Arturia KEYSTEP PRO // Review & full tutorial // vs BeatStep Pro and SL mk3

Do u know if i can use a foot switch to stop and start it?

Hello Loopop, I thank you for all these great reviews! One little question, what contenders are in this space with very comfortable weighted keys?

Dude I need help with setting up my synths on this thing. Ive got a midi box. I got the synths plugged into the midi box 1-4. Maybe ya gotta do something in utilities. I didnt have a problem with my K37. You know how you push shift and then press a key? That was all i did. But with this thing i just wanna get the synths onto the tracks. So far i cant get any sound on the tracks. Im goin ape shit bro

I wonder when the KS Pro 2 will drop…

I'm still a huge fan of my Black KSP, though I do have one huge complaint that persists - Why are the knobs global only?! I'd love the ability to program knobs to have different CCs, ranges and channels, effectively overriding the global default on a per-project basis.

You can use one track for the whole drum kit. This is just way too big. I want one too fit in the palms.

Thank you for this great and clear overview/tutorial!

Hi folks. I have a synth query. All help appreciated. Esp any owners of the keystep pro

Disclaimer. I have used synths before BUT this is my first dive into controlling synths externally and first ever time using cv.

I just bought an arturia keystep pro to control my korg minologue XD, microfreak, model D and volca sample. (I was under the impression I could control all the above with a KSP, sequence and compose dawlessly. Maybe I was mistaken)

I plugged in all my hardware. Each piece is making sound when played on its keyboard so I know audio is not the issue. My volca keys is hooked up to midi out 1. My minologue to midi out two. The other two are three and four with a single cv

Here are my three issues:

1. On track 1 the volca is sounding when I hit a key! Hurray. The problem: it just triggers one sound no matter what key I press (yes, the keystep pro is set to drum mode). Also, when I switch to any other track, the volca is still sounding when I hit a key. But it's a different drum being played.

2. The minologue is being sounded on track 1 instead of track 2. So I'm hearing a tom drum AND whatever note I'm hitting on the minologue together on track 1, but no sound on track 2. (So track one is triggering two instruments at once)

3. Track three and four there is no sound coming through. As I've said, I have never used CV before. And I think the issue may be that I need two connections per instrument, one for pitch and one for gate. Is that correct?

The obvious answer is internal midi needs to be routed differently. Well, I can try! I don't know how this works on the keystep, there seems to be 16 midi channels but I don't understand what that means. Also, I assumed that out of the box it would be routed logically ie. Midi/cv outputs 1 2 3 and 4 correspond to those tracks.

Could it possibly be a software bug? I've heard they're buggy? Should I do a firmware update?

Am I missing something obvious? Does anyone have any insight? All help appreciated. Thanks

What do mean with "roller"?

Very nice

I have spent the last 2 hours trying to figure out how to change programs and sound banks with a Keystep pro, but all i can find for the pro is how to change my midi channel, but nothing beyond that so I am just getting default GM drum sounds from my sound module and a default piano and I can't access the rest of the sounds. Do you know what I need to do?

Is there any way to have a modern sequencer/controller play in odd time signatures? 7/8, for example. I get so bored with every sequence I hear having to be divisible by two...

the arp in this has sold it for me

So great! But please somone tell these compaines to stop with the touch pitch sliders. There completely unusable and impractical

hello Loopop. can octave transpose be for key playing or just sequencer step mode? thanks

Great tutorials!

I've been having some issues with the cv outputs while playing a DFAM and a Subharmonicon. Some keys fails to trigger, sometimes are many keys, sometimes just a few, and it can change from moment to moment. Any idea?

What iPad dongle are you using ?

Ok what’s the difference between the key step pro and the Beatstep pro other than one has more knobs and one has piano keys?

Not a complaint, but I recommend watching this one at .75X for better retention. However don't go too crazy: it was while watching at .25X, and laughing at loopop saying, "Sssqwwwuiiiiid sssAAALLLMMple", that The Dark Lord Cthulu appeared floating before me (a little bit peeved at having been summoned) and revealed that the name 'Squid Salmple' derives from the fact that it is an octopus-friendly (8-channel) sampler, built by ALM Busy Circuits. I'm not sure if he was serious or not, but he said, "It's ahcktually pronounced 'Squid (s)ALM(ple)', dude. It has nothing to do with sALMon. Not that there'd be anything wrong with it, if it did".

