Beatstep Pro + Yamaha CS-10

[jonpatch]

Any users out there who have successfully controlled a Yamaha CS synth from their BSP?

Arturia's manual suggests this is possible, and offers S-trig and Hertz/Volt as options for the sequencers, but I've been having some issues.

When I connect the outs from the BSP to the key volt in and trigger in on my CS I hear the correct pitches but the envelope isn't triggered. All notes are sustained, despite having rests in my sequence.

If I change the sequencer to V trig, the envelope triggers each time a note is sent but the notes are still sustained. Ideas?

[thezenix2]

I have the exact same issue with my Yamaha CS40m. Did you ever find a solution for this? My guess is that the beatstep trigger in S-Trig sends -10v for note On, and 0v for note Off. The manual for my CS40 sais trigger On is 0 to -10v and Off is 3-15v. But its still wierd that the envelopes arent triggered at all...

[ozmic]

I have a CS-10 and bought a keystep precisely to sequence it.
I have yet to try it out. But I get the feeling it will be the same outcome as this.
I did not try my BSP with it yet. May try tomorrow and report back.

Failing these two Arturia devices not working properly, is there a cheap midi - CV/gate option that can do the job for the CS range?
Cheers

[ozmic]

I tried the BSP with a CS-10 and got the same results as above. Also tried sync out and it did not really work.
Tried the Keystep with it and it is the same.
However I was able to control the envelope by using Sync out - Trigger in and Pitch out - Key volt in. But I could not get away from a sustained note when not playing the seq. If you have any seq with rests, you would not hear them as it would be a sustained note. It would be OK for a sequence with only notes though.

I wonder if Arturia could do anything to remedy this? Doubt it would be seen as something they would bother with.

A Korg SQ-1 as demonstrated here could be an option:
https://orspectral.wordpress.com/curiosities-2/the-yamaha-cs-10-synthesizer-sequenced/

[ozmic]

Replying to my above post, the Korg SQ1 is not the answer as it does not sequence lower notes sufficiently.

But there is some success.
Here is a cable you can easily make yourselves that does the job.
http://gliglisynth.blogspot.com/2019/

I made the cable and it works.
You plug it into the BSP gate and have another cable from BSP Pitch to Key Volt In on the CS-10.

It also worked with the Keystep.
Note in the link you can also use the cable into the External input as mentioned below the picture.
Cheers.

[thezenix2]

I made 2x of the cables above and I can now control my Yamaha CS40m with Beatstep Pro. And it sounds amazing too...

[Chrissar]

Hi I’m new here and I realise this an old thread - nevertheless for the sake of adding to the stock of solutions to this problem (and since there are obviously still people like myself out there who have been trying to find one), I have another work around which doesn’t involve soldering up new connectors etc. Dependent on owning a drum machine or something similar that emits a 5v pulse trigger - it is possible to simply run a trigger from 808/rd8 etc into the trigger in of a CS (in my case CS5) whilst running CV pitch from Keystep into CV in of the CS5 (KS needs to synced out from the RD8 and slaved to its analogue clock). What slowed me down for ages was not realising that the Keystep can be switched to Hz/V mode using the Arturia midi centre software.

There are a handful of compromises with this naturally, you can’t ‘play’ the CS5 in real time using the Keystep as it’s not triggering anything but if you simply want to sequence - it’s great (for writing in basic sequences it’s not after all absolutely necessary to ‘hear’ the notes as you input them, and if you really do need to - you can simply tap the trigger button on your drum machine for each note as you go - sounds inconvenient but it’s nothing really). You get full access to the entire CS octave range (unlike using an SQ1 for example), you can transpose sequences using the Keystep, and, you can play around with existing sequences by changing the trigger pattern on the RD8 (cowbell, hand clap or accent). Everything is synced and plays from one tap of the RD8 and apart from Portamento, all parameters appear to work as normal on the CS5. Also problem with CS not recognising rests and playing a constant tone in between sequences notes is solved providing you ensure that drum trigger pattern corresponds to KS sequencer pattern!

So, to cut a long story short - if you are looking for a simple way to wake a CS up to sequencing - and integrate it into a clocked system - this seems to be it - KS controls pitch - RD8 controls trigger. Was miraculous when it suddenly started working after days of fiddling around. A supremely satisfying moment!