In the main you have cleared a lot for me. I just want to confirm about the C7 chord though. I think you are saying what I felt was the case about the meaning of this C7. That is, the midi entered into StyleMaker is effectively just a rhythm pattern using the notes of C7. It These notes are then transposed in accordance with the chord in the chordsheet.

But, that being the case, I discovered some styles that the notes were not diatonic to C7, that's what threw me and prompted me to ask the question. The styles where this occurred I noticed that the pattern border rectangles were coloured red as opposed the usual blue.

With regard to the swing on 8ths and 16ths, the way I saw the stylemaker is that the notes were entered as the would be on the melody line and so I couldn't see that having entered pattern of notes that I could cause this to be 'swung'. But you are saying you record these! Surely that will still produce the normal notation and thus play an even pattern? I am not disputing what you say I just need to be clear.

Thanks a lot for you response and intersting background.