Arturia Keystep 37 -cool but syncing issues? need help

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

I got the Arturia Keystep 37 to record midi sequences into my Octatrack (Mk1). And its actually really awesome, especially when I turned off quantization on live record in personal preferences, and made the midi track length x2 resolution. You can record arpeggios and chord sequences in as actual MIDI notes and get lots of detail, then edit the notes on the OT, trig lock to your heart’s content. Its good for generating cool ideas.

But I have 2 questions for someone who maybe also has this gear or a similar setup:

  1. The Keystep is the masterclock in this setup, with its midi going into the Octatrack, then I’m connected to various synths on my OT midi out, as usual. That all works.
    But to record any midi into the Octrack, I cant seem to arm the midi record on a track without pressing play on it. But the press play needs to come from the Keystep for it to be in sync. So then it just starts to play my OT, and I have to then hit record+ play. So its just going on loop and then i have to "catch’ it on the 1 to get a sequence in from the Keystep. Very annoying.
    –Is there anything like a midi record trig lock, that you can arm, or a way to have it armed but WAIT til the external clock starts before playing?

  2. The keystep has some weird setting going on where it wont play chords while its sequence is running. So to press play on it (start master clock and hear my Octatrack in time with my music) the chord functionality seems to go away. Is that a setting or something? The only way I can get it to play again is when the sequence is paused. And I can play single notes if I do shift+oct+ which is keyboard play, but that’s single notes.

If I can fix these two things I think I’ll be in business for some super cool stuff. But right now its driving me a bit crazy…

Thanks!

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#2

Hi! I’m encountering the same problem. I’m not using an OT, but I want to use the Keystep 37 as my master clock. I love the dedicated “rate” dial and bpm display, and It’s great being able to change patterns from external gear while staying at the same tempo, and being able to change the rate gradually. I think the Trouble is that the start stop button was mainly designed to control the seq/arp mode, and while all those functions are great, you can’t get normal keyboard functionally (specifically the lovable chord mode) when play is switched because you’re locked into seq/arp mode. Which is kind of a huge missed opportunity to me that the Keystep can’t send an independent start stop trigger and clock externally, and have some kind of seq/arp mute. It probably wouldn’t be such a big issue if keyboard play mode didn’t exclude chord mode. Maybe arp mode + chord with the time div set to 1/4 could get us a little further, but I hear you about wanting to play chords in the seq mode so you could like uhhh rehearse and hear what you’re about to record??? I’m gonna dig a little more and see if there are any options I’m missing in the editor.

#3

Same problem here…
using the keystep 37 to controll the Tempest… I really would like to be able to start the tempest without starting the seqencer or arpeggiator.
Anybody a work arround?
Thanks!

#4

You can switch off the Transport mode in the keystep using the midi control centre software.

#5

Thanks. I will give it a try!

#6

Thanks again. But there is no way to switch transport to off in the software… anyone else knows a way
Thanks!

#7

Just realised I’m using Keystep, not the 37 but take another look, down at the bottom. Here’s a screenshot from mine, so I hope it’s there for the 37 too.

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#8

Thanks again for your kind en quick response!
Indeed the keystep 37 has got an other layout in de MCC. See picture.
I tried to put transport mode to off and store to working memory but it still keeps sending start stop thru sync and midi (Op1, volca mod etc still start playing).
Gate CV output dropdown options are limited to s-trig and v-trif 5/12v…

I wish there was a hardware button to stop sending start/stop messages or start the sequences independently…

It is really stupid. I just want to start a beat on the pocket operator (tempo synced via clock) by pressing play on the keystep and play chords via keystep midi out on op1 for example. It inst possible! As soon as I hit the play button on the keystep and play a chord the arpeggiator starts to run.

Other options to try?

Thanks!

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#9

I ran into this problem today in a jam session. It seems there is no way to use the chord mode when the Keystep 37 is synced to external clock. How can this be possible?? Has anyone found a solution at all? It really kills a lot of the possibility inherent to the Keystep 37.

#10

I read on gearspace about sync issues , many complaining it was still unusable if you need sync. Might be worth looking on there but I didn’t read that it was fixed or any solutions … just more gripes that it continues to be a problem

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