Really great contoller. Infinite programmable possibilities, simple plug-and-play presets. It worked on my laptop instantly but didn't seem to work on my ipad air. The softstep looked like it was on (it lit up) but wasn't sending midi data. Tech support from KMI emailed me back very quickly. The iPad wasn't supplying enough power by itself nor was my very cheap powered usb hub. A cell phone charger plugged into the midi expansion port on the soft step did the trick. The simple editor is very easy to use. The advanced editor is a little tricky but not impossible. I hope they develop more detailed tutorials for the advanced editor, but in the meantime the KMI discussion forum has lots of great advice and tips.

Listen, if you don't understand the basics of midi, don't bother, but don't blame the pedal. The fact is, it is the most versatile 10 button midi controller on the market. With single press, double press, long press, x press, y press, and pressure on EACH key, 16 different presets, and totally programmable display and LED indicators, what the heck more could you want? I have a softstep 1 and just upgraded, I was thinking I'd keep the older one and use both on my rig, but the truth is, I can't think of a use for it because this one pedal can control EVERYTHING (admittedly with some help from Bome's midi translator), and that is saying a lot. Anyway my point is, it's a great product. Solid built, small form, super sensitive, and incredibly versatile. And if you do feel overwhelmed, the support team at Keith McMillen is actually very helpful, which is rare for a midi hardware company. If you have a need for a midi foot pedal, bite the bullet on this and save yourself from drowning in unnecessary hardware later.

ambitious but mainly successful footpedal design. very flexible, programmed from a computer with each switch capable of up to 6 different functions in advanced mode. don't know how the durability is as i've had it less than a month. one thing to be wary of, because the switches are soft - work on pressure - they don't give the kind of tactile response you might want especially if you're doing something that needs a great deal of precision eg triggering loops without quantisation where you have to be perfectly accurate time wise....

The Softstep is fantastic. It is a revolutionary artistic tool for the feet! I am a saxophonist and woodwind player, and I use the Softstep to control Ableton Live for my electronic / jazz / world fusion music, which I perform in solo and group contexts. I designate some of the touch pads to trigger scenes, and others to control effect parameters. The buttons have amazing functionality, and the unit is very convenient to carry and plug in. The software editor does have a learning curve, but I find it to be very clear and logical. Also, the tech support team is absolutely top-notch. I had run into a problem with my Softstep the day before a big show, and found tech support to be very responsive. They helped me fix the problem and since then it has been working absolutely fine. I just performed with the Softstep at the JZ Festival here in Shanghai, and it worked great.

First, the not-so-good stuff:
The unit shipped with no documentation at all. That's not really a problem, as it's available on the Keith McMillan website. I downloaded the needed material, only to discover that the editor was outdated, designed for the original SoftStep. I contacted customer support and received a prompt answer. The new editor was released the next week and seems to work pretty well. Most of the available videos on youtube and on the KM site are outdated, and don't correspond to the Softstep 2. Hmmm...

I use it for live performance with Ableton Live, to launch scenes, arm & record clips, and run the looper. The editor software basically assumes you're a coding geek, knowing all the midi note & CC numbers and values and the learning curve is pretty steep. The Live preset is pretty basic, and I had to build a new one from scratch to get the needed functionality for my setup.

And now, the GOOD stuff:
On the plus side, it's nice and small, runs on USB power and seems well built. Customer service is Awesome! I initially had problems getting it to work, (quirky editor software, outdated training materials, not recognized by my system, etc.)the support staff always responded promptly. They definitely went the extra mile to help me get up & running and make it right. They also have free 30 minute one-on-one training via skype.

Conclusion:
It's not plug & play and you'll need to spend some time learning how to set it up and use it. Once the initial learning curve is done, though, it works really well.