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The arpeggiator and sequencer lay down quirky, repeating grooves, allowing you to pick up another instrument to play along or simply add a lead line on the keyboard using the play, chord and strum functions.
Arturia have designed the KeyStep 37 to integrate well with your existing setup and it can be hooked up to your synth hardware with MIDI in/out and it's great for controlling VST instruments with MIDI over USB. Bursts of unexpected musicality, of impulsive improvisations, of melodies forming themselves in front of you. I’ve used the strum option on Native Instruments’ Maschine controllers, where you manually strum a held chord via a touchstrip.The same velocity-sensitive 37-note keybed as the KeyStep Pro, complete with aftertouch and RGB LED feedback. The Field powers the Keystep, the Keystep sequencer and keyboard works really well with the Field and the Keystep also starts and stops the tape, meaning that within minutes, I had recorded onto all four tape tracks, some Field sounds sequenced from the Keystep onto synced tape. If you’re plugged into a computer, MIDI notes sent to the KeyStep 37 via USB goes to all outputs, so it can work like a single‑channel MIDI/CV interface.
Overall, I think there is so much overlap between the Pro and Syntakt, that you should be good money with just the 37.
The KeyStep 37 works well as a second controller keyboard too, with expression on tap using the neat pitch bend and modulation strips.
Important to note that it’s got to be the auto channel: it won’t work if the notes are going to the MIDI channel that a specific track is set to. The most annoying feature is the way all the buttons are blinking hard in your face when activated -- even the octave+/- buttons. As with that larger controller, it features a row of LEDs above the keyboard to display certain settings as well as chord/scale info. With the Keystep 37, Arturia have taken some design queues from the original keystep and the keystep pro, adding an extra octave of keys for a wider playable range, scale mode with LED readouts, so you always play in tune, a BPM readout, enhanced chord modes, a brand new strum mode and four assignable MIDI encoders, which can you to control you MIDI CC gear or DAW.
But more than that it’s an inspiring musical companion and idea generator for any synth, sequencing workstation or DAW. KeyStep 37 combines a flexible 37-note keyboard with intuitive sequencing, instant chord generation and creative real-time MIDI controls that let you discover and interact with music like never before.
At the center of the control panel, you'll find 4 new knobs with an LED screen, giving you instant access to inspiring new expressive tools and MIDI tweaking - total creative control. Since the release of the Beatstep, Arturia have quickly become one of THE names in the hardware sequencing game, making the standalone BeatStep Pro, Keystep, Keystep Pro, whilst adding these flourishes into their hardware like the MatrixBrute and Drumbrute series. An accessible interface, a compact design and compre-hensive connectivity make it the perfect centerpiece for your rig - whatever your needs. It's re-sponsive, dynamic, expanded in every direction to encourage musical exploration - the controller that’s built to inspire.
Use the 4 new controls to choose from 12 chord voicings, including a user-defined chord, for distinct harmonic flavours. Rounding out the lineup of Arturia's compact Keystep series with convenient connections and clever sequencing, the KeyStep 37 expands on the capabilities of its predecessors while still closely maintaining the small form factor of the original. On the rear panel, the connectivity is the same except that the USB connection has been upgraded to a full‑sized port, and there’s now a power switch. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents.
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