Version 2.0 of the Arturia BeatStep Pro's firmware just came out and it's great! Let's have a look at some of the headline features! Also featuring: Vermona DRM1 Mk.ii Bastl Microgranny Novation A-Station
Seriously, I'm only half way through this video and I had to stop and comment on how mind blowing awesome it is! Great job on this video. Super concise, straight to the point, and incredibly informative! Thank you for this!
Thank you! This was the first video of this sort I ever did and kinda completely changed the direction of the channel - so I'm glad to hear that it was worth it!
I bought a BSP recently and looking for some demo's. I just have to say that this demo is awesome, one of the best I've seen. Just the right balance between talking and examples, great work!
I just received my beatstep pro and am learning the basics using Arturia 7 yt old videos. I found this and wow ! I didn’t know it was capable of all these updates you have touched on here. I’m hoping I find some detailed videos you may have made on the overall changes. Thank you for sharing.
32th! my new favorite word! great video! it makes me feel excited to implement everything you've shared. way better than the other video i watched about this
Thanks for doing this man, 10 times better than the Arturia one or any other. Easy to follow, very informative. That roller-vellocity trick, didn't know about it. That's pretty ace!
Good Job on the script if any. Really shinning some light here for anyone interested in improving their connections with the BSP. I'm so glad Arturia is putting important Updates out. It really brings Value to the products
isn't it? i've seen the 5 videos and they're horrible... first you have to get trough the accent, and second, they just scratch the surface and go trough the features way too fast.... on the other hand, this vid is great :)
Enjoy it, it's a fantastic, intuitive bit of gear, but... it's Poly*meter* - I got rightly slammed for mixing the two up - to be fair so did Arturia though. If you're interested in the difference: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OkuYmD6zs8o.html
Holy SH**! This appears to be just the update I was expecting . Apparently the BSP still doesn't send poly sequences. And still not sure about the possibility of playing several drum sounds (I.e. of the Vermona) simultaneously on a given step on the sequence Excellent review man 👍 Keep this coming !
+chatolars in case you didn't see my reply on the other comment: more than one drum sound at the same time is exactly what the drum sequence on the BSP is for - have no fear! You could literally have every drum firing at once on every step if you want! It's only the melodic sequences that are monophonic.
DUDE! Thanks for this video! It convinced me to get a BSP. I will probably mainly use it for the Volca Sample (drum pads, polyrhythms, randomization) and Volca Bass (>16 step patterns, pattern chaining, time setting (1/4, 1/8, etc)). This has gotten me very excited! :D
Oscillator Sink : So I actually bought one! :) But I don’t know how to switch between setting the last step for the entire sequence vs just for one drum instrument. Can you tell me how?
You're after Polyrhythm mode. While on the drum track, that's Shift+16. (Also, it's not really polyrhythm it's polymeter, as I explain in another video!)
Arturia published a cheat-sheet. You can get it from the downloads section on their website, and I highly recommend that you do - it's so useful to have all of the button combinations in one place.
Oscillator Sink basically all the videos that arturia and JB put out don't go into it enough for me . I would like to see the pattern chaining and saving to pads amongst other things
+Darren Lucas I'll have a play and see what I can do! Honestly I've mostly used the BSP as a live jamming tool so this will be a good opportunity to learn these features myself!
Awesome demo, very informative, and exactly what I needed. The Arturia demo isn't nearly as good, and this video gets across the idea that the drum pattern is as long as the longest last step and you can set last step for each pad. Love it! Only critique: Please get hold of your autofocus. When your hands go in frame, the focus jumps and it's a bit distracting. Other than that, brilliant work!
Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry about the auto focus - my video setup is a bit "sub optimal" here (ie it was a webcam suspended above the desk on a microphone stand). It's slightly better these days (ie it's my phone on a camera stand) and the auto focus is a bit calmer, but there's definitely room for improvement! Hopefully I'll pick up a DSLR soon...
I Feel. Press record before you play anything. Then just hold the arp until the seq plays through. Leave record on and play a new arp. You could even use LST Step to make the sequence 3-4 steps. So you wouldn't even have to hold it that long. That's my suggestion. What i really wish was that you could record transposition! I also wish you could shift the Keyboard transposition. Such as having the keyboard contain notes E1-E2. It does so much! but its never enough :-P
Great demos mate. Clear and interesting, no dithering. It gets on my nerves when people do a video before they've got to know their kit. Do you know if the update is now standard or if you still have to install it? I'm not computer literate and don't own one!
