Doesn’t work in stand-alone with external keys. Big bummer for me as I was hoping not to spend 600-900 to get a Deluge or Squarp or MPC One…just to get a decent sequencer I could use with keys. I don’t use computer or iPad. And don’t want to use pads except for drum tracks.
I will now set my sights on the Keystep Pro.
Oh well.
Uh, that would be really sad. LPP was definitively on my list, but that would remove it instantly.
One thing I’m dying to know, and to which I can’t figure out from the manual, is if each drum track can do polyrythms. As in, Sequencer Track 1 is my sixteen drum layout. Can the kick be 10 steps, the snare 8, the hihat 11 and so on? The Keystep Pro can do this and I heard someone mention the Launchpad can too, but reading through the manual, I can’t quite figure this one out.
Or rather, I’d say that considering how specific such a feature it would be, the absence of its detailed mention would mean that it can’t be done, and a drum track has its sixteen pads all locked to the same amount of steps.
But who knows? @Calc maybe, or @mzero or how about @papertiger or @therockfrog? You all got one now, don’t ya? 
I wonder if that’s something they could add in a firmware update.
Or perhaps it’s not posible for the device to record an unquantized performance so they didn’t bother? (As in, it was quantized or nothing so they didn’t think it would be worth it).
Remind me: is it possible to record external keys into the Circuit sequencer?
Yep, very possible. I was on the Circuit awhile ago, and used a Keystep to record notes into its sequencer from time to time.
Thanks. I recently sold mine and couldn’t remember.
I hope the LPPMK3 continues to be updated and supported as much as the Circuits have been! That being said a new sampler Circuit would be amazing. But that’s another thread! 
And a great idea. A Circuit sampler would be killer.
You can do polyrhythms between tracks, but not within a single track.
A track in drum mode is just like a drum track in Ableton or most DAWs: It’s really no different than any other MIDI track, just the pad layout is different.
To be further clear:
- You can do polymeters, in that each pattern can be any number of steps from 1 to 32.
- You can do polyrhythms in that the step size of each pattern can be 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, or the triplet versions of these.
So on the same track, you can have two patterns of different settings, and chain them… so four measures of 5/4 triplets followed by a two measures of 11/16 is completely possible with just two patterns. You just can’t do this for individual notes (even if mapped to different drum sounds).
Note that polyrhythm is limited in that you can’t get things like 5:4, or other strange relationships.
While that wasn’t what I was hoping for in terms of function, this might be even cooler. So if a pattern can be its own time signature and step count, then I guess that within each track, I can have eight different time signatures and steps per pattern going on, as I switch between the eight patterns within a track, right?
You know what? If that’s true, I’d rather take that mind-boggling possibility that good old fashioned individual step count per drum pad.
Thanks for replying you’re very generous with your help. I very much appreciate it.
Thank you for that explanation @mzero. These types of techniques are certainly beyond my ken, but at least they’re there in case I want to explore them! 
I’m a bit spoiled by the Blackbox sequencer. Sixteen patterns going all at once if one so pleases, each one of them with their own time signature and step count, being able to trigger as many samples as polyphony allows.
Essentially, like having sixteen Launchpad drumtracks going at once.
It would be worth updating to the latest firmware on components. The SL MkIII also had a day one update which had some crucial features.
Woo Hoo. Update worked. Keystep working now.
I figured the unit would have the latest firmware but it did not. Phew.
Thanks for confirming. I just had to ask Novation the same question. Would be nice if they mentioned that somewhere since not everyone is rushing to deal with Components right off the bat!
Edit: the Aftertouch Settings were not matching what the User Guide said was available and the default Custom templates are blank (two examples of what I ran into).
What does that mean? Does it matter…
They are larger and flatter. And a bit softer than circuit. Not soft but less hard. If that makes sense. I like them a lot so far. Nice velocity range.
In the past a brew would be a nice compliment. Now. Old man. Not so much.
I’m sure there will be some issues that they will have to update. I am excited to get back into it tonight.
It doesn’t matter. It was a joke.