Hello,
Do you think it’s worth adding a Keystep to my Digitone/Digitakt setup?
I like my ambient wave music so I wonder if the easier access to the octaves would help.
I see they do a the basic one and 32 key version (not interested in the pro).
Thanks
I bought a keystep37 a month ago to control mainly a DN and an A4 (I have the DT too, but I don’t use the keystep so much with it).
And I absolutely recommend it, one of my best purchases. It is small enough to put before the elektrons and reach them without problems, the keys are surprisingly good (for a minikeys controller). You get standard features (pitch bend, mod wheel, velocity sensitive keys, aftertouch), plus a few more (arpeggiator, sequencer, chords…). The sounds in both the DN and the A4 are richer when playied with such a controller. And a very basic feature, that’s very important for me, but my former controller hasn’t, is the ability to switch fast between midi channels.
Completely recommend.
Thanks mate! Just what I needed to hear, I’m only had the DN for a week and the the DT about 2 months. These are the first 2 bits of kit I have ever bought (well I did have a Roland MC303 when I was young).
What a deal! https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/midi-keyboard/arturia-keystep-37-usb-midi-keyboard
I use a Keystep Pro with my setup. It is nice to be able to play in notes with various velocity rather than having to edit each note for velocity.
Yup, can confirm, KeyStep + DN is a great combo (I just have the original, not 37 or pro). I also think KeyStep is a good choice early in a hardware setup because it has so many varied connections and functions, it’s very likely to add fun to anything else you pair w/ it later.
hth
Thanks. Yes I’m all new to this, but have this small setup to now learn for the next few years.
My main goal is to chill to ambient music with it.
As a non-keyboardist, I use a Launchpad Pro Mk3 with my DN, and can confirm more expressive control improves the synth.
This is the setup I’ve started out with. I do prefer full size keys but wanted something smaller that I could squeeze on the desk with the DT&DN to enable a bit of expressive input.
I chose the Keystep 37 to have three full octaves of space…i haven’t really leveraged any of the cool functionality built in, i just use it as a basic controller.
It works well, is the perfect size and feels OK under the fingers.
Love my Keystep with my Digis…it adds so much flexibility and ease. One thing I might recommend you get along with it is a midi merge device, like a Kenton Merge-4. My setup goes:
Keystep Midi Out -> Digitone Midi In -> Digitone Midi Out + Digitone Midi Thru -> Kenton Merge-4 -> Digitakt Midi In (then I have the second Midi Out from the Merge-4 going a Rev2, which I sequence with the Digitone, and the Midi Out from the Digitakt going to a Boog)
This way I can use the Autochannel for both of my Digis (I have my Takt set to channel 10, and my Tone set to channel 11) and also have the mod wheel / pitch bend working for the Tone, but also passing through, and I have the Digitone send clock and transport to the Takt.
This is really useful to know.
I have not even got the DN & DT connected to each other yet :S
Yes, I don’t think it’s a must with only two devices and a keyboard, but some kind of midi merge is a very useful device. I use a MidiHub for this, which let’s filter/route messages among many other things.
Totally, it’s not essential, it just makes things a bit easier and more flexible, especially if you want to switch between the DN/DT auto channels directly from the keyboard, and not have to dedicate one of the midi channels on one to controlling the other.
…not so much for the takt…
but wow…for the tone, it’s a different planet…
too many good reasons why even a dedicated digitone key version exists… 
while, well, that keyboard version is way beyond an ordinary keystep just attached to it…
but any keys will make ur tone a totally different kind of instrument…promise.