BeatStep Pro Feature Request Thread

[djd_oz]

1. Being able to copy + paste bars or single notes.
2. For the sequencer, if the step is empty the default note should be set to the root note of the scale.
3. Being able to shuffle/shitft notes left/right.

[toryjames]

When connected through the BSP cv/gate out, my Oberheim SEM was triggering poorly (sounding out of time with the sequence). It turned out the gate voltage was too strong and when I ran the gate cable through a passive attenuator (a potentiometer) and "turned it down" to about 70% it began triggering correctly (sounding in-time). At full strength, the 10-volt BSP gate causes the SEM gate in to overload, triggering instead when the key is released, making any programmed sequence sound out-of-time. It would be nice if the BSP software allowed the maximum gate voltage to be adjusted between 5-10 volts. Otherwise, I am extremely happy with everything about my new Beatstep Pro.

[Lu77]

Whoops! How did I miss this thread?

Nice suggestions!

1. Nudge patterns forward/backward.
Mentioned elsewhere this is great when you accidentally write a sequence on the 2nd or 3rd beat instead of the 1st. You want the sequence to end properly before moving to the next pattern, you can just nudge. But could also have great experimental use.
2. Way to apply gate/swing/microtuning/other parameter to all steps in the current sequence.
Manually editing each note one at a time is time consuming especially if you want a certain value across the board. Some kind of select all steps and double tap relevant knob to apply last setting to all those steps. That would be awesome!
3. Super speedy value changing knobs
Assuming the knobs are press able like buttons, could you press and turn the knob for faster response?

The first one is something I thought of and really would like myself, the others seem like cool suggestions I've read elsewhere. I've yet to play with mine, it looks and feels great, and I'm excited to play with it this weekend.

Anyone else got suggestions?

[sequentialx]

+1 on PATTERN NUDGE
It seems like an important feature to have, nudging patterns to choose what's step 1.
I've already written parts where I wish bar 3 was bar 1, for example.
This is a feature I felt was missing once I had played with the BSP for an hour or so.

GATE DIVIDE à la Numerology
to do ratchetting type sequences

COPY/PASTE bars in a sequence

Is a "reverse" SAVE MODE possible? I wish any change made would just write into memory. just duplicate your current project when you want to keep it as a version and keep modifying

[Lu77]

PATTERN CHAINING I didn't realise this wasn't a feature, not end of the world, but really important to me.
LIGHTS DIMMING/MUTING the strobing lights particularly of the drum sequence would absolutely trigger someone with epilepsy.
A VIDEO TUTORIAL ON LEGATO just a video on legato, it sounds like it's complicated!

[sequentialx]

+1 on pattern chaining

[deltaphoenix]

+ 1 more on pattern chaining, nudging, gate divide

I did ask the sales team at Arturia before I purchased my BeatStep Pro about 1.2v/oct (Buchla) scaling of CV and they confirmed that will be an option. I still want that to be in this thread. It looks like the rest of the CV should be good (0-10v).

I would like to be able to have unquantized pitch CV as an option. So I could set the pitch of each note manually, make my own non-western scales, etc.

[toryjames]

Pattern chaining seems antithetical to the live nature of the device. I like that it doesn't have traditional "song mode."

[Lu77]

I think the option of chaining is important as it leaves your hands free to do other things, you can still the control when you need to and shake up the sequence when you want, but you can't always be there to change to the next sequence, not if you're doing something particularly tricky elsewhere. It's about adding complexity to your set without having one hand cuffed to a particular device.

Also re nudging, I can see you can do this in the midi control centre, so that's good enough for now. Would be Volvo do it without a computer though.

Also I realised swing CAN be applied across the board or granularly. Be nice if gate etc had same...

[vegas71]

Something i would like (and thought it had?) Is the ability to tie notes in the drum sequencer as you can in the 2 sequencers. (Sure it mentioned you can do this in the manual in the midi control centre section)

[kfrm]

+1 on seq nudge, that is shifting the sequence 16 step forward and back, and step copy-paste


some other ideas/suggestions

1) ability to set pattern length (number bars/last step) individually for the 16 drum tracks, not only on the whole pattern
2) micro shift for melodic sequences as well
3) ability to choose what steps should be affected by swing and random per sequence
4) option to output CV voltage (pitch and velocity) on a step without gate present
5) simple polyphonic sequencing, i.e. ability to choose extra notes triggered per step, as on Octatrack
6) ability to quantize sequence change to bar start or some note value
7) shift+knob or sequencer+knob give us 3 extra aux midi sequences for modwheel, cutoff, or any CC on seq1/2  .... (indicated by blinking)

-) black version!

[sequentialx]

+1 on ability to quantize sequence change, end of drum pattern would a nice option.

[jahasw]

+1 on shift+encoder or shift+step buttons 2-16 for additional functions. (the shift is there, why not use it for more?)

I'll toss some ideas what they could do.

shift+encoder:

-set default gate/velo/pitch for newly enabled steps depending on active sequencer and knob mode
-change encoder acceleration globally / per active sequencer
-switch between instant sequence change / chaining / queued change (after it's played out)
-nudge active sequence left or right


with shift+step buttons 2-16 could have special function modes assigned, for EXAMPLE like this:

-hold shift and briefly press step button (2?) to enable copy+paste mode:
 holding shift briefly pressing single note or 2 notes for a range of steps, release step(s) to copy,
 pressing another step to paste from that step forwards and release shift to apply.

-set chaining order for sequences:     
 hold shift and briefly press step button (3) and then press step buttons in succession to
 select order for sequences to be played, release shift to apply.

-hold shift and briefly press step (4) and then enable/disable steps for randomness, and again
 release shift to apply.
 
-enable/disable cv w/o gate for a sequence/sequencer in a similar shift+step button fashion


what else could be done!?

[nectarios]

Older OS support than 10.7 for the software please!

[sequentialx]

Pattern chaining seems antithetical to the live nature of the device. I like that it doesn't have traditional "song mode."

You make a valid point, but it would enable you to do pattern longer than 64 steps, which I would love to have with 1/16 and 1/32 patterns especially.

chaining up to 4 patterns for example, is still pretty far from a song mode.