Arturia Beatstep _ Hardware Step Sequencer for €99

[UN!T]

What you might look into is alternate tunings. Just intonation is one thing you might find interesting. Doing this type of thing might be dependent on the beat step having user definable scales as well as a piece of gear that can deal with the tuning assigned to it.

[Planar]

There is no secret "inbetween-pitches" going on as far as I can tell.

I think blnn is making sense, but I think what he wants is achieved through synths that support microtuning and they will still use discrete values.

The Aalto sequencer lets you set pitch in a continuous way, but I don't know of any other (software) options. Of course, there are lots that accept alternative tunings.

[blnn]

The MAQ 16 isn't analog its digital. It uses midi to set values of notes and cc's.

While It does have cv/gate ports on it, it is none the less a digital machine.

OMG... Doepfer doing digital... never expected... I always assumed (dont remember where I read that) it was analog...

Doepfer Dark Time.... is maybe digital too?
Do you know some real analog sequencers?

[blnn]

What you might look into is alternate tunings. Just intonation is one thing you might find interesting. Doing this type of thing might be dependent on the beat step having user definable scales as well as a piece of gear that can deal with the tuning assigned to it.

very important!

I must try this gear... but maybe I have to investigate with modulations, tone...etc I have a Kraftzwerg that can do almost everything with OSC tuning, LFO... and produces interestin results. But I have to find some way for the all the other "conventional" synths...

[UN!T]

The MAQ 16 isn't analog its digital. It uses midi to set values of notes and cc's.

While It does have cv/gate ports on it, it is none the less a digital machine.

OMG... Doepfer doing digital... never expected... I always assumed (dont remember where I read that) it was analog...

Doepfer Dark Time.... is maybe digital too?
Do you know some real analog sequencers?

Sorta, kinda, maybe, yes and no. It does cv/gate, midi and midi over usb. Do you consider that digital? I dunno...

There a ton of analog only sequencers. Most of them exist in modular format. Take a look at modulargrid.net sequencer page.
What is it that you want the sequencer to do? Trigger cv gear? Randomization? Something else?

[rktic]

I think you should reconsider your definition of "analog". In terms of sequencing analog is a way of using, not necessarily the circuitry. If it spits out CV - it's analog. Who cares how the values are generated?

Btw, Hexinverter has a new modular sequencer coming - DIY kit for only 300 bucks:
http://cv.hexinverter.net/?projects=orb ... ck-project

[ashley BORG]

Anyone else got an issue with the encoders not transmitting midi cc. I've previously mapped them to one instrument. Then attempted to map to another. I've changed the channel using the midi centre. Nothing is reading in Live. My Mpk49 is doing it no problem. Have no clue why. This is in control mode and not sequence.

[Planar]

Still OK here, ash. I've been changing the midi channel on the hardware and mapping from there if that makes any difference. I've not done much with the software.

[ashley BORG]

Fuck knows it's still not working, have posted up in the BS forum.

Edit figured it out. The BS needs to be set to remote in Live's midi set up screen.

[Martian]

For those who have a Moog Sub Phatty like me it might be interesting to use the beatstep to control the Sub Phatty's hidden features. The guy from fluxwithit.com shows us how he has done it.

youtu.be/Tk-wwr2fWLo

[SFBM]

Will the beatstep allow you to step sequence patterns in Live by default? Or do you still need to have a step sequencer VST/Max4Live setup in order to do that? As I thought it natively sequenced before, but after a bit of reading it says quite a bit about clip launching, but nothing about step sequencing outside of MIDI/CV type stuff...I'm kind of unsure on if I'm getting the unit (which I want to do) whether I'd have to spend ages setting up/making step sequencers racks, or having to purchase max4live to even run it properly (which at the moment, would require me spending $700+ on top of that to get ableton suite).

Does everyone here just have them running MIDI/CV? Or are people using them for live, too?

[Planar]

It outputs MIDI through USB. It works fine with Ableton in pad and sequencer mode. Push make the sequencer a little bit redundant imo.

[SFBM]

Yeah I knew it was MIDI via USB, was just unsure how it worked: whether it was more like a USB MIDI controller, or more like a sequencer. I do intend on getting a push as well, but that's still a while off as of yet, but the price of the Beatstep is at an attractive value for a step sequencer (which I've been needing badly).

So for the step sequencing, all that needs to be done (other than setting up MIDI prefs in live, obviously) is to change the beatstep to sequencer mode, then it will input into lives step sequencer straight away (Rather than launching clips)? Or is there more setup involved? Almost all of the reviews I've seen or demos have been just sequencing CV or Ext MIDI, so it's hard to tell.

[Planar]

Yes, sequencer mode works 100% in Ableton, I have a Beatstep. All it does is push out MIDI, you don't need any special software for it to work. Plug it in, start a sequence and you'll see it received in a MIDI channel set to receive from the USB MIDI port.

[SFBM]

Oh sweet. Needed to make sure, it would be pretty epic unit just for hardware sequencing of Volcas and such as it is, but if it can work as a step sequencer as well in ableton, I'm gonna definitely get one . Now just to see if when I get a push, how much I'll be using the beatstep...

[Mslwte]

What is the general concensus on the beatstep now you've all had a chance to play with them. Good value for money or does it leave you wanting more features?

[Planar]

Decent hardware, crappy software. Does what it's supposed to. My current genre choice and purchase of a push has relegated it somewhat.

[Hades]

Now just to see if when I get a push, how much I'll be using the beatstep...

if you buy something for 100$, then even if 6 months later you buy something else that makes it rather redundant,
you can still sell it for 70$ and the whole thing will have costed you very little.

[willemb]

Ive made about 3 sequences with it connected to Logic in the many months i've had it. Its collected quite a nice layer of dust and smoke residue. I also bought a midi keyboard for the first time this year, and thats also mostly collected dust. I will keep both though, as one day i will get a microbrute and some more stuff, and I look forward to using it all together - i see it mostly as an investment to use with other OTB stuff. For now, I will just stay the mouse and keyboard guy that i am.

[SFBM]

Now just to see if when I get a push, how much I'll be using the beatstep...

if you buy something for 100$, then even if 6 months later you buy something else that makes it rather redundant,
you can still sell it for 70$ and the whole thing will have costed you very little.

Well the beatstep is $160, and push with intro being $649 is what I'm aiming at getting also, once I get the beatstep, but I'm thinking that by the time it gets to where I'd want to buy a push (and if I were to try go the suite version, still quite a lot of money ($1000) for a student with no job) , I would just keep the beatstep anyway as it seems it would still be useful.
Like, I could try my hand at selling it to make one of the more expensive push options cheaper, but given the hardware sequencing to MIDI/CV with push not doing the same, it could easily be a great second step sequencer for volcas or something similar.