Arturia BeatStep Pro MIDI/Analog Controller and Sequencer Kit with CV/Gate Cables (Black) - Manual (Page 83)

8.2. Drum Gates
When DRUM is selected the notes you play on pads 1-8 (the bottom row) are translated
immediately into Gate signals and sent to the Drum Gate connectors on the back panel.
Two voltages are sent for each note: one for Gate open and one for Gate close. Velocity
information is not sent.
The Drum sequencer can record what you play on pads 1-8 and then you can use the
encoders to change the gate time (duration) of each note. When sequence plays back it will
send those signals to the attached devices through the Drum Gate connectors, just like the
pads would.
However, the pads can’t “play” the Drum Gate connectors while the unit is in Control Mode.
You can start the sequencers, though, and they will play the attached devices while you
control your DAW and play your MIDI devices from Control Mode [p.79] .
8.2.1. Which pads do I use?
The bottom row of pads are numbered 1-8, which corresponds to the Drum Gate numbers
on the rear panel. So these are the pads to play when you want to send trigger signals to an
external device.
8.2.2. Can my DAW send Drum Gate signals?
It’s possible to send triggers from up to 8 MIDI tracks on your DAW to the Drum Gate jacks.
There’s a MIDI note number assignment for each Drum Gate, and you can set those values
using the MIDI Control Center [p.84] .
When the MIDI channel and the note numbers match, the Drum Gates will be triggered.

♪ : The Drum Gate jacks can send only one type of signal: note on and note off. So even though the
Drum pattern holds velocity data for all 16 pads, the Drum Gates are only intended to trigger sounds
and shut them off.
8.2.3. How should I route the signals?
Typically the Drum Gate output is connected to a Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA). But you
can send those signals to any parameters that will accept them.
For example, they can be used to trigger a synthesizer such as one from our MiniBrute or
MicroBrute series.
8.2.4. Drum Gate specifications
Drum modules and other devices with Gate input connections have different requirements
for the type of signal they will recognize.
Fortunately, we’ve designed the BeatStep Pro Drum Gate jacks to operate as either a V-
trigger (positive, or “voltage”) or an S-trigger (negative, or “short”). These settings will work
with the vast majority of the devices you will encounter.
Please refer to the specifications of other devices before connecting them to the BeatStep
Pro so you can know how to make them work properly together.
Arturia - User Manual BeatStep Pro - CV/Gate functions 78