Arturia’s KeyStep is among the hottest MIDI controllers ever made, particularly with modular synth customers and the DAWless crowd. It’s small, low cost, has an easy-to-use sequencer, and presents first rate connectivity. However it was additionally launched manner again in January of 2016. The world of music gear strikes extra slowly than, say, smartphones, however Arturia has a number of controllers launched after the KeyStep which can be already on their third technology. The $139 KeyStep mk2 takes this basic and updates it with a number of latest sequencing and composition options developed by Arturia over time.
In comparison with the unique, the KeyStep mk2 has double the variety of arpeggiator modes (16), eight occasions as many sequencer save slots (64), generative sequencing options, a chord mode, and a scale mode. Scale mode may be useful for these of us who’re less-skilled gamers by making certain each word is in key. However I’ve at all times discovered it a bit unnatural feeling on a conventional keyboard. (Although it’s my most popular format on a pad controller.)
The extra thrilling issues to me are the brand new arpeggiator modes, the Spice and Mutate generative options, and the way in which they work together with the sequencer. Once I’m feeling caught or uninspired (which is commonly nowadays), they provide a shortcut to thought technology that goes past simply randomly spitting out notes.
A lot of any artistic act is about getting right into a stream state, however that takes time. You don’t simply sit down and instantly enter a state of stream. It’s worthwhile to discover it. And when your time is proscribed due to a demanding job or youngsters, it may be troublesome to search out. The generative and iterative options of the KeyStep make it simpler to recover from that preliminary hump once I’m sitting all the way down to make some music.
Typically, I’ll begin by taking part in a easy arp. I’ll decide a chord — simply three or 4 notes, often, nothing wild. Then I’ll press the mutate button. This begins shifting the notes round, including octave jumps and rests, usually simply introducing somewhat chaos. A fast press provides only a sprint of randomness, whereas holding it down for longer can change your unique arpeggio into one thing fully unrecognizable.
I’ll usually do that just a few occasions till I discover one thing I like. Then I’ll dial within the Spice worth. That is one other generative function, which modifications the gate size of notes and provides ratchets. If Spice isn’t doing something attention-grabbing to my ear, I’ll roll the cube by holding shift and tapping the Spice touchstrip thrice. This “rolls” a brand new set of random modifications for me to dial in utilizing the Spice parameter.
As soon as I’ve a brief phrase I like, I can then put it aside to the sequencer, and that is the place issues get extra attention-grabbing. I can duplicate the phrase, extending the sequence to 32 and even 64 steps. And, because the KeyStep’s sequencer is polyphonic, I can report overdubs, taking part in counter melodies, chords, or basslines alongside this semi-random sequence.
I would rapidly press the Mutate button once more right here or fine-tune the Spice setting, however as soon as I’ve a fuller-sounding passage I like, I can move it again to the arpeggiator by deciding on the “person sequence” arp mode. This makes use of the final sequence loaded as the idea in your arpeggio. It doesn’t simply play the notes, although. It maps the sequence’s sample onto no matter notes you play. In case you play the identical notes, it is going to sound the identical, however it’s rather more enjoyable to play completely new chords or a chord development. When you’ve got a chord development for a track, however really feel prefer it sounds a bit lifeless, this might be a good way to liven it up.
Now, once I’m feeling caught, I don’t waste half-hour noodling and scrolling by presets or feeling discouraged as a result of my drum sample is just too boring. I simply begin taking part in. The purpose isn’t even essentially to make use of no matter sequence or arp I play on the KeyStep, although I usually do. As a substitute, it’s nearly making one thing — something — and seeing the place my artistic impulses take me subsequent.
Arturia well saved the value and fundamental design roughly the identical — 32 keys in a shallow physique with minimal hands-on controls. However there are some apparent variations. The knobs and swap for controlling the sequencer and arpeggiator have been changed with some flippantly clicky buttons, and there’s now an countless encoder and a small OLED in the midst of the keyboard.
Bodily, the most important change is to the construct high quality, and it’s not a superb factor. Whereas the KeyStep mk2 doesn’t really feel low cost, it’s actually lower than the requirements of the unique. The OG KeyStep had a steel base. It was a lot heavier than you’d count on from it, and it felt prefer it couldn’t solely endure the trials of tour life, but in addition be used as a self-defense weapon. The mk2 trades the steel base for plastic, and the controls simply really feel much less stable general.
That’s my solely actual grievance, although.
The KeyStep mk2 isn’t a magic bullet that can remedy your author’s block or put you in a stream state instantly. However it’s already confirmed to be a useful software once I’m feeling discouraged or uninspired whereas watching a clean Ableton Dwell session.
