy and funky. At 'b', the trio is joined by clean guitar (short comps) and a string pad.

Slightly swung ev8 - funky feel Piano trio at 'a'.

5 instruments: acoustic piano, acoustic bass & drums at 'a'.

At 'b', add clean guitar and string pad.

This is a fairly slow jazz waltz style with a gentle approach. The bass stays in a 'one' feel throughout - with pickup variations and fills. The piano remains unobtrusive - playing 2-handed, soft, sustained comping. The drums switch from brushes to standard drums at 'b' and the strings play in a higher range.

5 Instruments with variations at 'b':

At 'a': acoustic piano, acoustic bass, brushes, acoustic guitar

This even 8th pop-jazz waltz style has a soft and peaceful mood - almost like a lullabye. The piano plays sustained chordal backing against which the acoustic guitar plays arpeggios. Notice the drums feature soft congas (16ths).

5 Instruments with instrument changes at 'b'. A total of 8 different instruments.

[A] acoustic piano (sparse comp), acoustic bass, acoustic guitar

In this slow swing waltz (3/4 meter) style, the piano plays frequent pushes into beat 3 with 2-handed comping. The bass has a general 'one' feel with lots of pickup triplets, and the drums feature brushes. At 'b' the drums revert to standard drums.

5 instruments: - acoustic piano, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar (strum), brushes, slow strings

Standard drums at 'b.'

As well as featuring the more traditional Dixieland instrumentation, this style also caters to two melody types:- 'non-pickup' melody-type phrases and 'pickup' type melody phrases. This is helpful in a style such as this, where the clarinet and Trombone are playing lots of answering fills, the fills in the 'a' and 'b' sections address these two melody phrasing types:

With 2-bar phrases, at 'a' - Non-pickup melody-type phrase (e.g. B-Bailey)