Arturia KeyStep 37 37-key Controller & Sequencer Reviews

This keyboard is invaluable to me. I have an abnormally small left hand (from birth) and using this keyboard and its smaller keys along with my KeyLab 49 enables to me to play full keyboard parts. The two keyboards work seamlessly as a single instrument in my DAW. Arturia makes updates and configuration easy, and the installation is downright painless. This is a very nice product.

Got to complement my Native Instruments S88 MKII. The size of this is perfect! Fits on a desk, small enough to be portable. Just enough features to keep you busy, but not so many to be overwhelming. It has been reliable for me and the connectivity has been what I needed. Definitely recommend this if you are looking for a controller.

I have only glanced at the documentation but the product is so intuitive to use at the onset.
This particular model is tailored to my situation. e.g. limited desk space, i own pre-USB MIDI gear and the keyboards don't have the convenience of rotary knobs to address real-time patch adjustment s. These concerns have been addressed with the Arturia Keystep 37.

Great size functionallity price and looks.

Work perfectly, well built, as simple as it needs to be.

I just love Sweetwater! I won't buy any music gear from anywhere else! They provide customer satisfaction after the sale of the hardware, they are awesome! I only wish I had bought all of my music gear from them....

This was recommended by an audiophile friend who is super into sound design and performance.

The first time I used it, I fired up Reason on my laptop, plugged the keyboard into the USB in, and Reason just recognized it instantly. No drivers or anything were necessary.

Keys are nicely weighted -- not like a proper piano, but they don't feel cheaply constructed at all. The keys are smaller than piano keys, but not uncomfortably small, either. If you have hands that you would consider "large" (compared to your peers) it _might_ be an issue for you, but otherwise it feels like a nice compromise between compactness and comfort. The rotary knobs are all comfortably large, and the buttons are soft, firm, and responsive. The touchpad slider (pitch bend / modulator) are where you would expect them to be and are similarly responsive.

Having USB and also MIDI output is also great!

The manual is _very_ thorough and I've barely dented it so far. It has a sequencer onboard, though I've not used it yet.

If you need a MIDI controller keyboard, this is an _excellent_ one to go with, and is worth every penny. (Get the protective dustcover for it, too!)

Always enjoyed Arturia products. This keyboard has plenty of I/O and some great sequencing and chords options (though some of it is a bit hard to program). The keys are a bit "squeaky" compared to other controllers I've used, but I don't really notice when wearing headphones or listening on monitors.

From what I tried so far of the keystep 37 is fantastic. the features it has will really help me with the music that I want to produce. The keyboard is much more durable than I thought it would be.
Thank you Sweetwater for this product and your continued support.

Love this board, possibly the best performing board I own in this price bracket. The older keystep was a fan favorite and this one is a worthy successor to that legacy!

Surprisingly good build quality too, feels nice and sturdy with better than decent synth action keys. Really there's not much more to say - there are things it wasn't built to do and for the money you could probably find those features in other boards... But if you want a great quality sequencer with better than average playability and lots of convenience-based extras that support its limited but brilliant core functions, than the Keystep 37 should be on your short list!

This is a great Controller. It is well built and is easy to use. The main thing I use it for is to sync my Moog DFAM up with my DAW, which it does flawlessly.

Great Unit. Great feel. Most everything you could want in a mobile unit or hardware oriented unit.

I had been shopping for a midi controller with this form factor for a while. I settled on the the KeyStep 37 because of the arpeggiator/chord/strum/sequencer features and programmable cc knobs and the CV/gate outputs. The KS37 is sturdy, has a good weight, and the keys and controls have a nice feel. I was surprised that the aftertouch was more responsive than some of my more expensive full-size controllers. Admittedly, the ribbon pitch and mod controls are taking a little getting used to, but I am liking them more, the more that I use them. I recently recommended the KS37 to a friend who was looking for a controller for his daughter who was just getting into experimenting with Logic. I think it is perfect many applications: the pro who needs portability or has limited desktop space, the student who is new to working with DAWs, for use as a compact controller for modular setups, and for someone who wants a budget friendly controller for a synth module or desktop synth (makes a great controller for my Roland D-05 and Behringer Pro-1) - great as both a basic controller and for compositional experimentation.

