This FAQ addresses the unfortunate timing glitch when in LOOP mode, or even more unforgivably, when you mix and match style patterns within the same song.

I have just been through this whole issue and have already pestered the QY USERS list and other internet sites with the same query! So let me save you the agony of repeating my investigations. I don't know about the QY70, but I've heard the same delay glitch also exists on that unit.

The QY will exhibit this delay if:

1. you mix styles in the same song

2. you loop the song

3. you even repeat the SAME style pattern (in otherwords you don't change styles but you paste the same pattern name somewhere in the song at a later measure).

After extensive research -- including talking to the Yamaha support staff by phone -- there is NOTHING you can do directly about this delay. This includes using sys common/sys exclusive messages. Apparently it has to do with the hardware being updated with the "new" style settings. That is the bad news. However, don't despair. There's also good news......

There are several workarounds you can employ.

Instead of looping, just make the song long enough so that you can be sure you won't run out. You then stop it manually (the pedal/footswitch feature works nicely here). If you primarily use patterns, this won't use up much memory.

To make it less static, I add a few fills -- drums or other instruments) in song tracks throughout the song to add variety and get away from "pattern-itis." Still not too much memory is required this way.

If you are trying to avoid a lot of "programming" and don't have time or want to input the chords for each song, you can turn on the "Finger On" feature and it will follow the chords as you play them live. This is a very cool feature. Definitely check it out.

To mix styles, you can use this way of avoiding delay when mixing pattern styles in the same song:

1.Create part track with all the style patterns you wish to use. If you play song at this stage, it will "midi burp," producing the timing glitch.

2.Expand backing which puts all data in tracks 9-16.

3.Erase part track. Important step as memory is freed up. Now play song and it moves seamlessly from section to section, style to style.

4.I was able to go for 148 measures changing styles every 4 measures with fills leading into each change. After this amount, the buffer was full and I couldn't edit any of the tracks. I could expand for more measures, but you are unable to edit anything, so more measures beyond the edit buffer limit is a moot point in practical terms!

5. If my math is right, this means one can realistically change styles 74 times within a song (37 sets of 4 measures and a style change + a fill each set = 37 x 2 = 74).

This is encouraging news since most of us won't need to change 74 times within the same song! So this is my new workaround method for creating songs using more than one style pattern. Hope this is helpful to others.

A second approach if you wish to mix styles:

1. dump the patterns into your computer, create the song using your sequencer program and them send back as stand midi files to the QY. This offers the most flexibility as far as truly fresh arranging. You also don't have to hunch over a tiny unlit screen!!

However, this uses up much more memory since it will be dumped back into song tracks as note info, and you will find that the QY can only load a few of such song files at a time from either the computer or the smart media card. However, you'll be able to come up with some butt-kicking grooves for sure!

2. Create your own user style pattern -- you have in effect six sections to work with. The intro section doesn't have to be an intro -- it can be the ending or the second half of the verse where the second rhythm guitar part come in, for ex.

I recently did this, kidnapping the two fill patterns and using them as main sections (you will want to change their length to 2 or more measures) -- in effect, having six different song sections to play with, each with different layers and instruments.

I created another different user pattern packed with a choice of different drum fills which I then copied into track one of the song at measures where I wanted a fill. These fills were from all sorts of different style patterns, and the six sections of my song pattern were created using phrases from completely different styles.

All in all, I've learned to live with this one drawback. When I first discovered this timing glitch, I thought I had made a mistake buying the QY and seriously contemplated returning it to the store. Returning it to the store would have been the mistake!!

In every other way, I think you'll find the QY to be an amazing little machine -- packed with a lot of different ways to approach a song. Huge flexibility. Very portable. Very good sounds, especially the bass and drums (though like most devices of this type and price range, the cymbals and hats are mediocre, IMHO).

And most important, I find that as my musical needs and tastes change, grow, evolve, the QY is able to stay with me, evolving right alongside. That is pretty cool! Hope this helped and didn't put you to sleep! Best of luck,