Keystep Explained

Synth Name:Keystep
Synth Manufacturer:Arturia
Polyphony:eight
Aftertouch:yes
Velocity:yes
Keyboard:32
Left Control:pitch bend and mod strips
Ext Control:MIDI and CV

The Keystep (alternatively capitalised KeyStep) is a keyboard MIDI controller manufactured by the French music technology company Arturia since 2016. The keyboard produces both MIDI and control voltage (CV) signals. The Keystep also includes a sequencer and an arpeggiator. Further products were made in the Keystep series: the Keystep Pro and Keystep 37.

Release

Arturia announced the Keystep on 21 January 2016 at the NAMM Show.[1] [2] [3] On its release, the journalist Robin Vincent remarked that the Keystep "has the look of the Arturia Spark about it."[4]

The Keystep was received well by music technology critics. Si Truss of MusicRadar gave it a 4.5/5 star review, saying that "the KeyStep is easy to recommend."[5] The Keystep appeared in Engadget's "IRL" column, in which Engadget's Senior Editor Roberto Baldwin said, "I don't want to be looking down while playing a show, I want to interact with the audience and the KeyStep allows that."[6]

Design

The Keystep is a MIDI and CV/gate controller with 32 mini keys.[7] [8] The keyboard is velocity sensitive and has channel aftertouch.[9] Pitch bend and modulation strips are present instead of wheels, and buttons allow the keyboard to be transposed four octaves bidirectionally.[10] The Keystep includes an arpeggiator and step sequencer with up to 64 steps; the sequencer has been compared that of the Roland JX3P. The back panel has connections for USB, sync, DIN MIDI, CV/gate and sustain pedal. Dimensions for the Keystep are x .

Limited editions

In July 2021, Arturia released a black-coloured limited edition run of their _Step range of controllers. This included versions of the Keystep controllers. The changes made to the controllers were purely cosmetic: only the controller's colours were changed.[11] [12] [13]

Controversy

On 22 November 2020, Behringer released a new keyboard controller named Swing. The controller was widely criticised for copying the design of the Keystep; according to Robin Vincent of Gearnews, "it’s identical down to every key, button, connection and even the dip switches on the back."[14] Two days after the release, Arturia's CEO Frédéric Brun made a statement on Facebook, saying:[15] [16]

In response, Behringer made a blog post on the Music Tribe forum, titled "Competition. The Facts." In the post, they defended their actions, comparing their actions to the practice of cloning famous guitars, such as the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul. Behringer did acknowledge the criticism, saying:

Later models

Keystep Pro

At the 2020 NAMM Show,[17] Arturia announced the release of the Keystep Pro, an improved version of the Keystep with sequencing capabilities influenced by Arturia's Beatstep series.[18] Critics gave the Keystep Pro high ratings: Terrence O'Brien of Engadget gave the keyboard a score of 86/100 and Si Truss of MusicRadar gave it 4.5/5 stars.[19] The Pro has an increased keyboard size, with 37 keys,[20] and has four sequencer tracks. It adds an OLED screen, an additional MIDI output, three more CV/gate outputs and a set of eight trigger outputs for drums.[21] [22] [23] Keystep Pro has five encoders with the ability to send MIDI CCs.[24] The keyboard is larger than the original Keystep, at x .

The Keystep Pro received an update in 2021, adding global transpose and offset functions. Update 2.0 made improvements to tap tempo and the arpeggiator, as well as various other tweaks and bug fixes.[25] [26]

Keystep 37

Arturia announced a third member of the Keystep series in September 2020: the Keystep 37. The Keystep 37 adds five more keys—bringing the total number to 37—and four assignable knobs.[27] [28] The controller also adds a LCD screen which displays tempo and MIDI CC values, and a scale quantisation mode.[29] [30] [31]

The Keystep 37 has a chord mode with control over a "strum" parameter;[32] the sounds produced by this function have been likened to those of the Suzuki Omnichord. The chord mode has 12 chord types available, and control over the number of notes in a chord, from two to sixteen.[33]

