Following the launch of its KeyStep Mk2 MIDI controller keyboard in November last year, Arturia has unveiled the KeyStep 37 Mk2, bringing many of the features from the Mk2 over to its 37-key big brother.
KeyStep 37 Mk2 has been equipped with more physical controls – an upgrade that Arturia says "drastically enhances its playability" – while expanding connectivity via USB-C and introducing a more sophisticated sequencer and arpeggiator with generative capabilities.
KeyStep 37 Mk2 is equipped with the same 37-key slim keybed with velocity and aftertouch as its predecessor, but has been kitted out with a strip of 39 LEDs above the keybed that provides visual feedback on notes played by the keyboard.
The top panel has received a significant redesign and now features an OLED screen, a clickable encoder for navigation and editing, and dedicated buttons for KeyStep 37's Chord Mode and Mutate function, which allows for one-touch transformation of patterns and sequences. These are joined by transport controls, dual touch strips and four assignable encoders.
The sequencer has been updated with support for unquantized recording and pattern chaining, and the arpeggiator has been equipped with eight new modes. Scale and Chord Modes have been brought over from the KeyStep Mk2, while the generative Spice and Dice functions (lifted from the MicroFreak) enable you to create randomized variations on sequencer and arp patterns in real-time.
On the hardware front, Arturia has added a power switch, traded the USB Micro-B connection from the KeyStep 37 Mk1 for a USB-C port, and thrown in an second CV output. All told, KeyStep 37 Mk2 features four 3.5mm CV outputs, MIDI In/Out over 5-pin DIN, analogue sync in/out and a 1/4" sustain pedal jack.
In our review of the KeyStep 37 Mk2, we described it as a "solid upgrade" that offers "new features and streamlined controls at a highly competitive price".
Arturia KeyStep 37 Mk2 is priced at €189.
Find out more on Arturia's website.
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