Very displeased with Beatstep Pro

[Juan]

I'm just testing my new purchase, the BSP. The quality of the materials is awesome, and some sequencing ideas are too. However, while the BSP does an awesome job in advanced areas, like randomizing, or the Looper it forgot the basics for editing/jamming.

1. The default gate is 50%. If you want to write a sequence with 64 notes and 90% of gate you have to adjust individually each note gate. Or viceversa - this is my major gripe with it. You can get older while adjust individually each note from a couple of sequences.
2. The encoders are slooooooooow. We have a shift key, why do not allow shift+encoder to change quickly the value? Like 10 points for velocity, one octave for the pitches, and 10% for the gate.
3. While the project switch is produced at the end of the current played pattern (optionally using the software), part's pattern switch is always done instantly. There should be an option to change this behavior, so pattern switch could be done at the end of the pattern too.
4. You cannot rotate or nudge foward/backward the patterns. I'm sure you want to write random sequences and the 'ear' starting note isn't at the step 1.
5. The "fast Tie" function isn't working here with the lastest firmware, instead the two simultaneous steps are turned off.
6. Encoders/buttons midi output cannot be changed without a PC (this is a minor complain).
7. Would be nice if the scale select would unlight the pads out of the scale (or paint them in another colour).

I think I'm going to return my BSP to the store this monday, until these things are fixed, because at the moment it's very difficult work fast with it for a classic techno musician. Unless there is a secret way to solve it... because I didnt find nothing in the manual.

[Vertflyer]

I'm just testing my new purchase, the BSP. The quality of the materials is awesome, and some sequencing ideas are too. However, while the BSP does an awesome job in advanced areas, like randomizing, or the Looper it forgot the basics for editing/jamming.

1. The default gate is 50%. If you want to write a sequence with 64 notes and 90% of gate you have to adjust individually each note gate. Or viceversa - this is my major gripe with it. You can get older while adjust individually each note from a couple of sequences.
2. The encoders are slooooooooow. We have a shift key, why do not allow shift+encoder to change quickly the value? Like 10 points for velocity, one octave for the pitches, and 10% for the gate.
3. While the project switch is produced at the end of the current played pattern, part's pattern switch is done instantly. There should be an option to change this behavior.
4. You cannot rotate or nudge foward/backward the patterns.
5. The "fast Tie" function isn't working here with the lastest firmware, instead the two simultaneous steps are turned off.
6. Encoders/buttons midi output cannot be changed without a PC (this is a minor complain).
7. Would be nice if the scale select would unlight the pads out of the scale (or paint them in another colour).

I think I'm going to return my BSP to the store this monday, until these things are fixed, because at the moment it's very difficult work fast with it for a classic techno musician. Unless there is a secret way to solve it... because I didnt find nothing in the manual.

I think some kind of copy and paste would help solve item 1-2. Maybe as simple as holding down one note and pressing another empty note, copies and pastes. I think if you compare this to the workflow of something like an oberkorn or most analog step sequencers, there are many things that are easier/faster.

[syneman]

I'm starting to feel the Arturia Beatstep has great hardware and build quality, but sucky firmware and coding, Beatstep still has no proper sync even with Ableton Live & velocity function (a major request since it was shipped) has still not been added. I will not buy a BS Pro until I see some better firmware and support!

[Terrym]

Hi all, Thought ill let you know there should be a new firmware update soon and to answer some of the question here.

1. The default gate i believe is set to 50% for the cv and gate  out as different analogue gear needs different gates to work   so 50%  is a starting point.
     you could record your sequence in on the pads to get the right length

2. The encoders seem fine for me, if you move them fast you get to 99  very quickly

3. project switch wait is a feature of the bsp. not sure if arturia will add switch instantaneous.

4. Not sure why you need to nudge think this would knock the sequence out

5. fast tie works for me , do you press the first step to be tied then the second . it may be a corrupted sequence if you did not delete any sequences before updating the firmware. press shift and clear ptn   and try it again.
6. just make a template with usb/midi selected for encoders to send . you will need to use a pc to store your project on the mcc anyway.
7. like to see this feature myself

hope this helps ,any question let me know.

regards

Terrym

 

[Juan]

Well, copy/paste individual notes would be useful - but it doesn't solve my main gripe, which is the meat and potatoes, the cornerstone.