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016-01-21 . Arturia KeyStep, clavier MIDI 32 touches, séquenceur polyphonique et CV . 2023-03-28 . Audiofanzine . fr.
  2. Web site: Arturia unveil Keystep keyboard/polyphonic step sequencer . 2023-03-31 . www.soundonsound.com.
  3. Web site: Rogerson . Ben . 2016-01-24 . NAMM 2016 VIDEO: Arturia's KeyStep is both a MIDI keyboard and step sequencer . 2023-03-31 . MusicRadar . en.
  4. Web site: Vincent . Robin . 2016-01-21 . NAMM 2016: Arturia introduce KeyStep controller and sequencer . 2023-03-31 . gearnews.com . en-GB.
  5. Web site: Truss . Si . 2016-11-10 . Arturia KeyStep Controller review . 2023-03-31 . MusicRadar . en.
  6. Web site: Baldwin . Roberto . What we're buying: A solid MIDI controller that's also easy to use . 2023-03-31 . Engadget . en-US.
  7. Web site: Wilson . Scott . 2016-01-21 . Arturia Keystep keyboard sequencer announced . 2023-03-30 . Fact Magazine . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2016-10-23 . Review: Arturia Keystep Controller & Sequencer . 2023-03-30 . AudioTechnology . en-AU.
  9. Web site: Vincent . Robin . 2016-07-27 . Arturia KeyStep controller and sequencer now shipping . 2023-03-31 . gearnews.com . en-GB.
  10. Web site: Arturia Keystep . 2023-03-31 . www.soundonsound.com.
  11. Web site: Dobrev . Lyubomir . 2021-07-08 . KeyStep 37 & KeyStep Pro in Black: Arturia steals the Darth Vader look again . 2023-03-30 . gearnews.com . en-GB.
  12. Web site: 2021-07-07 . Arturia releases Step black editions including the KeyStep 37 & KeyStep Pro . 2023-03-30 . Synth Anatomy . en-US.
  13. Web site: Malloch . Tristan . 2021-07-08 . Arturia Announce Limited Edition Black Range of Step Controllers . 2023-03-30 . Noisegate . en-US.
  14. Web site: Vincent . Robin . 2020-11-22 . Behringer clones Arturia's KeyStep with Swing MIDI/CV controller and sequencer . 2023-03-30 . gearnews.com . en-GB.
  15. Web site: Rogerson . Ben . 2020-11-24 . Arturia responds to Behringer’s KeyStep MIDI keyboard lookalike Swing: “This is not fair competition” . 2023-03-30 . MusicRadar . en.
  16. Web site: Behringer defends its actions in Arturia controversy . 2023-03-30 . MusicTech . en-GB.
  17. Web site: Michael . Kane . 14 January 2020 . NAMM 2020: Arturia announces Keystep Pro . 30 March 2023 . Magnetic Magazine.
  18. Web site: Truss . Si . 2020-07-13 . Arturia KeyStep Pro review . 2023-03-31 . MusicRadar . en.
  19. Web site: KeyStep Pro Review: A near-perfect MIDI controller for hardware synth fans . 2023-03-31 . Engadget . en-US.
  20. Web site: Arturia KeyStep Pro . 2023-03-31 . www.soundonsound.com.
  21. Web site: Arturia reveals new Keystep Pro sequencer . 2023-03-30 . Resident Advisor . en.
  22. Web site: 2020-01-14 . Arturia KeyStep Pro is the sequencer keyboard we were waiting for . 2023-03-30 . CDM Create Digital Music . en-US.
  23. Web site: KeyStep Pro aims to be the MIDI command center of your home studio . 2023-03-31 . Engadget . en-US.
  24. Web site: Review: Arturia KeyStep Pro . 2023-03-30 . MusicTech . en-GB.
  25. Web site: Brewster . Will . 2021-05-11 . Arturia unveil massive KeyStep Pro 2.0 firmware update . 2023-03-30 . Mixdown Magazine . en-AU.
  26. Web site: Rogerson . Ben . 2021-05-07 . A free firmware update means that Arturia’s “do-it-all” KeyStep Pro MIDI keyboard and sequencer now does even more . 2023-03-31 . MusicRadar . en.
  27. Web site: Arturia's KeyStep 37 is a $199 MIDI controller with scale and strum modes . 2023-03-31 . Engadget . en-US.
  28. Web site: Arturia KeyStep 37 . 2023-03-31 . www.soundonsound.com.
  29. Web site: 2020-09-10 . KeyStep 37 adds keys, encoders, chord features to Arturia's keyboard lineup . 2023-03-30 . CDM Create Digital Music . en-US.
  30. Web site: Amphlett . Leroy . 2020-09-08 . Arturia Add to their Keystep Collective with the New Keystep 37 . 2023-03-30 . Noisegate . en-US.
  31. Web site: Review: Arturia KeyStep 37 . 2023-03-31 . MusicTech . en-GB.
  32. Web site: 2021-02-10 . The KeyStep 37 is Arturia's creation machine . 2023-03-30 . 5 Magazine . en-US.
  33. Web site: 2020-09-09 . Arturia KeyStep 37 Review: Best-Selling MIDI & CV Sequencer Is Evolved . 2023-03-31 . Synth Anatomy . en-US.
  34. Web site: Fab . 2017-01-09 . Sonic Joy Awards 2016 -The Best Controllers & Innovations Of The Year . 2023-03-30 . AudioNewsRoom . en-US.
  35. Web site: NAMM 2020: Show Awards . 2023-03-30 . Sonicstate . en.
  36. Web site: 2020-01-17 . Best of NAMM 2020: The MusicRadar awards . 2023-03-30 . MusicRadar . en.
  37. Web site: 2022-04-01 . Rear of the gear of the year winner announced: inaugural prize awarded for the best-appointed back panel . 2023-03-30 . MusicRadar . en.
  38. Web site: 2022 SOS Awards: Winners & Highly Commended . 2023-03-30 . www.soundonsound.com.

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