Sequencers

Notes: Arturia's BeatStep offers a new degree of functionality and performance for a portable pad controller.

BeatStep is highly versatile, capable of triggering clips in such applications as Ableton Live, it also allows you to play drums in conjunction with such applications as BFD or EZDrummer.

BeatStep is also a 16-step analog sequencer for creating all kinds of musical phrases to be sent to analog synthesizers, MIDI drum machines, MIDI keyboard devices, or computer programs. Its vast connectivity allows you to interface BeatStep with a computer or iPAD using USB, a drum module using MIDI or an analog synthesizer equipped with CV/GATE.

BeatStep is designed to give you the control you need whether it is in conjunction with your favorite DAW or loop triggering software, VST Instrument or Effect, Drum software, DJ application, MIDI synth or even CV/GATE equipped analog gear. The possibilities are nearly endless.

BeatStep fulfills multiple requirements for a wide variety of musicians. It is a true chameleon in that it can become many things to many people. No other compact pad controller on the market offers this level of control along with a step sequencer at such an amazing price.

Beatstep's 16 pads are both pressure and velocity sensitive which means that they allow you to capture the nuances of your performance. Beastep is the perfect control surface for producers and percussionists using iPads or software instruments such as BFD, Kontakt, Live's Drum Rack, EZ Drummer, Addictive Drums, Geist or Reason Kong.

BeatStep goes beyond the typical pad controller functions by adding a step sequencer. This opens it up for people who are using either MIDI modules, CV/GATE synths like the MiniBrute or MicroBrute and also to people using plug-ins on their computer via USB. While your sequence is playing switch to Controller mode and use the pads and knobs to enable and disable effects or tweek filters, attack and decay times on plug-ins, etc. BeatStep will allow you to create new ideas and add to your live performances in unlimited ways.

Wether you use Ableton Live, Traktor, Serato or any other DJ/clip playback software, the Beatstep pads are perfect for launching samples or enabling effects. The 16 encoders give you lots of possibilities of mapping them to eq's, filters, delays and other performance effects. BeatStep makes a stylish and portable companion to your other DJ control surfaces.

Beatstep is the perfect solution for stage performers looking for a solution to send Midi messages and control changes to their hardware gear and workstations. Thanks to the included Midi Control Center, mapping Beatstep to your needs becomes a breeze.

With 16 velocity and pressure sensitive pads, BeatStep is the perfect compact solution for playing percussion. The ultra sensitive pads allow for great dynamic performances. The 16 encoders can be assigned to adjust parameters that allow further real-time control over your drum sounds. Add to this the 16 user presets and you can have controller setups for all occasions.

The Step sequence mode turns BeatStep into a completely different product. A step sequencer is the most basic type of music sequencer. They were popular in the 1960's and 70's. They have come back into fashion with the popularity of modular synthesizers. There are examples of step sequencers in our Arp2600 V, Modular V, and Jupiter 8 V software.

In SEQ mode, the pads and encoders work together to set and enable steps in a sequence and set pitches for each step.
By simply pressing a pad, it will enable or disable the current step in a melodic pattern. With a few presses, you are creating and changing up musical patterns in real-time.

BeatStep allows for 16 sequences to be stored in memory and recalled instantly. This allows you to play multiple patterns and create your own songs.

Setting pitches on a step sequencer can be difficult, to allow you to find the notes you want we added scale modes that quantize the pitches of the encoders to a specific set of notes. This means that instead of having the encoders move up and down chromatically like most step sequencers, you can set BeatStep so that you will only be allowed to pick notes that belong to the scale you want to work in. Look ma, no wrong notes!