I think I'm very used to my MachineDrum and my EMX, which are really inmediate to write sequences in no real time, step recording. These are possible solutions:
- Shift + Encoder = Coarse value change
- Define another default gate value, for these people that do not use CV/GATE, just MIDI.
- User decide how big is the velocity/gate increment. By default is 1. I would set 30 for velocity and 25 for gate -> this is fast! Yes, not as flexible but you dont have to use an entire weekend to create a 32 steps sequence.
- A shortcut to change the gate of all the notes in the sequence (except those that are tie/slide).

3. project switch wait is a feature of the bsp. not sure if arturia will add switch instantaneous.

4. Not sure why you need to nudge think this would knock the sequence out

What I need is that project switch at the end of the current pattern (like it's now), and pattern do it too! It should switch when it finish! (nowadays it change instantly)

About nudge: last note would become the first one. Why? Because sometimes you write a random sequence and it sounds good, however you know that the start point of the sequence it's in step 4 or 7, and you want it becames the first step, so everything would sound in sync.

About fast ties: I'm using the firmware 1.1.0.3. Using the SEQUENCE1, I press step 3 (which is on), and then I press step 4 (which is on), then I release both steps and both go off. I tried in stop and play.

[Terrym]

Hi , With the fast tie . Please try a new sequence by shift clear ptn  then hold down  step 1 and hold down step 6 , all 6 steps should light up.

Terrym

[Juan]

Yes, in that way, it works. However it should work too with steps that are currently active.

I hope someone in Arturia read this, because it's a very nice controller (I would dare to say, the BEST in the marketplace) and it's a pity that it's firmare it's failing here, due to slow settings of gate/velocities. Also, I've detected problems with the MIDI clock, specially when I'm using the BSP with a computer, lots of glitches.

[ArguZ]

I am 100% they are reading this.
And do not forget, Version 1 is late beta those days
So thanks for your efforts, i am positive after the hype they created they will keep an eye on the software.

What would be critical for me playing live is switching patterns in a way that they play out and THEN switch.
Hope that is the case.

[Biry1944@einrot.com]

Pretty harsh title for a thread.

[ENDIF]

These are such minor things, most of which are purely your own preference, that i find it extremely difficult to take any of them seriously. 

[Biry1944@einrot.com]

+1

[s-man]

I'm curious if I can get help from anyone?

Have made a couple of tickets with no reply, have contacted where I purchased from & they suggest I try here..

So. Since installing the new update for the first attempt on using the BSP & now numerous times of uninstalling drivers on PC & un/reinstalliing MIDI Control Center, I cannot get the BSP to display anything else except "Err" no function seems to be working, no light change, no display apart from 0d above project.

Is their a way to return to factory default?

Is their any news on an updated firmware?

I'm running win 8.1

I have tried compatability mode on several different settings with none working.


It's really disheartning buying a new product & nothing working.

[Terrym]

Hi , does your mcc see the BSP ,did you get to do a firmware update . where is it saying error?

regards


terrym

[s-man]

Yes MCC can see BSP, since I have tried to update, BSP display says Err, top left display. I have tried via holding rec/stop/play etc. have uninstalled through device manager, reinstalled etc.

Still nothing.

Firmware update loop.

Can see connected, then when I try and Sync, says not connected.. Although at the bottom of screen says it is.
Pressing any button changes nothing.

Can I perform a factory reset?

So all that it says is Err & above Project 0d. As I cant get it to even Sync cannot use any function.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/c7g5t7wdjuhqvj5/after%20install.jpeg?dl=0


https://www.dropbox.com/s/hsaj783u243oeyv/can%27t%20sync.jpeg?dl=0

[sjbaines]

1. The default gate is 50%. If you want to write a sequence with 64 notes and 90% of gate you have to adjust individually each note gate. Or viceversa - this is my major gripe with it. You can get older while adjust individually each note from a couple of sequences.

Hi,
I'm just about to buy a BSP, but just wanted to know more about this issue. I've had a quick skim through the manual, and indeed there seems to be no option to change the default gate setting to anything other than 50%.

Question:
If you've adjusted the gate on a step, then you replace the note on that step, does the gate revert to 50%, or does it stay as you set it?
If the latter, then is it possible to set up a 'blank' project in which all the gates have been pre-adjusted to, e.g. 80%, but all steps are off?
If so, then this would be an indirect way to use a different default.

And just to confirm, this is not relevant if playing the part in live from the pads or an external keyboard, correct?