He actually was looking at this while it was for pre-order. He like because of the features. He still have to played around with it and learn all the effects on it. Overall he's happy with it

I've been using the Keystep 32 Black Edition for quite a while, which has been awesome. I love that keyboard. The things I love about it are...

1. Nice fit and finish, for a keyboard in its price range and size, its the best quality no doubt.
2. MIDI in & out, plus USB plus CV, which makes it compatible with all gear.
3. The arpeggiator, which is great for making electronica.
4. The sequencer that provides more ways of being creative.
5. Aftertouch for more expressive play, and opens up all the possibilities of your synths, both hardware, and software.
8. Expression pedal jack. Not all keyboards in that price range have one.

So when I saw that the Keystep 37 came out, I knew I had to have it right away. It has all the things the 32 key version has plus +++

6. 5 additional keys, a welcomed upgrade foo show.
7. Chord mode and Scale mode, which makes being creative with chords super easy. It's like having Captian Keys but in hardware instead of software. Where you use your ears instead of your mouse.
8. LCD screen, so you know your tempo and it provides other parameter feedbacks as well.
9. An on/off rocker switch, so you can turn the keyboard off when you aren't using it without having to pull a plug!
10. It's white. And it looks great, if you are thinking you need to wait for the Black Edition, don't waste your time being silly. This keyboard looks sharp AF, even if the rest of your gear is black. It looks amazing so who cares.

Cons, there are no cons. But if Arturia came out with a blend of the Keystep 37, and had a baby with Keylab Mk II, and maybe called it the Key Lab-Step, I'd buy it in a heart beat.

Also, if you own the MC-707, getting this keyboard is a no brainer to marry this up with it. I'm also planning on adding the Mother 32 to this rig as soon as I have the cash.

i originally overlooked this unit as it seemed geared toward the DAWless crowd, whereas i'm an in-the-box producer - this was a mistake. the scale, chord, strum, and arp features are really cool even if you can do all of the same things in your DAW, specifically because of the no-setup, no-screen, hands-on control you get of these features from the hardware controls on the device.

a thing that was not clear to me but is totally awesome - the scale and chord features work together, so you can pick a scale, pick a chord type, and any key you press will result in a chord of (roughly) that shape with all notes in key. you can also disable the snap-to-scale if you want to go chromatic. there is also a great feature where the complexity of the voicing of the chord can change with velocity, which is a whole new dimension to expressivity that i've never experienced before.

in short, this is an amazing, compact controller for in-the-box folks with creative and advanced features that don't require a lot of clicking around in software on a screen - you get the best of both worlds.

I have both the KeyStep 37 and the original KeyStep. The 37 is way more powerful, especially the sequencer, and if you are looking to make this the core of your workflow then I highly recommend it. It's still a bit opaque but it's much easier to operate the advanced features thanks to the small display and the additional knobs.

If, however, you are looking to just have a high-quality keyboard/arpeggiator/sequencer to connect to your gear on an ad-hoc basis, I would encourage you get the basic KeyStep, for two simple reasons:

1. The KeyStep 37 is a lot bigger and heavier than the KeyStep, and thus less portable. The difference is bigger than you might expect.

2. The KeyStep 37 won't run on the USB power from your iPad or iPhone, you will need an additional USB connection just for power. If you're connected to a computer this doesn't matter; and if you're connecting to modular gear you'll need to power it separately anyway. But if you want to just grab the keyboard and hook it up to your iPad and get creative on the couch, the original will be much more comfortable to use than the 37.

Clearly all this depends on your needs and preferences, but I came here to say that while I find the KeyStep 37 massively powerful and interesting, I get a lot more actual fun use out of my original KeyStep. And I think I'm not alone in this: you still see the original in YouTube gear videos everywhere, and the 37 not so much.

This is the most fun I have had with new midi controllers because of the sequencer feature; I just play a few notes and it loops over and over the series of keys I played and is a ton of fun!

I'm very pleased with the Keystep 37, having owned it for just over a week now. The Sweetwater and Arturia service was excellent and got me up and running quickly. At first glance this may seem like a basic device, but it continues to surprise with what it offers. I have paired it with a Korg Prologue 8, and it works seamlessly with no issues. Right in the quick start guide, Arturia called out the Pitch CV Output, which needs to be set to Hz/V for Korg keyboards, so that was very helpful. I had read reviews where Korg users were having trouble connecting to the Keystep 37, so it looks like Arturia has hilighted how to avoid issues. The MIDI Control Center software really expands the Keystep 3 functionality beyond the physical device. I was looking for a primarily melodic sequencer/arpeggiator that would enable me to play in a band setting with a drummer (not relaying on a drum machine), and the Keystep 37 really delivers.

