OP-1 as your center piece, or the Arturia Keystep?

OP-1
#1

I recently bought an OP-1 and the Arturia Keystep, but I am having a hard time deciding which one is going to control my Midi Solution Thru. I am curios what you guys think?

#2

What other gear are you controlling? From the get go it seems to make more sense to have the keystep in control, as it has velocity, aftertouch and some sequencers too… Only reason to have the OP1 as master would be to use its quirkier sequencers.

#3

The Keystep is currently controlling a microKorg and 3 Volca’s. But I suppose your right, maybe I need to slave the OP-1 to the the Keystepm, than have the computer control the Keystep. I don’t know how to slave the OP-1 though…

#4

OP1 can’t send correct MIDI timing. just saying…

I spoke to TE about it and they left it hanging…
#5

Can it receive midi timing?

#6
OP1 can't send correct MIDI timing. just saying..
I spoke to TE about it and they left it hanging..
Was this with the recent beta?
#7
Can it receive midi timing?
I found it syncing well as slave.. Shift & tempo then green (or tempo ,then shift&green?) -then set to Sync.
#8
OP1 can't send correct MIDI timing. just saying..
I spoke to TE about it and they left it hanging..
Was this with the recent beta?

I haven’t downloaded the beta for fear that it’ll mess up my OP, I am a bit paranoid.

#9

i’ve got the beta and it seems to sync master or slave just fine for me

#10

the keystep makes it very easy to switch channels on the fly. so im inclined to say the keystep is better as the centerpiece. but im also biased as i just bought the keystep to be the centerpiece of my modular rig. still use the op1 as master audio out. and its midi into a cvpal for more cv sources. but keystep felt like a better solution to tieing all my gear together. although it was certainly possible with op1. I prefer my current setup.

#11

I am using the Keystep both as a master or slave, in conjunction with the Beatstep Pro. I slave the OP-1 to the Beatstep or the Keystep depending on the need, but it works well in either scenario. There are times when I use the OP-1 as a module only, so no slaving to clock is needed… I just use the Beatstep to drive drum patterns to the OP-1 and it works great. Other times I will slave it, especially when I want to make use of the 4 tracks… But at that point I’m locked into a tempo if I go that route determined by the OP-1, so it effectively becomes the master clock whether it is actually acting as master or not.

the Keystep is best for input… The keys are velocity sensitive with after touch, the sequencer is polyphonic and the arppegiator is incredibly cool. I hate to say it, but the OP-1 has been moved out of the center position in my home studio, pushed aside by the Keystep. I still love it, but the Keystep just makes for a better input device, hands down.

#12

Keystep.

#13
I am using the Keystep both as a master or slave, in conjunction with the Beatstep Pro. I slave the OP-1 to the Beatstep or the Keystep depending on the need, but it works well in either scenario. There are times when I use the OP-1 as a module only, so no slaving to clock is needed... I just use the Beatstep to drive drum patterns to the OP-1 and it works great. Other times I will slave it, especially when I want to make use of the 4 tracks... But at that point I'm locked into a tempo if I go that route determined by the OP-1, so it effectively becomes the master clock whether it is actually acting as master or not.

the Keystep is best for input… The keys are velocity sensitive with after touch, the sequencer is polyphonic and the arppegiator is incredibly cool. I hate to say it, but the OP-1 has been moved out of the center position in my home studio, pushed aside by the Keystep. I still love it, but the Keystep just makes for a better input device, hands down.

Thanks for the comment! I started with the Keystep but have always been obsessed with the OP-1… so I bought one last week. I am absolutely in love with it. The Keystep has it’s downfalls though, you can’t see the BPM for the tempo, and building a sequence is tedious. I’d take the OP-1 for sequencing any day. That being said, the Keystep is still in charge of my analog gear, though it is usually getting it’s tempo from Bitwig. I’d like a device that just tells me what tempo I am at, like a small digital screen or something. They seem to be extremly expensive when I search for them.

#14
OP1 can't send correct MIDI timing. just saying..
I spoke to TE about it and they left it hanging..
Was this with the recent beta?

Yes, both beta and official OS, the midi song position pointer is off by a beat. I even sent some videos to TE, if interested I might dig that up

#15

Thanks for the info @eesn.
If I stumble on any problems I’ll bare this in mind.

#16

Is anyone using their Keystep with a Beastep Pro? Do they compliment each other or overlap quite a bit? I feel like the BSP is better suited for drum programming my eurorack and find it easier to write melodies on keys.

Even with a keyboard, I’m not the greatest at writing melodies so I’m hoping that’s where the Keystep comes in. For the untrained musicians, does the keystep change the way you write?