Koala have both : step sequencer and piano rolls.
What the linked picture shows is the step sequencer : a 16th (or whatever) steps view of a beat per pad.
But I agree that tactile zoomable screen may not be the most finger-friendly format.
Personaly, I find it far from being clunky for simple task (programing 1 or 2 bars for few sample to create loop for resampling), but what’s problematic for bigger project is more the size of my phone’s screen that their sequencing system.
I forgot to mention the EHX Ocean’s 11 pedal, which is definitely a hit. I use it all the time and as far as affordable utilitarian ‘vintagy’ verbs with lots of variation for on a pedalboard go, it’s hard to beat.
It’s a screenshot from my phone. That’s a sequence that I programmed. It’s a step sequencer.
In the shot, there’s a row of 32 steps for each sample slot because that sequence is two bars long. If you click the piano icon in the corner you can access a piano roll for each sample.
I just upgraded to Samurai… the per sample piano roll, and step sequencer, is worth £3 alone! 
The time stretching seems cool too… it’s crazy how good Kaola is… I think I’m going to put it on my iPad and connect it to my Digitakt.
Is it possible to mute individual sample pads though?
Hits: Rev2, Lyra8, H9, Heat, Mackie 1202
Misses: M-Audio 88 key MIDI keyboard
Not so bad, main thing hurting is my bank account.
You know, I don’t know. I always just use it on its own to sketch out ideas.
I’ve been doing the synth thing on and off for a long time (pre-midi) but gave it up to get away from computers (WORK!) and get into acoustic instruments more. That plus kids…now they’re getting out of diapers so I’m slowly coming back to electronics for music.
Mostly jamming dawless because who has time to sit and arrange and edit…WORK!
My humble list for 2021 (in rank order):
Hits
-Kali LP6 Studio Monitors - my first legit studio montior…why did I wait so long. They sound powerful and crisp. Got stands to go with and do recommend that too.
-Keystep 37 Midi Controller - I’ve had a number of midi keyboards over the years. This one is special. So flexible, perfectly sized, and deep. I have yet to learn all the features but I’m looking forward to it for sure.
-Model Cycles - I was not much of an FM synth user but this unit is making me appreciate what FM has to offer. That and the Elektron sequencer is…you know chefs kiss. I only wish I could pan the instruments to do a poor man’s overbridge solution. Come on Elektron!!
-Behringer Neutron - This was a steal at Xmas. I miss having an analog synth with knobs and this is also a gentle gateway drug to modular which I’ve yet to explore.
-Focusrite Scarlet 4i4 - got this used and while it’s sometimes fussy it is great sounding. I only wish it didn’t require a computer to change settings.
-Model Samples - I was not much of a sampler user but this unit is making me see the light. Filtering options are somewhat limited but sufficient.
-Korg Nanokontrol Studio - it’s really flexible and useful in a wide variety of contexts. I wasn’t sure at first but it continually surprises me when it enters a new workflow ready to rock.
Misses
-Korg Nanokey Studio (the battery power option and Bluetooth connectivity is what saves this from being a MISS, the type and number of keys are really limiting). A good portable option but that’s about it.
2021 was a great year for producing music. Here’s the hits and misses for gear…
Hits
• Roland SP404 MK2 - Fun, inspiring, gritty, and multi-purpose sampler, audio interface, and FX unit. The 404 is producing 50% of my beats and tracks now.
• Sequential Circuits Take 5 - Beautiful sounds, easy to program, compact, semi-portable, and inspiring. The Take 5 suits me better than my previous Rev2.
• MIDI Fighter 3D - Fun, compact, super useful MIDI controller for Koala Sampler. This makes finger drumming fun and like playing Street Fighter!
• Ear Trumpet Labs Chantelle - Excellent high quality mic for acoustic, vocals, and other instruments. Handmade in Portland.
• AudioThing Outerspace Vintage Tape Echo- Best Dub style tape echo I have used outside of the Zen Delay. Inspiring easy to use plugin for reggae dub.
• Epiphone Viola Bass- The poor man’s McCartney bass. If you can’t afford a $2000 Hoffner made in Germany, the $400 Chinese knock-off works well.
