Looking at the Keystep sequencer, for playing the 0-coast and creating sequences that compliment those made on the Monologue, combining w/MIDI etc… wondering about the functionality of the Korg SQ-1 vs. that of the Keystep controller, and which of these sequencers would work better, if I had to choose one… any thoughts?
Keystep is more powerful IMO.
It’s really amazing, check Mylar’s video about it, all you need to know.
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You can use an SQ-1 to send MIDI into the 0-Coast from one row of the sequencer. That way the second row can send CV to other patch points on the 0-Coast, for example.
However, the Keystep is also capable of sending CV/gate sequences on the one hand, live MIDI keys on a separate channel while the mod strip can control more patch points over CV at the same time. It can also save 8 sequences (which can be edited and backed up over USB) which the SQ-1 cannot.
They’re both great controllers. The SQ-1 is easier to see what’s going on with each step, and they can be tweaked using step jump, slides and toggled on and off very responsively while a sequence is running. The Keystep offers up to 64 steps which can be reduced or appended in real time, and transposing a sequence and changing clock divisions is very straightforward too, but it’s less easy to see what’s going on. The arpeggiator is also very good, and if you don’t mind slim keys the keyboard itself is nice and responsive.
In all honesty, and given their low cost, get both if possible. They offer two quite different approaches to controlling not just the 0-Coast, but pretty much anything using both MIDI and CV/gate at the same time and each has plenty to offer.
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And definitely check the Mylar video that @LyingDalai just posted too. It’s a terrific guide that showed me a number of tricks that I’m looking forward to trying out.
Wanted to share it as well 
Great video as always, it really shows how great the keystep is.
Have the Black version here, love it
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both are fundamentally different, with their respective strengths, but it depends on the kind of music you lean towards imho, the SQ1 is far more flexible, tweakable and playable in a ‘modular’ context … it has an extra CV channel (effectively only a gate) and does slides and is extremely interactive
the Keystep is a better device to have around for general gear and has broader uses -accidentally touching its modstrip drives me bonkers and it’s tricky to get the right touch to get full mod range (or highest pitchbend) due to the design (bad, the upper edge prevents a flat natural finger position reaching the top, no problems at the bottom) … the sq1 has quirks and is annoyingly small, but having two live gateable/slideable polymeter sequences with lots of single/dual modes makes it more interesting in a modular context IMHO - esp with random and CV tweak specific modes
if there were only two controllers in the world and I had to keep only one for all music requirements i’d choose the Keystep, but I think the SQ1 is more interesting for a semi-modular rig
so I think this one comes down to personal preferences
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This is definitely a bit of a pain when it happens, that and not being able to see where the mod strip is set at a glance either (a nice line or two of fading-intensity LEDs along the edge of both the mod strip and the pitch strip would be a great improvement, for instance, but would of course jack the price up).
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Thanks for the info, everyone! Been pondering this myself…
…and a little LCD that show the current step of the sequencer. That’s the only thing I miss. Otherwise the Keystep is awesome. I just bought a second one because it’s small but has real midi ports, I like the feel of the keys, the arp an all the connections. But the sequencer would be better with a lcd…
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Simple fix 
Yeah, that’d be nice too: it could be 8 or 16 LEDs in one bank with another set to indice which group up to 64 steps maximum was baing played; or maybe even just 64 blinking LEDs along the top of the keyboard… why not?
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Biggest issue with Keystep IMO is the lack of isolation of the USB power.
I easily get ground loops with 0-Coast, I have to unplug USB to get rid of the noise. A shame.
And could use some ad hoc bag 
That’s too cool! I wish I had the knowledge to build such things. I would put LEDs on anything, and mod all my synths to the same Color scheme!