+dave bell thanks dave - sorry I don't know I'm afraid, that might be a question for Arturia themselves. You'd certainly hope that any production runs since the update should be running it though.
I'm surprised they didn't incorporate the "latching" mode in the roller/looper section from their iSpark app. I feel it's an easy way to compose a bridge or add a different section without losing or rewriting your sequence and easily be able to repeat back to the original sequence. I looked in the BS manual...no dice. Unless one you fine people know how to do it. Maybe a button combo that I'm missing...
Great demo. I've been thinking of buying one of these, but also have read bad reviews of the usb power port being very weak and breaking. Have you or anyone else here experienced problems with this?
I've never had an issue with mine. I'm not exactly taking it out and gigging with it though. If it's primarily for home use you'd have to be pretty rough with it for it to be an issue I'd suspect.
Thanks for your wonderful vids! Quick question if I may: I'm trying to decide on a hardware sequencer to play drums live to. The more f***ed up generativity/randomizing capability the better (I'm going for spacey/psychedelic, etc.). I have several MIDI synths, so linking to them for sound generation is no problem. What would you say is the best of the best? I just ordered the NDLR but wondered if there weren't another better than it for this purpose.
@@OscillatorSink yep, loved that video, ordered that too last night.😄 But is there a better (even if more expensive) sequencer than NDLR for generating cool s**t to play drums live to? I'm looking for the best awesomeness to live-ease-of-use ratio possible. I want to start out right and then learn the heck out of the machine I commit to...
@@greeceandrome have you looked at the Torso T-1? Different thing to the NDLR, but maybe complimentary? And of course the Keystep Pro (I did a video on using it to chop sequences up in interesting ways.
Hi - thinking of getting one of these, but please could you advise if I'd be able to hook up my Monologue, Volca FM and Volca Sample (acting essentially as a drum machine) to the Beatstep Pro? If so, is this all via midi and which cables would I need? Thanks in advance.
Is it possible to sequence MIDI CC/automation on the BSP or is it strictly notes only? If the latter, do you know of any hardware sequencer on which one can sequence knob-twiddling (e.g. LFO rate)?
Any classic hardware sequencer will do it inexpensively (Roland MC-50, Yamaha QX-5, Alesis MMT-8, etc). All CCs plus SysEx. Sync to the BSP for timing accuracy, edit as necessary. Pattern/step seqs seldom do. But the Korg Monolgue might.
Thanks man. That feature for the short concentric loops is really bloody hard to do on my old sequencer! Do you have a soundcloud? Mine is Acidave. All hardware.
No soundcloud, but there are a bunch of jams - again all hardware, on the channel. I posted a bunch of jams for January (and a couple of mini jams at the start of Feb), and I'm pretty proud of most of them. Check them out and let me know what you think!
@oscillator sink - how do you find the pyramid vs the beatstep with polyrhythms/drum programming>? reading up on the pyramid it seems more superior with variations overall? I just ordered one for delivery over a beatstep to program vermona and other synths.
It should send the gates on the drum outputs so that should work fine. You won't get the velocity though I don't think - although you could still make that work if you were willing to use the one of the melodic tracks as you'd have a velocity CV out to patch in there.
Oscillator Sink Would it work with drumrack midi channel out into a midi to CV interface that supports velocity (and therefore I guess aftertouch?) channels like the Hermod?
Hello, thanks a lot for these explanations. It's a great little device, I love it. I hope you don't mind that I ask you something regarding firmware this way, I recently did an update on my BSP from 2.0.0.2 to 2.0.1.0. As you explain at 16.29, in version 2.0.0.2 the note assign to a step worked like this: holding a step + pressing a pad = note was assigned to the step AND the the step was NOT muted. Now in version 2.0.1.0 the same thing goes different: holding a step + pressing a pad = note is assigned to the step, BUT the step is MUTED, which means, I have to unmute it. Is this a bug or intentional or am I doing something wrong? For me it worked very well the former way (NOT muted). It was my favourite way for note input, but it doesn't work anymore. Is it possible to downgrade from 2.0.1.0 to 2.0.0.2? Thank you very much for answering.
I actually haven't upgraded to the new firmware yet so I don't know for sure, but I can't see anything about it in Arturia's release notes so it might be a bug potentially? Alternatively if there is a setting to change that behaviour I'd bet that it was in the Midi Control Centre and not on the front panel. Either way I'd suggest contacting Arturia directly to ask them, they've usually been pretty fast to respond in my experience.
Thank you very much. I've sent them a message. In MCC I didn't find any setting regarding this. Ok, I have to wait for an answer, I hope they fix it or I can downgrade.
