The new 2.5 firmware brings different features and improvements to your KeyStep Pro:
- A new edit mode allowing you to set a number of settings on a per track basis.
- The ability to send Program changes on a per pattern basis for each track.
- A transposition latch, allowing you to transpose sequences or arps while keeping your hands free and performing.
- The possibility of setting a fixed velocity when playing notes on a per track basis, affecting all patterns and projects from the track.
- The ability to change the Track LED colors (only on KeyStep Pro Chroma).
We'll explain each new feature individually in the sections below.
This new edit mode accessed through 'Shift' + 'Track' button allows you to set a number of new settings on a per track basis.
This includes Track specific settings such as MIDI Channel In/Out, Program Change Send and Assign, Fixed Velocity, and Track LEDs Color (for KeyStep Chroma edition only).
You can also access those settings from their usual location in the Utility menu.
When being in a specific Settings page, switching between Tracks does not exit the current Settings page. It makes it easier to change the same settings on multiple Tracks.
Track Settings include (from top to bottom):
This includes Track specific settings such as MIDI Channel In/Out, Program Change Send and Assign, Fixed Velocity, and Track LEDs Color (for KeyStep Chroma edition only).
You can also access those settings from their usual location in the Utility menu.
When being in a specific Settings page, switching between Tracks does not exit the current Settings page. It makes it easier to change the same settings on multiple Tracks.
Track Settings include (from top to bottom):
- MIDI Channel In
- MIDI Channel Out
- Prog. Ch. Send (ON/OFF) (NEW)
- Prog Ch. Assign (NEW)
- Fixed Velocity Setting per Track (NEW)
- Track LED Color (only for KeyStep Pro Chroma edition)
The 2.5 firmware update adds the ability to send Program changes on a per pattern basis on each track. Program change can be used to change patches on your slaved synthesizers to trigger events on another sequencer connected to the KeyStep Pro, and makes for a life changing improvement in the integration of your system.
We will now cover the basics of the Program Change assignation and programming.
To enter the Program Change assign mode :
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Shift + Track | Enters the Track Settings Menu |
| Rotate the control encoder and select PC assign |
Enters the Program Change assign Menu |
| Press Track | Selects the track you want to assign the Program Change to |
| Press Pattern | Selects the pattern you want to assign the Program Change to |
| Turn encoder |
|
| Press Exit | Exits ‘Program Change Assign’ and goes back to the previous menu |
| Type | Range |
|---|---|
| Program Change | OFF(d); 1-128 |
| Bank MSB | OFF(d); 1-128 |
| Bank LSB | OFF(d); 1-128 |
The Program Change destination is the MIDI output channel of the track it is assigned to.
The Program Changes are saved on a per pattern / project basis, so make sure to save your patterns and projects before powering off the unit, or all assignments made since the last save of the concerned project will be lost.
Also do note that mute states of the track does not affect the sending of the Program Changes. It means that if you're changing patterns to one containing a Program Change while the track is muted, MIDI won't be sent, but the Program Change itself will still be transmitted. It can be a nice trick to change the patch of your slaved synthesizer in between parts of a track or different songs.
You can then in Program Change mode select the pattern you want to assign it to.
In this mode, the LED behavior of the steps are helping you visualize your Program change across the patterns :
- Blinking : Program change is being assigned to this pattern.
- Dimmed : A program change has been assigned already.
- Off: No program change has been assigned.
It is possible to copy/paste pattern in and out of the ‘Program Change (PC) Assign’ mode, which is entered by using Shift + Track to access the Track Settings menu and then selecting the program change section.
The copy/paste procedure operates as with Patterns themselves, pressing copy, the pattern in question, and then holding paste, to finally press the destination pattern slot.
To Copy a program change you have two options :
- When copy/pasting a pattern out of ‘PC Assign’ mode, the Program Change values are copied, as well as the pattern content.
- When copy/pasting a pattern in ‘PC Assign’ mode, it only copies the Program Change values to the pattern slot, not the pattern content.
When erasing a pattern outside of 'PC Assign' mode, it will also reset the Program Change values on that pattern as well.
This feature is key in allowing you to transpose Sequences or Arps while keeping your hands free and allow you to perform. It makes for a more lively performance and have the ability to edit the transposition while the sequence or Arps are running without using two hands.
You can find it in the ‘Misc’ section of the Utility settings.
Here is the path: Utility/Misc/Transpose Latch ON/OFF.
When ON, pressing Transpose stays in Transpose mode for keys. The Transpose button still needs to be pressed to add / remove tracks from the group, etc…
Pressing Transpose again exits Transpose mode, but keeps transpositions active. When Transposition is active, the ‘Trans’ button blinks.
In this mode, there is no way to temporarily mute transpositions. You will have to clear the transposition to remove it.
To clear a transposition, hold shift and press the trans button, which will clear the transposition content as well as the groups set.
You can find it in the ‘Misc’ section of the Utility settings.
Here is the path: Utility/Misc/Transpose Latch ON/OFF.
When ON, pressing Transpose stays in Transpose mode for keys. The Transpose button still needs to be pressed to add / remove tracks from the group, etc…
Pressing Transpose again exits Transpose mode, but keeps transpositions active. When Transposition is active, the ‘Trans’ button blinks.
In this mode, there is no way to temporarily mute transpositions. You will have to clear the transposition to remove it.
To clear a transposition, hold shift and press the trans button, which will clear the transposition content as well as the groups set.
Fixed Velocity allows for faster sequence programming without having to manually set the velocity for each individual step. It allows you to have them constrained to a specific value. This also serves with Live recording of sequences to avoid having wide velocity divergences during live play on the keybed.
This setting is applied on a per track basis, and this is a global setting affecting all patterns and projects of the concerned track.
When Fixed Velocity is ON, the ‘Velocity’ Encoder determines the fixed value of velocity when pressing Keys on the current Track.
This can be found in the track settings menu.
This setting is applied on a per track basis, and this is a global setting affecting all patterns and projects of the concerned track.
When Fixed Velocity is ON, the ‘Velocity’ Encoder determines the fixed value of velocity when pressing Keys on the current Track.
This can be found in the track settings menu.
If you're the owner of a KeyStep Pro Chroma, you can now change the color of the Track LEDs, allowing for greater customization.
This can be accessed through two ways :
This can be accessed through two ways :
- Through the Track Settings Menu, using Shift + Track, and under Track LED Color.
- Through the Utility Menu, in 'Utility Track Settings Track LED Color'.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.