Beatstep Pro user device for Studio One 3

[deathbots]

This took too much time, so I hope it helps someone. Aside from the obvious use as a pad input and controlling the sequencer from the DAW, the BeatStep Pro can be used as a transport control for your DAW, the encoder knobs can be used as general daw/vst knobs for parameter control, and the BSP can be used as a Mackie control device for adjusting levels on tracks.

Attached is a zip file which can be extracted into C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\PreSonus\Studio One 3\User Devices (Windows) or ~/Library/Application Support/PreSonus Software/StudioOne 3/User Devices (Mac)

To prepare, start Arturia's Midi Control Center software, goto Device Settings
 
And scroll down until you find Mackie Control / HUI – set this to MCU.
Scroll up to Global and find “Auto-sync”, and be sure this is set to Off. This was not well tolerated in the DAW.
Scroll to Transports, and for the Transports option, and make sure "Both" or at least "MIDI" is set.

Remember to hit “Store To” on the far left to push the settings to your device.


In Studio One, Options->External Devices:
Add...
Browse to the Arturia folder which should exist.
Add Beatstep Pro Sequencer
Leave Receive From: None
Choose Send To: <your BSP's MIDI interface>
Choose all channels (most likely), choose the three midi options and hit OK.

Hit Add... again, and browse to the Beatstep Pro in the same Arturia folder.
Choose Receive From: <your BSP's MIDI interface>
Leave Send To: None

optionally choose 'default instrument input' or 'Split Channels' and hit OK.

Next, In External Devices, go to the Mackie folder and add the Control device.
Choose the alternative midi interface of your BSP - on Windows, this is called MIDIIN2/MIDIOUT2. Receive from MIDIIN2, send to MIDIOUT2.

==Sync==
If connected by USB, set the Beatstep Pro to ‘USB’ sync mode with the top-left ‘Sync’ button. Note that the tempo from the DAW is not guaranteed to be displayed correctly, but it is at the right tempo. Once in USB sync mode, freely recording your own pattern on the sequencer itself is restricted, so I wound up periodically flipping between Int and USB sync.

==Inputs==
Remember that your input for any track in the DAW, if it’s not ‘All Inputs’ will be the Beatstep Pro Keyboard, midi channel 10 for drums, or 1 / 2 for sequencer 1 or 2.

==Control the DAW or software instruments==
To use the device as a control surface (e.g. for midi learn/mapping) in Studio One, hit the Control Mode button on the beatstep pro, and choose ‘CC’ with the ‘knobs’ button.
To use the device as a Mackie control surface (e.g. to control track faders, mute/unmute tracks) choose the MCU/MUI option with the ‘knobs’ button.

Note that the device definition has an MMC feature, the record button, deliberately commented out / disabled. If anyone can make this work with Studio One 3 in a saner way, please update the device XML. The number of times it needed to be pressed as a toggle did not match up with Studio One's record transport command, and was causing lots of frustration. See Beatstep Pro.surface.xml

Enjoy!

[I grec]

Hi deatbots,
Thanks four your contribution.

Just a precision:

Remember to hit “Store To” on the far left to push the settings to your device.

settings in DEVICE SETTINGS tab are automatically stored within the device. There is no need to push anything. In fact, clicking on "Store To" is not saving settings in DEVICE SETTINGS. It is an automatic process (for DEVICE SETTINGS only)

If you want a proof. Go to CONTROL MODE on BSP and press SHIFT button. Meanwhile, change metronome On/Off setting in the MCC and/or Wait To Load Pattern setting and see the leds changing state on BSP.

Regards,
Y.

[MalachiSATX]

Thanks!

This helped me a lot. Could not figure it out.

Working now.....

[Noble1]

Deathbots - thanks very much for doing this!


Everything works great except that I do not understand how to control a synth with the BeatStep Pro.

For example, I go to control mode and select CC. That is fine. When I right click a synth button and press MIDI learn, and turn a knob on the beat step, nothing maps.
I have Arturia plugins and press the MIDI button, everything turns purple but I can't choose a knob to assign to the synth.

Everything else works, for example faders when i switch to MCU mode. I can make music as well in seq1 and 2 and drum mode. The knobs are all mapped and recognized in S1 as well. They just say encoder1-16.


Just can't seem to quickly map a knob to a VSTI knob or mod wheel. Can someone assist?

Hi deatbots,
Thanks four your contribution.

Just a precision:

Remember to hit “Store To” on the far left to push the settings to your device.

settings in DEVICE SETTINGS tab are automatically stored within the device. There is no need to push anything. In fact, clicking on "Store To" is not saving settings in DEVICE SETTINGS. It is an automatic process (for DEVICE SETTINGS only)

If you want a proof. Go to CONTROL MODE on BSP and press SHIFT button. Meanwhile, change metronome On/Off setting in the MCC and/or Wait To Load Pattern setting and see the leds changing state on BSP.

Regards,
Y.

[I grec]

Hi Noble1,
Did you check knobs assignment in the MCC?

• Check the MIDI Ports (is USB or USB&MIDI is selected?)
• Check the MIDI Channel
• Check the "Mode". Off is not good. "CC" is a good start

Regards,
Y.

[Astrin]

deathbots I'm curious as to where you got these files like the device files. did you create them yourself or find them online?

also, are there files for the minilab mk ii?

thanks!

[Astrin]

I cant make this work. Did all the steps of moving the zipped file to the locations, I can see the info in S1 and I can add the BSP using the BSPmidi in and etc. But in the DAW i cant seem to control anything. I tried adding the BSP using new kbd and new instrument and that did work and i could control a vst. Im probably missing something here...

[CRGxxx]

Hi, If anyone is still out there regarding this topic....

Did you guys get all transport functions working properly with BSP & Studio one??

[jbroooks]

Hi, If anyone is still out there regarding this topic....

Did you guys get all transport functions working properly with BSP & Studio one??

Add a MMC from the presonus folder and receive from your primary. Use the int mode on beat step sync and It works. In usb it glitches at first when you press play.

[CRGxxx]

A very late thank you Jbroooks,

that totally sorted it....

[CRGxxx]

I have had a lovely week using my Beatstep pro transport controls with Studio One.... Thanks again JBroooks for showing me the MMC.
It has worked a treat but now its broken.... it triggers the first beat/note in every bar but then stops.

Has anyone else had this happen??

Ta

Craig

[mrmugabi]

This happens when you have both the Presonus MMC recievefrom BSP and Instrument send midi clock to the same USB port.