Keystep Pro > Digitone: Will it record trigs / parameter changes?

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

hi everyone,

I am a fairly new Digitone user (bloody love it) and have been considering getting a Keystep Pro to widen the possibilities and add a keyboard into the mix.

My question - will I be able to record parameter changes in the Keystep Pro sequences, much like the trigs on the digitone sequencer? I’ve been reading how the Keystep Pro can use CC MIDI data, with assigned controllers to do this.

Anyone had any experience with this?

EDIT CORRECTION: sorry I didn’t mean trigs, I meant P-Locks.

Thanks.

#2

You need to clarify this more…
Record parameter changes within the KSPro? Like to send CC’s from it to the Digitone and record them??

The KSPro is really good, and offers a way more ‘musical’ work flow/approach.
Where I think it falls down though is it’s project organisation… if that was better it would be essential to me.

#3

hey CCMP, sorry I made a mistake in my post. I meant P-Locks not trigs.

So for example, I’d like to record algorithm changes as a performance in a sequence, much like you can with p-locks. As well as more common frequency sweeps and effects changes. All as recorded parameter performances. Hope that explains it better?

#4

Ok, I get you…

Yes, you can, sort of… the ‘but’ is that you’re working with a step seq so the filter values you are wanting to record will be ‘stepped’ to the steps, they’ll give you a set freq value for each step that you’d hear moving.

You can record the filter info in the DN and use the Slide function there to smooth it out.

As you have the DN and not the KSPro, you’re probably imagining what can be done with the KSP… I guarantee you won’t be aware of the wealth of possibilities it does open up until you use it. Whereas all the Elektron units are amazing for tech/automation/seqs, the KSPro is a world apart on a musical/composition performance level… and feeding that into the Elektron approach is :partying_face:.

On a basic level, KSP into DN let’s you have 4 tracks with 16 patterns each, all interchangeable, feeding into the DN without it having to change pattern. Think about that.
Running the DN solo you have 4 patterns, one per track, and you have to move them all together (to another pattern).
I do this with my Analog Four, it opens it up soooo much, then you can just record the KSP patterns into the A4/DN when needed.

Just wish they’d fix the file management!

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#5

Great insight thank you.

What did you mean ‘record the KSP patterns into the DN’?

#6

Imagine I have a 4 bar pattern playing on the KeyStep, playing the sound from a DN track… sync the clocks together, set the same pattern length, play the KSP and hit record on the DN track… it’ll pass then from the KSP into the DN. Mute the KSP pattern and it’s self-contained in the DN, allowing you to use the DN’s p-locks, etc.

Like I said, I do this exact thing but with the A4 in place of the DN.
You have 4 tracks on the KSP, 4 tracks on the A4… you can either line them up 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, or mix them up as you need.
I find the best way is to have one of the KSP tracks sending to the ‘auto channel’ of the A4 (DN), this way you have quick access to any of the A4 tracks (by selecting them). It’s like having the built-in keyboard on the A4/DN, but on steroids!

#7

In short, yes, you can record those knob movements on KSP as P-locks on Digitone.

#8

Thanks John, this is awesome. So would you press record on the keystep pro and sweep the filter on the Digitone? Or would you have to map it on the key step and sweep the filter on the keystep?

#9

You basically need to decide which sequencer you plan to use. I’d make the Digitone the primary sequencer, so the latter in your question.

That way everything gets saved into the project, and you’re using the KSP primarily as a controller.

So you then program some knobs on KSP to send CCs that correspond to e.g. filter on Digitone.
Then when playing, you can sweep those on KSP, even if you have a different screen open on Digitone.
Another dimension to think of: when to use the Auto channel on KSP (i.e. control active track on DN) or a fixed channel, so you could e.g. have a volume knob for each of 4 channels, always accessible.

#10

I see. If I wanted to use KSP as the sequencer (which I think I’m more inclined to do), would I be able to record parameter changes on the KSP patterns?

#11

Sounds heavenly :slight_smile:

#12

Also, there’s a KeyStep Pro firmware update about to drop… it’s great now, I imagine there’s going to be some amazing updates going from 1.37 to v2!?

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#13

I love the DN sequencer but it’s a steep learning curve, and very unusual. Of course that’s the thing that’s great about it.
I just think KSP might unlock more for me in terms of performance and song construction. It seems…simpler.
In terms of the two sequencers, what advantages does the DN have over KSP?

#14

That would be the thing Elektron are best known for, the trigs and p-lock functionality.
KSP, or nothing else, is going to get close to that… KSP seq wins on note/performance-based functionality, and handling/use of patterns is streets ahead.

#15

Product page is not in depth. It has 5 assignable knobs for cc if i am correct. Does that mean that you can realtime record up to 5 possible CC’s per poly track x4?

#16

I guess that’s the main question I’ve been trying to answer - can I do the same thing as DN (trigs/p-locks) but on the KSP? And when you say ‘close’, how close? :slight_smile:

It’s the p-lock I really want to recreate. I love the idea of recording filter sweeps and parameter changes as part of a pattern.

#17

Yeah as always, someone else puts it way better than me :slight_smile:

Because with CC, you can assign to stuff in DN right? And then potentially record a performance with that parameter in the KSP sequencer?

#18

Chapter 8 of the (large) KSP manual describes how you can have a CC track alongside a sequencer track:

#19

The elektron sequencer is much more capable than the keystep pro. There may be some CC’s you can send out but most likely it’s only 2 or 3 nothing like parameter locks.

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#20

How do you do this? I can’t find the Slide function. Thanks!