I have a question for example if we connect a "Behringer Edge" synthesizer and create patterns in a project, and we disconnect the "Behringer Edge" and turn off the "Beatstep Pro" the sounds of the patterns of the project are they saved if you restart it ?
I Man may I Ask you Please, after done a sequence on the BSP and than I save it, why if I go to make a new Control on the Midi control centre than stored as I must do, After this on my BSP the sequence that I just made is gone 🤨 Can you explain step by step how to do it I need to map new control on my external gears and change something in Ableton It will be very great Thanks a lot for your tips👍 Cheers 😀
It sounds like you're maybe creating a new project in MCC rather than editing your current one? Make sure you sync your BSP before you start editing the mappings so that you're working with the current state of the unit rather than a blank canvas.
Hello! I am planning on getting One of this and the new Elz1. Dont know if they are a good match since Elz is polyphonic (although i heard its possible go Polyphonic via drum part) should i get this or keystep? Also have another synts
Polyphonic on the drum part is possible, but it's kind of a hack... You can also send both melodic tracks to the same synth for 2 note polyphony... The Beatstep Pro is fantastic but if your intention was to use it for polyphonic sequencing, there are better options available.
I don't know why when I added a virtual synth through logic pro X it sounds on my other sequencer and the drum that I hooked my volcas. Do you know what am I doing wrong?
Oscillator Sink thanks for replying, basically when I plugged one volca in the drums and one in the sequencer, everything was fine until I wanted to use a virtual synth on logic X but now that synth sounds in all of the sequencers and cannot make it sound only in one of the the sequencers.
Oscillator Sink by the way I am using the midi output from the beatstep to hook my two volcas with a headphone splitter, it works great! And would like to use the usb to assign the virtual synth from logic x.
That's a Vermona DRM-1 (mk 3). A really wonderful analogue drum synth - there's a series on the channel where I go through each of its sounds in detail if you're interested in hearing what it can do 🙂
Hi thx for sharing! I have vermona drm & microgranny too but was wondering how do you connect both on bsp drum channel? goes the microgranny to midi in on bsp?
@@OscillatorSink hey I tried this out but only one sample of the microgranny played every time a channel of the vermona was hit. how do you get the 6 samples of the granny on the "free of vermona" pads of the bsp?
Hello, i hope ur easter break went well, i have a question about the pitch notes, does your device go beyond the pitch f*3? Mine used to i guess and then it changed and the default became F0 and it doesn’t go beyond pitch f*3. Is there anyway to change that through the midi controller application
@@OscillatorSink yes, but it doesn’t affect it its still locked up to F*3, i realizrd whenever logic is not on the pitch goes up to C6, however as soon i turn on logic pro something happens to the device
Is there any video that shows how to connect two drum machines (or samplers) and play them together using midi in the drum sequencer? As far as I can see the drum map does not take into account devices with different numbers (i.e. my RX-5 kick is 52 and my RX-7 - 52 is a snare). Some people claim it can be done, but don't explain how. Frustrating Arturia do not have anything to explain how to set that up.
I guess it would be two (or more) drum machines spread across the pads. I read "Each pad has its own sequence and can be set to any Midi Channel and Note Value you want using the BSP software." I am not sure how that works. If it does work, could you explain or make a video? Cheers
+Botany 500 ok, so that's exactly what I mean in this video when I'm talking about having my Vermona and Bastl both being triggered by the drum pads. You have to set it all up in the Midi Control Centre software (you can't do it on the BSP standalone), but you can literally assign a MIDI channel and note number to each pad in the Midi Control Centre. So after that just chain together the two drum machines and have them receive midi on two different channels. Does that make sense?
Yes, I saw that at around 12 mins. It is clearer now. Looking at the MCC, you would send say pads 5-9 to a different channel, (to say another drum machine ) but you can not change the Drum map. The drum map would be the same for both devices. EDIT: I just realised that you can change the drum map when you change the midi channel. I am trying to figure out if I can change the drum machine voices to coincide with the drum map. (I couldn't seem to) It would be much easier if I could set the drum map for each sequence and save that. And be able to play two drum sequences together giving you the option of up to 32 pads. Cheers.
@@OscillatorSink thanks for the reply youre awesome, i picked up the BSP yesterday and im still findin my way around it, however im struggling with building up 32 step sequencens as i can’t figure how to extend and let the second sequence play, sorry this is the last question but what does the CHAN and transpose buttons do? They seem to ruin my channel inputs whenever i use it
@@MS-ph6gu Chan is used to change the channel for a track which is why it's messing with your MIDI channels. TRNS Link links the tracks together so that if you transpose one, it transposes tbfm all. To make a longer sequence hold Lst Step and tap the >> button. That'll add 16 steps each time you do it. You can also hold Lst Step and tap a step to set the length of the sequence that way. Use the arrow keys to move between pages of 16 steps. I'd highly recommend reading the manual - lots of useful information and tricks in there.
