With the affordable and innovative Beatstep Pro, Arturia may have created a sequencer for the masses.

Who doesn’t want something for nothing? This is a significant upgrade which adds a bunch of further functionality to the already substantial BeatStep Pro. Many of the developments seem aimed at the live player, which links in nicely with the current interest in live modular performance, but there’s plenty there to entice the studio based musician, too. The fact that it will run seamlessly alongside your computer makes it a nice bridge between DAW and purposeful sequencing hardware. It's not just the CV outputs and sequencer that have made the KeyStep such a popular companion to hardware synth rigs. It's also pretty much the only super-mini that's got MIDI ports as well as USB, and so isn't reliant on a computer or other USB host. But while the KeyStep is great as a portable controller, or as an add-on keyboard for a single instrument, it's not a performance and sequencing hub for several devices. But the KeyStep Pro certainly is! I've Got The Key This latest incarnation is as clear step up from its predecessors. Not only is it smaller and sleeker looking (though with larger pads) but it also adds velocity sensitivity, previously available only on the Launchpad Pro.Programming drum sequences is a breezily straightforward process, with no real surprises if you have any previous experience with drum machines. That said, there are several added amenities that allow for really precise control over your grooves. For example, you can use the knobs to dial in exact gates when working with voltage-controlled equipment, an essential for getting accurate triggers. It's been over four years since Arturia whipped the dust cover off their KeyStep polyphonic sequencing keyboard. Most of us supposed that a bigger, multichannel version would have followed on its heels, matching what happened with the BeatStep. In the interim, just about everyone has bought a KeyStep, and the stopgap Pro option was, well, two KeySteps.

Note that once the KeyStep has entered the bootloader mode, all LEDS should be OFF as well as the screen. There’s nothing complex about using the BeatStep Pro: it doesn’t rely on sub-menus, multi-function buttons, or convoluted processes. Everything you need to know about your Project is right in front of you, with an independent display for each sequencer so you know at a glance which sequence is playing. One particularly cool feature is the Randomiser, which uses Randomness and Probability controls to fire off random notes, the former determining how far from your programmed notes to stray, the latter defining how often that straying happens. It's a fantastic addition, particularly with a user-defined scale or drum kit, and especially when used in a live setting What a DIN From here you can mix up your beats thanks to an onboard looper with touch strip, randomizer and swing settings, making it a perfect choice for performance onthe stage. You get even more control if you plug into your DAW using the included USB connection. Use the Beatstep pro to play drum sounds, adjust parameters in your favourite plugin and many more. Experiment and who knows what you will be able to come up with! From a sequencing point of view it's very hands on and intuitive. I haven't looked at the manual yet (just a couple of youtube videos) and I have managed to create a couple of sequences without much effort.

Perhaps the most manually playable aspect of the update comes in the shape of the new ‘Roller/Looper’ functionality, where it is now possible to hold either a drum or melodic note as played live, and have it repeat, as desired, according to your finger position on the Roller Pad. Looking for new ways to enter step based information, it is now possible to hold an appropriate step and play or enter/overwrite a note, by simply hitting a pad. Alongside this, there is a new octave-randomisation mode, where a given melodic line is open to random transposition, to a degree which is set by the user. I’m less convinced by this latter operation, wanting my sequences to be the way I played them, and not prone to octave deviation.

I've had some success linking to Reaper DAW via usb though haven't got the tempo sync-ing yet (need to suss the config I guess). I also have the pads and encoders (in control mode) triggering samples and effects in Geist via my Reaper DAW.The NDLR is such a cool way to sequence melodic synthesizers and create chord patterns, arpeggiation patterns, and compositions. We have decided not to include any music production workstations such as NI's Maschine+, Roland's Verselab MV-1 and Akai MPC Live II. While they include some MIDI control, their focus is more as hardware DAWs for complete song production.