Misses
• Korg Wavestate - Inspiring instant soundtrack/ambient producing machine. However, the build quality is horrible and the keyboard feels like playing cheap dentures. I was tempted to disassemble it and make into a module but send it back.
Finished building out my studio in 2021 so no more gear purchases for 2022. Time to go deep instead of wide. Maximize current gear and learn more music theory. Quit buying and start playing. Cheers!
Just read the manual and spend a little time with it, it’s an incredibly easy synth to understand with very simple (but powerful!) routing options. Nothing confusing about it once you spend a little time.
With lockdowns I get confused between 2019, 2020 and 2021!!!
But I think this year:
Misses:
MPC Studio - reminded me why I left ITB to start with! Installation, latency, screen etc!
Polyend Tracker - really nice piece of hardware, but mono samples only in this day and age???!!!??!! Come on!
Hits:
SP404 MK2 - very new and I’m not an experienced SP user. All good so far.
All hits:
Digitone
Norns Shield
Macbook Pro 2021 M1 Max
Only one miss, but hardly one:
Hits:
Quadra MIDI splitter! I resisted this for the longest thanks to the thru port on my Model:Cycles, but ended up grabbing one when I got my Subharmonicon. Mitigates the Digitakt’s lack of a true second out port and actually ended up noticeably reducing latency into my DAW.
Shaperbox 2. Holy hell, anyone with a DAW-centered workflow will love this. The CableGuys UI is extremely intuitive and the newer updates allow VolumeShaper to work as the best compressor I own and NoiseShaper to be the perfect texture companion to my Digitakt. Shockingly low CPU usage, as well.
Moog Subharmonicon. Posted about this recently and still in love. I’ve already gotten unexpectedly great unison and pad tones out of it in addition to the sequencer. Truly an inspiration machine. Still need to check into what another user on here suggested re the note length on the Digitakt when using it as a longer and more traditional sequencer, but overall: such a pleasure to use.
Wooden Hand Drum by Coda Handmade. HIGHLY recommend this! Stumbled on it looking for a case for the Keystep and made an impulse buy. It sounds great and works exactly as expected. I went with the mono model and it currently occupies a slot in my Digitakt’s inputs for sampling as well as live percussion with clocked delay. Support talented creators; stellar woodworking, no less!
I think the 4 knobs in the keystep37 are in fact assignable, via arturia midi center.
one more thing to find out when I’m back home lol. If they’re both CC assignable and assignable to DAW controls I’ll be stoked! I haven’t experimented much with the former, but the latter was the main use case I was hoping for.
I was reminded just this week the Keystep 37 has aftertouch, lol. I’ve been scrolling through pad presets on the MC-707, auditioning each one, and at one point, I leaned a bit on the Keystep keyboard and something suddenly changed the sound - either a filter opened or the volume swelled up.
…and your heart grew two sizes too big?
Hits
Roland MC707: Deep, flexible, inspiring and fun. Looks good and sounds great. Well done Roland.
TD3 - MO: Only just got it but it makes acid noises so bound to be a hit.
Update!
Hits: Audiothings Doctor A reverb/delay: love it! Perfect for synths, very playable and tweakable. I love the effects on the micromonsta 2 and thought I should grab one after seeing a great deal for one second hand. Shame these are discontinued. Very handy and useful.
Dreadbox Abyss- found a great deal I couldn’t pass up. The rumors are true, very special synth.
Updated thoughts on Deluxe Memory Man Big Box- again, good deal and couldn’t pass it up. The delay isn’t as long at max as I would like, but as a total delay obsessee, this thing is as magical as I’ve heard. The chorus and almost reverb like sounds I can get with the right amount of feedback, it’s legit the best thing I’ve ever heard from a delay. Dunno that I’ll use it much more than that, but for that alone it’s a massive hit for me.
On the fence-
SP404 mk2: I’ve had the 404 before and I never ever got on with the workflow, despite trying. I’m going to keep trying but I don’t think the workflow is for me no matter how much I want it to be.
Hits : SQ-64, Sequential Take5, Morningstar MC6
Misses: Mrs Miggin’s pie was that was so old they tore the statue down.
Waiting for the rumoured Mk2. Great sound and workflow.