OK i've sussed it .. you have to copy across the measures after each pattern you do. I was also not holding the DRUM button and pad before trying to set the LST STEP of the individual track. Thanks for the videos after watching several times i found my mistake !! Cheers :)
chris paddon I wish! That's been bugging me since I got the BSP. You have to mute separately unfortunately, but on the upside you can *un-mute* all at once. I've gotten really good at muting all of my hats tracks all at once now - through necessity! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the reply - I can stop googling about this now. Funny how this hasn't been added even with a modifier combo like shift+mute+sound. Maybe there's a really good reason but I need it as I like to drop the midi into separate tracks for each sound once I've built the pattern for DAW mixing and automation
+chris paddon shift+mute+sound would be ideal - that'd be my preference for this. It's its annoying because it's about the only thing I could do on my old electribe that isn't possible on the BSP. It seems like an obvious feature, perhaps we should group together and petition Arturia?
It could be improved, all though if you have a hardware Drum Machine like TOP notch Vermona DRM, you can change/mute individual channels sound on the fly, same with the Nord Drum, Roland MC- 505, MC-303 and a few others.
Nice tutorial! I didn't know before, that you can program melodic sequences by pressing a step plus a key. Do you know if there is a opportunity to program chords like that? Greets Casse Baum
+Casse Baum yeah, you can use it like a keyboard and play chords, but the melodic sequencers are monophonic. I have a Keystep as well which is a very cost effective way to get a polyphonic sequencer!
@@OscillatorSink I don't think you understood what I meant, if you have polymeter on, still the resolution is global for the drum channel, if you have on qharter notes then every drum pad plays quarter notes. am I right??
+m0tive _ I wonder what the resolution on the lights are though - I certainly wouldn't want a situation where I couldn't see clearly in the dark whether something was on or not...
I'm not an Ableton user so I don't know the specifics, but the BSP responds to standard midi song and program change messages - so if you can send those in a clip, then yes!
@@Shane-zo4mg I've just checked the manual on Arturia's website - it's one at a time, but you can switch them in and out using the MIDI Control Centre software.
+nod factor not when it's played live, but it'll be quantized to the swing of the track on playback - it's the same as the roller. I have to admit that I'd rather it was swung when playing live; perhaps that's something Arturia will address in an update.
From the manual: 4.2.3. Muting a Drum If you’d like to mute one or more drums while creating your pattern or during performance, this is easy: • Start in DRUM mode • Hold the DRUM button • Hold the MUTE button • Press the pad that corresponds to the drum or drums you would like to mute. The muted pads will light solid so you can see which ones are muted. ♪: When individual Drum tracks are muted the Mute button will flash. When the entire Drum sequencer is muted the Mute button will be lit solid. The same process is used to unmute the drums: hold DRUM + MUTE and press the desired pads to unmute them one by one. If you'd like to unmute them all at once, just press the MUTE button. It sounds like you're doing the very last thing mentioned?
@@OscillatorSink Mr. Sink, thank you. What I was doing is what you describe. However, I double checked my firmware version and even though it was the 2.0.1, it wasn't the 2.0.1 blah blah blah that it is now. Once I updated, bam, works perfectly. I had thought I had double checked that firmware. I'm not sure when they released this very most recent update but apparently that was the dealio. Thank you so much. I love your channel.
Yes you can. I often use it as a starter for hat parts because the "velocity" gets recorded from the aftertouch, so it's a great way to record natural sounding parts quickly. Everything has to happen on a step though - so if you have a sequence running in 8ths and you record a 16ths roll only every other hit gets recorded.
@@OscillatorSink hey you're online! I just posted a question on the other video you made. I was wondering if it's possible to trigger BSP sequence presets using Ableton clips.
Again , I have been struggling with this many times : THIS IS NOT POLYRYTHM BUT POLYMETRY. !! Please use the right words in order to avoid keeping confusing most of people about that !
+dekal boy yes, I was drinking from Arturia's kool-aid and called it the wrong thing. To my defence all of their marketing materials call it polyrhythm. But I will make sure any other time I mention it I'll call it the right thing, I promise. I hope the video was useful otherwise! Perhaps I'll do a video explaining the difference to make amends?
