Arturia KEYSTEP PRO User Manual page 68

5.3.2.2. Step Record
The Keystep Pro can record and playback music data in step mode. Originally popular in the
1960s and '70s, step sequencers have become popular again due to the increased interest
in modular synthesizers.
A step sequencer is usually monophonic ; i.e., it will output only one note at a time. The
KeyStep Pro sequencer, however, is capable of stacking up to 16 notes per sequence step.
Step Record mode is the preffered way to quickly record sequences. Unlike Quick Edit,
where have to manually select the steps you want to fill Step record mode will step through
the pattern, advancing automatically when you lift your fingers from the keyboard. Press
RECORD to start STEP RECORD MODE. The KeyStep Pro will jump to the first step in the
pattern and wait for you to enter a note or notes. Start playing and observe how the steps
fill. At the end of the pattern the KeyStep Pro will loop back to the beginning and overwrite
the steps that you played before.
Pressing OVERDUB will cause the KSP to momentarily halt and remain on the current step,
enable you to add more notes in this step. Press OVERDUB again to make the KeyStep Pro
continue.
5.3.2.3. Real-time Recording
Realtime recording will give a more fluent, natural feel to your sequence. In Realtime mode
the sequencer will run at the speed you have set with the tempo knob or the Tap Tempo
knob and will store whatever you play is in the step that is currently active. That makes it
somewhat harder to predict in which step your keypresses will be stored. What you play
will be quantized by the Keystep Pro.
Tip: When recording in realtime mode choosing a longer sequence length gives you an
advantage. To set the sequence to 64 steps, hold [Lst Step] and press the 64 button.
Holding RECORD and pressing PLAY automatically puts Keystep Pro in Real-Time Recording
mode. There's a small problem: it's difficult to know when you have start playing; you can't
hear were the first step is. The solution: turn on the Metronome with SHIFT + Metronome.
When you now press play the Metronome starts ticking. You tell what the first step is, it's
accented with a higher pitch. You can set the level of the Metronome with the encoder next
to the Metronome output on the back of the KeyStep Pro.
Tip: If it's not pronounced enough, change the metronome settings in the MIDI Control
Center or in Utility (SHIFT>UTILITY>METRONOME) and make the first step louder.
The sequencer is now in loop mode; press a few keys and they will be added to the loop. The
KeyStep Pro sequencers are polyphonic, so instead of pressing a note, pressing a chord will
also enter them into the loop. Notice that everything is recorded with the velocity you play
it. Notes are added to the existing sequence or they replace the existing sequence based on
the status of the Overwrite button found near the Record button.
Now how do you edit the individual notes and chord you've recorded in real-time? It's
simple; press the [step edit] button and the Keystep Pro will drop out op real-time mode and
switch to step edit mode. You now have al the options of step edit mode at your disposal.
62 Arturia - User Manual Keystep Pro - Making Tracks