I can honestly say this one works great as a user friendly controller with Reason. I still have a steep learning curve using it as a synthesizer but, right now it meets my needs as a controller in the DAW.

Only scratched the surface of this Keystep37's potential and I am liking it alot already. Using it Dawless to control a 35 year old synth and a 40 year old drum machine via Midi cable it is working great. Interested to see what it can do when I finally get a computer. Blue stauts lights really make computer free setup easy and green key lights make altering Arpeggios and sequences extremely easy for someone like me with little piano or keyboard chops. Probably should give it 5 stars. maybe once I have thoroughly tested all the features out I will .

I bought the KeyStep 32 for my son -- for some school projects. It was perfect, so I got the KeyStep 37 for myself when they came in stock. It's been perfect for my needs, and the extra 4th on the left hand helps with some more open chord voicings. Overall, the quality is fairly high and the unit is sturdy and solid. The dials/pots all have a good "feel" to them, and I like the touch strips for pitch/modulation.

The only downside is that the 4 rubber feet don't sit perfectly flat on the desk (one star off for that). It's slight and doesn't affect playability or anything like that, but it is a bit awkward for a manufactured component like this.

Overall, this product is awesome. It's got a great set of features, and it works perfectly right out of the box. Very easy to set up and get going right away. It feels very sturdy and solidly built, and the knobs and buttons feel quality.

Really the only thing I don't like about this keyboard is the action. I really don't like it. The keys are VERY stiff, and it really takes some getting used to, IMO. If it weren't for this, I'd give it five stars in a second.

A "full-featured MIDI keyboard controller" that can't trigger/send program change messages - I would call this a toy (with aftertouch).

This is like a "full-featured" universal remote control that can't change channels on the TV.

You (Arturia) can't use phrases like
"total control"
"designed to be put in control"
"advanced third-generation controller and sequencing station"
"full-featured MIDI keyboard controller"
"you'll begin to understand why it will soon become your favourite controller."
"It enables you to connect to all your studio and performance gear and control it in ways you never thought possible."

BS. Sending this garbage back.

It appears to me made well, the bottom is metal. It sits on a desk in my home studio, never leaves..... But now, the bottom has warped and there is a noticeable curve to the midi controller. It rocks back and forth on my desktop when I play. I honestly don't recommend this controller just for this reason, it's going in my gear graveyard. The other features of the controller are very nice such as scale lock, midi sync, chords and strumming... I still don't recommend due to the physical warping.

I bought one in January. In the meantime I bought other year to run with the Keystep 37. When it arrived I plugged it in and everything worked fine. I went to the Arturia website to update the firmware. The firmware was an older version. I tried using the Keystep 37 and NOTHING happened when I connected my equipment to it. No lights, NOTHING. I contacted Arturia and went through a lengthy process of 2-3 months of exchanged emails. They finally sent me a new one. The first time I plugged in the electricity everything lit up as it should. I then connected it to my equipment and...nothing lit up, nothing worked on it. 2 DEAD KEYSTEP 37s. I again emailed Arturia and waited for a response. It took awhile for them to respond. I also called my Sweetwater contact and left a voicemail. Never heard back from Sweetwater. Arturia finally got back to me and wanted me to send them photographs of my Keystep 37 connected to my equipment. I don't remember how is hooked my equipment to it. And if already sent the photos on the first read unit. Arturia said that since I'd been too long in sending the requested photos they are closing my case. Why don't they get back in a TIMELY manner in the way that they expect from me? And to have Sweetwater ignore my call after the money I've spent at their business, well, all I have now is about 3 grand of equipment with no sequencer/keyboard controller collecting dust. I give up. If I could give a Zero Star rating I would, both for Arturia and for Sweetwater's failure to respond. It's July now and I've gone back to acoustic instruments while my synth equipment sits, unused in another room.

I was looking forward to using this with my Mother 32. I spent time learning the Mother 32 before even using the Keystep 37. Then I updated the firmware on the Keystep and now the lights above each of the keys do not work, neither does the CHORD light. I should have just flushed $ down the toilet. Very disappointed.