Arturia KEYSTEP MK2

Agree, why can’t you get premium keybeds in small sizes from at least 1 company.

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Welcome to the internet…

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It looks like a pretty solid update.
Put this updates on the keystep 37, put pitch and mod wheels instead of touchstrips and I’m sold. Had they somehow get back into mainstream the 44 key form factor, I’d be ultra sold. With 37 I’m fine, but sometimes I miss some more keys on the lows, but 49 feels too large somehow.

Am I asking too much?

It can’t hurt to ask! However, I noticed in reviews that some reviewers pointed out specifically that this is not based on the KS37. Which more or less confirms why this one has one encoder, no lights and so on. The KS37 mk2 will come along at some point, though when is anyones guess. I imagine it’ll be a year or so between them. Not sure about real pitch & mod wheels. Arturia I don’t think have done that on any slim model I’m aware of. 44 keys would be a surprise - but an upgraded Pro should be along at some point.

Interesting that the guy mentions using a DAW and is seemingly using Ableton mostly for the demo. With the KS37 at least, it would play along with Ableton but it did feel a bit janky and there were a few workarounds to consider with triggering the arp etc. Seems like this new revision makes it simpler which would be a good thing. I saw a clip with Taetro also where the KS is controlling Ableton

I know it has been mentioned here, but someone in the stream also asked when is Keystep 37mk2 planned. He said “you can judge from what we’ve done in the past.”

That’s slightly vague, but I know they’re like clockwork with releases of things like V Collection, so I thought I’d check it out. The best info I can find is major product revisions of MIDI controllers (Microlab, Minilab, Keylab) etc is about 6 years.

Keystep 37 and Pro were released in 2020. So it looks like Keystep Pro mk2 will come out early next year with the 37 mk2 following on behind it later in the year.

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I read in the some YouTube comments this thing won’t spend arp over midi, if so that’s a fail. Do you think they’ll change that?

So, how to you hear the arp since this « thing » does not produce any sound by itself ? :thinking:

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I’m sure this sends arps via midi. That is almost entirely the point of the device.

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LOL cmon you knew what I meant

so here’s the breakdown of previous release dates. I hope they offer pro and chroma/limited editions soon

Here are the release dates and time-intervals for the models in question:

  • Arturia KeyStep: Announced on 21 January 2016.
  • Arturia KeyStep Pro: Announced on 14 January 2020.
  • Arturia KeyStep Pro Chroma: Announced for availability 30 November 2023 (US/Asia), with European availability mid-December.

Time intervals

  • From KeyStep (Jan 2016) → KeyStep Pro (Jan 2020): ~4 years
  • From KeyStep Pro (Jan 2020) → KeyStep Pro Chroma (Nov 2023): ~3 years and 10½ months

I’d love to know if the key mechanism is as robust as the original or if it’s been downgraded to a plastic flex joint mechanism to save cost for the manufacturer. Anyone want to open one up and take photos?

The only reports I’ve seen are that the build quality isn’t as good overall - but the keys apparently are similar to other Arturia slim-key models. I guess you’d have to open both to truly test, but for now at least the best we have is online reviews here and there.

i exchanged my keystep for a new model. And regarding the keybed, i kind of regret it. It’s slightly worse. the other feature make up for it though.

It’s a bummer that the voltage from the Digitone USB-Port is not high enough to power the keystep, unfortunately.

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I have the opposite as I find it slightly better: Very quiet, it has some smooth feel and it’s easier to play softer notes more precise.

Keybeds and all the opinions, you can make a 10 full season miniseries about it :upside_down_face:.

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It doesn’t work like that anyway, the Digitone does not supply power to its USB port for external devices, and it wouldn’t work to send MIDI over USB either as the Digitone is not a USB host.

Thanks for the opinion on the keybed, both of you who commented. @rtme I’m more interested in the construction of the keybed, you’re not interested in opening it to snap a photo of the assembly are you?

For science sake I would like to do it but it has a sticker saying I’ll loose my warranty if I break tbe seal so I won’t do it now (yet).

Of course you are right. I haven’t checked before. The digitone doesn’t offer a usb host.

In my dreams it does :pray:

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Those stickers are illegal btw!

And

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By the way, the TV doesn’t have host functionality either, but at least you can use its USB C port to power MIDI controllers and small synths. It’s very practical and I wouldn’t want to be without it.