KeyStep sending to Kronos: Multiple Midi Channels

[Victor Kennedy]

Hello all, this is my first time in the forum. I just picked up a new KeyStep Black and have had fun working out the basics, as I'm not new to sequencing and arpeggiating, although I've predominantly done this from within a DAW, or older '80s workstations, even going back to Steinberg Pro 24 running on an Atari 1040 ST...such fond memories.

ATM I'm trying to figure out how to play two different Midi Channels within my Korg Kronos, as I want to use the KeyStep in a 'Live' band, soundscaping environment. At times I'd be standing at the Kronos itself, while at other times I would be standing front + center with a guitar on and a vocal mic.
I'd have the KeyStep connected to Kronos with a long USB / Midi cable, and I could play the Kronos from KeyStep, as well as send Arpeggios and Sequences from KeyStep to Kronos...WHILE ALSO playing to a different 'sound' within the Combi of Kronos. A 'Combi' in Kronos can consist of up to 16 different 'programs' or 'sounds' each being setup to receive on a dedicated Midi channel.

I've seen a post in the forum describing how to have a sequence playing in KeyStep and then by changing the Midi Ch in KeyStep, you can play along with the Arp / Seq using a different sound from the source.
I tried doing this with the Sequence in KeyStep playing a Kronos Combi sound on Midi Ch-1, and I had another sound in the Kronos Combi on Midi Ch-2, but when I changed the Midi Ch in KeyStep by holding Shift+Play/Pause button it just changed the sound that the Sequence was playing, instead of allowing me to play along with a different sound.

I tried another method I'd seen on YouTube where the guy held Shift and Oct+ on KeyStep to do this, but I had no success their either.

It may well be a case of the Kronos needing some special settings adjustment, but I can't see why or how this would be, because with KeyStep in 'Stopped' mode, I can easily play the different sounds on different Midi Channels in Kronos by holding Shift + Midi Ch-X on KeyStep. I do notice that where you select the Global Midi channel for Kronos, in the Global section, only Ch 1 - 16 are available, and not an Omni, so I don't know if this would be contributing to the problem.

All advice on the best workaround for this for a Live session environment will be gratefully appreciated...Cheers

[Victor Kennedy]

OK...HERE'S SOMETHING

The problem seems to be the KeyStep. I noticed in the manual, or was it a YouTuber (?) that KeyStep can play an ARP / SEQ and then also transmit to a different Midi Channel to play along with said Arp/Seq, but it mentions doing this while connected via CV sync. I've never used CV / Gate stuff, and just assumed, like I'm sure many other users, that it should do this using Midi and/or USB.

MAYBE NOT..!

I now have KeyStep connected to one USB Port on Kronos, and an iRig KeysPro 3 Octave keyboard hooked up to the 2nd USB port on the back of Kronos.

I can have KeyStep playing an ARP using Midi Channel-1 of a COMBI, and then use the iRig to play any of the remaining Sounds/Parts/Channels in the COMBI just by changing the Transmit channel of the iRig. So far it's working with up to 8 parts/channels of a COMBI, so in essence it means I should be able to access and play ALL !^ parts/Channels of a Combi at will.

This is what I wanted to do using the KeyStep, and before buying it last week I'd watch a few decent YouTube demos by users which seemed to indicate that it would do it. Apparently not via USB or Midi, but at least I now have some type of workaround. It does mean more Space & Stuff needed for when in a Live scenario, but it's SOMETHING...

If I'd known this before buying it I would've saved myself $190, but I suppose that once I nut out how to make use of the Sequencing and Arpeggiator functions in KeyStep it will come in useful. I'm also thinking that I could possibly have a 3rd Kybd connected to Kronos via the USB-B port or Midi...too extreme you say? NeVer..!