Doesn’t appear to have glide/portamento, which seems odd for something to control modular. Believe the Beatstep pro does. Weird. Great walkthrough though!

Loopop: "You can control its LEVEL"
Me: ahhhh
Loopop: "....with this knob"
Me: ohhhhhhh FUUUUUUUC.....

Wouldn't this make all your tracks sound like a random arpeggiated nightmare? lol

Love the tune of Donna Lewis. I read and saw alot of amazing things this machine can do. I bought the black version recently to accompany my Waldorf Blofeld 🤩

I’m very interested in getting this bit of kit.
I’m a drummer so I don’t know anything about buttons and switches, so I have a very dumb question.
I don’t have much for it to ‘play’. Only my pc with Pigments and analog lab.
Does this sequencer ‘play’ the soft synth live (and therefore each of the four sequencers have to play the same patch, or does it record each sequence internally, so that it can play four different patches?

Thank you, whoever can answer this.

Excellent review ! But can’t all this equipment be replaced with software at a fraction of the price ?

If you are watching this video because you have GAS and are thinking of buying one, and you NEED a sequencer, buy one. I got mine for a couple hundred off at guitar center.

Then…. Fiddle with it. Press the buttons. Screw it up and erase, reset, over and over. Afterwards, come back and watch this video again.

Trust me, when you come back later with some hands on experience (like I am now!) this video will blow your mind.

Fantastic tutorial and overview. Top down view and small zoom in windows, actually explaining versus showing you know how to play…. EXCELLENT video and I’ll definitely recommend to others.

I will very much appreciate if you tell me witch one of this will be better for me and why. Keystep Pro and KeyLab mk2. I want to create multiple samples and play all in the same time. Thanks

Nice video it's very impresive all the possibilities this keybord have with so small dimension. My impression for me about all this shift button affrayed me a little i think it will lost me very easely and at least don't play what i want to play. For me it's not so intuitive to work like that. It's only my point of vue surely many will enjoy that. As usual very good video😉👍

Love the idea, a computer having more possibilities also draws the attention away , while a box makes the experience more intimate ...

I’ve had my Keystep Pro for a year but just watched this video. I learned a few things I didn’t know. As always Loopop has created an excellent review video.

I have a moog sub 25 ….would the keystep pro work with it ?

I got one. Cannot find how you can sequence CC's. looks the keystep cannot. or can it?

why doesn't it let MIDI PC or CC thru tho? :(

One thing I hate about the Keystep pro, unlike the beatstep pro is that you can’t transpose all 3 tracks while live performing !
I have both and with the beatstep pro, you can transpose all the tracks at the same time.
This is frustrating!

what does the cur time division mean? 10-28-22?

Can you chain keystep pro and beatsep pro together so that you have more tracks and make ik work together?

Thanks man..

Hold on let me get a few beers

The split function… does that mean technically you could control 2 synths simultaneously? I could see how that could be useful for live controlling a bassline & chords, from verses to choruses to bridge etc…

total absolute ignoramus here, can i just buy this and make music ?

Hi and thanks for your detailed information. I have a question... I have not been able to record different bpm velocities on a same project. For example pattern one two and three 94bpm and pattern 5 and 6 112bpm on the same project. If you know can you please help me 😩

Mfi-

How many poti Bank do you got ?

I only want to control two modules, I wonder if I need this or the BASTL midi looper…

Is there any way to mimic the "active step" feature from Korg's SH1?

Awesome video as usual ! I'm confused, is the piano sound coming from the 0-Coast???

Does it record sustain pedal ?

Can you not record unquantised melody onto the beat step pro via an external midi keyboard? I love the form factor and price point of the beat step and anyways like to play on full sized keys so I would love to have the option to work with my own keyboard and then take just the sequencer on the road…. Basically key step without keyboard… Is that not what beatstep is?

the drum sequencing mode is very similar to FL Studio, wish I could get that on Logic