PreSonus ATOM SQ Hybrid MIDI Keyboard/Pad Performance and Production Controller

“The Atom SQ’s integration with Studio One and Ableton Live is so tight that it makes us wish every company could model itself after PreSonus in this regard.” – MusicTech

Rhythm and Melody

Modern musicians, performers, and producers need to move quickly from programming drums and samples to playing synth lines and back again. ATOM SQ was designed as a versatile and expressive MIDI pad controller for contemporary music production. Its unique design is optimized for both classic TR-style 16-step beat sequencing and drum pattern editing in Studio One or playing instruments and launching clips in Ableton Live – yet its staggered and RGB-lit 32-pad configuration is instantly familiar to anyone who’s played a controller keyboard. Advanced features let you change the keyboard scale, and a built-in arpeggiator and user-configurable touch strip make the ATOM SQ the most expressive controller you’ll ever use. In fact, it’s the best PreSonus Studio One MIDI controller available.

All the best groove-box-inspired elements and more

While computer-based beat production is unmatched in terms of flexibility, there’s nothing like creating grooves on a tactile interface. To that end, PreSonus equipped the ATOM SQ with 32 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, laid out in a TR-style staggered configuration. For those familiar with old-school drum machines, it will feel instantly familiar. Yet, the ATOM SQ is full of new-school tricks, including a context-sensitive screen, which changes its display depending on what you’re doing, and backlit RGB LED pads for color coordinating your samples and loops. To fully immerse you in a performance, the ATOM SQ features an expressive touchstrip for controlling parameters such as filter cutoff, pan, and LFO rate, and its pads support polyphonic aftertouch. Additionally, a Constrain to Scale feature locks you into a musical scale, so you can freestyle without accidentally hitting wong notes.

Tight integration with Studio One and Ableton Live

With the Atom, you’ll take control of your productions like never before, thanks to tight integration with Studio One and Ableton Live. This hybrid sequencer and groove-box style controller is automatically detected by Studio One, so no setup is required. Effortlessly navigate and choose an instrument from the instrument browser. Create a new track, change an instrument’s preset, or change your project’s tempo right from the hardware. You can also set looping points, navigate Studio One’s timeline, zoom in and out on the timeline or events, and edit and quantize MIDI events. And the step sequencer functions are seamlessly paired to Studio One’s pattern editor. Beyond that, you get quick access to Studio One’s transport controls. Ableton Live users will also find much to love here, as the Atom SQ’s 32 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads make producing, playing virtual instruments, and triggering samples and loops expressive, flexible, and fun. Best of all, the Atom includes copies of Studio One Artist and Ableton Live Lite to get you started.

Features

• Hybrid sequencer, keyboard, and performance pad controller
• 32 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads
• Staggered TR-style layout
• Context-sensitive screen changes its display depending on application
• RGB LED pads for color coordinating loops and samples
• Enjoy full expression with switchable polyphonic aftertouch, channel pressure, or MIDI CC message modes
• Expressive touchstrip for controlling parameters such as filter cutoff, pan, and LFO rate
• 8 endless rotary encoders make tweaking parameters a breeze
• Constraint to scale prevents you from playing a wrong note
• Selectable pad velocity curves and pressure thresholds customize the pads’ response for maximum expression
• MIDI keyboard, note repeat, and full velocity modes
• Set looping points, navigate the timeline, zoom in/out on the timeline or events, and edit/quantize MIDI events
• Tight integration with Studio One DAW software
• Automatically detected by Studio One, so no setup is required
• Ableton Live integration makes producing, playing virtual instruments, and triggering samples and loops expressive, flexible, and fun
• Also works with other DAWs via USB-MIDI
• USB bus-powered design
• Includes Studio One Artist, Ableton Live Lite, and a 5′ USB cable
• Requires Studio One v5 or later for full integration support