The format inside the file: SFF and SFF GE

SFF

Style File Format is Yamaha’s original style format. It stores accompaniment and rules for adapting it to the chords you play.

SFF GE (SFF2)

GE stands for Guitar Edition. This development of SFF improves guitar-part handling, allowing more natural guitar note combinations as you change chords.

For example, two .STY files can use different internal formats: one SFF, the other SFF GE. The letters after the dot do not reveal the difference. An instrument supporting only original SFF may not read the second file. Simply renaming a file does not change its internal format.

Extensions in file names

.STY

A general style file. This extension is used by both older and modern Yamaha instruments.

.PRS / .BCS

Pro / Basic are accompaniment category names. They do not identify compatibility with a particular model.

.SST

Session accompaniment uses distinctive musical phrases and harmony that can add its own colour to the chord you play.

.FPS

Free Play accompaniment lets you play freely without a strict tempo.

.PST / .PCS

Pianist means piano accompaniment. Piano Combo means an ensemble accompaniment featuring piano.

.SCP

DJ styles have their own chord progressions. You can change the root, but cannot freely select chord types such as major or minor.

.AUS

An Audio Style includes a recorded audio part. Your instrument must support Audio Styles to play that part.

Examples supporting SFF GE: Tyros3, PSR-S710/S910, PSR-SX700/SX900, PSR-SX720/SX920, PSR-A5000, Genos2 and DGX-670. Format support does not promise identical playback of every style. Older instruments without SFF GE need original SFF; the .STY extension has no universal model cutoff. For Tyros2, PSR-S900/S700 and PSR-3000, choose first-generation SFF and Voices appropriate to the model.

Even when an instrument opens a file, the sound may differ if it lacks the Voices, drum kits or special features used by that style. For example, OTS provides ready-made sound settings for playing along with a style. The file extension alone does not tell you whether these settings or other features are included.

Sources: Yamaha: MIDI Song to Style · Yamaha: PSR-SX900/SX700 · Yamaha: Tyros2 · Yamaha: PSR-S900/S700 · Yamaha: PSR-3000 · Yamaha: Tyros3 · Yamaha: PSR-S710/S910 · Yamaha: DGX-670 · Yamaha: PSR-SX920/SX720 · Yamaha: PSR-A5000 · Style Creation Course — Jørgen Sørensen