help :'(

[artkey]

Hey all, I've had a spill incident with my Arturia Keystep keyboard. It happened Thursday. Since then I have been able to revive the affected keys, except three : A2, C1 and F3. Also the pitch and modulation sliders don't work. Is there any hope? Are the keys replaceable individually or does the whole keybed need replacing? I'm lost as to what to do. I love this keyboard so much 

[megamarkd]

There are a few different ways that key beds work.  Some use brass springs, some use rubber mats, like in a computer keyboard.  I'm sure there are others too, but those are the two I've seen.  If you are lucky, the liquid has covered the contacts and is stopping them from properly meeting, so pulling it apart and cleaning it may work.  Dunno about the touch strips, that actually makes me worried it might be a chip that has been fried.
I've found that the box is pretty sturdy, after I unpacked it and put it on my chair then lost balance and sat on it as I fell.  The keys all worked as they should despite the crunch it took.

Years ago I bought a Frostwave Fat Controller (analogue step sequencer) and spilt Coca-Cola over it.  After opening it and cleaning up the mess, the letting it sit for a couple of days to ensure it was dry, I fired it up and it was fine and is still running today.  After may spill accidents with electronic devices in the past, I've learnt it's always best practice to let the device sit for a few days for all moisture to dry before powering up for a test.

Good luck, although the Keystep is an incredibly low priced machine, it would be terrible to have to fork out again to bring back the joy it contains.

[artkey]

Hi megamarkd. Thanks for getting back to me. The keyboard does have brass springs. I'm so afraid to take anything else apart though. As for the touch strips, I don't think there's anything for it to be done. Which contacts are you referring to, when you said the liquid had covered them? How do I take the springs apart? I hope it's easy to do so. Thanks again.

[megamarkd]

I've only tried to repair a rubber-mat style keybed when the contacts were flaky and never had to actually pull apart a brass spring system, so not sure about how it makes it's contacts exactly.
The contacts I was visualising was on a rubber-mat based keybed.  They use carbon spots on the mat that contact a pad on a board.  I've never had to clean up an instrument's keybed, but done it to countless computer keyboards.  That said, I've never had to try to replace the carbon on the rubber-mat inside a computer keyboard, but I have on a couple of R***** controllers, with varying success.

I'd suggest finding video or pictorial showing someone pulling apart a brass-spring keybed, as I ended up gluing my broken key together rather than trying to pull my M1 apart any further than I did to see how the keys worked.

[artkey]

I managed getting the springs off the keys with the help of YouTube. I figured that all digital keyboards have those springs, and so they have the same mechanism. So, I went through that, took the key out, cleaned it, and its contact area. Put it back in. Still no response.

Now, I'm thinking to take all keys out to get to the circuit board and contact pads. Seen a video on that too. Looks like it comes off easily. If that fails, then I have no idea what else I can do, cause that's the last thing I can ever think of doing. Turned it on earlier this morning though, to test it out again. I still get no response from the remaining affected keys 

I can share a pic of what it looks like in there...

[megamarkd]

I don't know much about electronics but I do know that I should have mentioned pulling a device apart while wearing an anti-static bracelet or on an anti-static mat is best practice.  Those parts are sensitive and can die if you touch the wrong bit and you aren't grounded.  Worst case, try to in some way to ground yourself before messing with it.  Many many moons ago I was taught to place my bare forearm on an unpainted part of the case of a computer while changing components.  That's the most precarious way and even though I've never fried a part when using this method, I'd never advice to use it as normal procedure.  Emergencies only.

The other thing I'm well up on is electronics and spills.  It's a bit too late for you but for future reference, don't plug in something you have split liquid onto until you are sure it's dry.  The moisture changes how the components work and applying a current is when they will fry due to this.  When I did my Fat Controller, I let it dry for 3 days before I replugged it.  Digital devices are more likely to foul up from this too.  So many method are described on the web on how to dry an electronic device, some involve rice, some hair driers (don't do either).  Best way really is a dry place in sunlight.  Just try to make sure you aren't letting dust and stuff in.  When you are happy that it's dry, clean up with some compressed air in a can (from a pc parts store).

Good Luck.

[gphantom]

First question:  What liquid did you spill?  Water should't be a problem.  Cocacola - YIKES (It contains a sticky substance that will jamb any contact)
If it's water, the best thing to do is open it up and use a hair dryer (*but don't keep it in one place for too long) - This should be done almost immediately or it will dry and any contaminants that enter during the wet stage will cause problems.

For many electronics (not too sure about keyboard controllers) if anything like cocacola or other water soluble substance falls in, you can give it a bath for a few hours until everything is diluted and rince then dry and repeat as necessary.  I don't know if you should do this on your keyboard... You could ask Arturia hardware problem solving if this is recommended or not.  Make sure you mention the type of liquid also.  If it's oil or other such substance based, it may have destroyed the components inside.

Another route would be to locate a music shop and ask for someone who repairs keyboards... The better way to go.

Good luck.