The Arturia KeyStep 37 is arguably the 'Goldilocks' of the KeyStep range, perfectly bridging the gap between the ultra-compact original and the complex KeyStep Pro. For the hybrid musician, its ability to simultaneously command a DAW via USB, vintage synths via 5-pin MIDI, and modular rigs via CV/Gate makes it an essential studio hub.

While the 'Slim-key' bed won't replace a weighted piano, Arturia's inclusion of velocity sensitivity and aftertouch is class-leading at this price point. The real magic lies in the creative features: the Scale mode ensures you never hit a wrong note, while the enhanced Chord mode"featuring a brilliant 'Strum' function"adds an organic, human feel that's rare in MIDI sequencing. The addition of four assignable CC knobs with LED feedback provides much-needed tactile control over software parameters that the original model lacked.

The build is surprisingly dense and road-ready, though the touch strips for pitch and mod remain a love-it-or-hate-it trade-off for portability. It is ideally suited for intermediate producers and hardware enthusiasts who need a sophisticated sequencer without the footprint of a full-sized board. If you can adapt to the smaller keys, the KeyStep 37 offers a level of musicality and connectivity that few competitors can touch for under $200.

The Arturia KeyStep 37 is one of those products that does exactly what it sets out to do with remarkable elegance. For synthesists working with a combination of hardware and software instruments, it serves as the ideal hub controller -- the combination of USB MIDI, 5-pin MIDI, and CV/Gate/Mod outputs means it can control virtually any synthesizer made in the last fifty years, all from a single compact device. The built-in polyphonic sequencer and arpeggiator elevate it far beyond a simple keyboard controller, enabling creative pattern generation and performance that adds genuine musical value to any setup. The chord mode, which generates full chords from single key presses, is surprisingly useful for producers who want harmonic complexity without advanced keyboard skills. The 37 slim keys with velocity and aftertouch provide enough range for practical melodic input while maintaining a small footprint that fits alongside tabletop synths without dominating the desk. The sync inputs and outputs for clock synchronization with external hardware are thoughtful inclusions that matter for keeping multi-device setups locked together. Build quality is clean and solid. For synthesizer enthusiasts who need a versatile controller that bridges the software and hardware worlds with sequencing capabilities built in, the KeyStep 37 is an essential piece of kit at a very reasonable price.