MiniStep is designed exclusively for the AKAI APCmini mk2. It will not function with other controllers — please confirm you have the mk2 version before purchasing.
Why I built this
I wanted a step sequencer that lived entirely on the hardware in front of me — no DAW open, no mouse, no menus. The APCmini mk2 has an 8×8 grid, eight faders, and a row of transport buttons. It's a perfect sequencer waiting to be unlocked.
Most software treats MIDI controllers as remote controls for something else. MiniStep turns the APCmini mk2 into the instrument itself. You program steps directly on the pads, navigate pages with the page buttons, and chain patterns without ever touching a screen. When you do glance at the interface, it shows you exactly what's happening — nothing more.
What it does
8 tracks, 32 steps. Each sequence holds 8 drum tracks across 4 pages of 8 steps each — 32 steps total per sequence. Navigate pages with the Volume, Pan, Send, and Device buttons on the hardware.
Store and recall up to 8 sequences. Preview a sequence with the up/down arrows before committing — the pads dim during preview so you know you're auditioning, not playing. Press Play to load. Sequences are saved as JSON and can be edited in any text editor.
Pattern chaining. Hold Shift and press any page button to enter chain mode. Program the order sequences should play, and MiniStep transitions between them automatically at the end of each cycle. Each page button can hold its own chain.
Ableton Link sync. MiniStep connects to any Link-enabled application on your local network — Ableton Live, Logic Pro, VCV Rack, iOS apps — and locks to the shared tempo and beat grid. No cables, no configuration.
9 faders sending MIDI CC. All nine hardware faders send continuous controller messages on CC 0–8, ready to map to filter cutoffs, send levels, or whatever your drum instrument needs.
Per-step expression. Hold Shift and press any active step to open a visual parameter editor on the 8×8 grid. Its first three columns set velocity, probability, and subdivision. Each value belongs only to the selected step, so changing one hit never alters the rest of its track.
Ratchets and tuplets. Subdivision divides a single sequencer step into evenly spaced notes: 1 plays once, 2 makes a duplet, 3 a triplet, and so on through 8. This makes rolls and tuplets quick to program without changing the sequence tempo.
Live Performance Mode. Hold Shift and press the bottom Scene Launch/Stop All Clips button to turn the full grid into 64 live drum pads. The sequencer keeps running underneath while your performance is sent on a separate MIDI channel (channel 10 by default, configurable in Preferences). A dim piano-key color map distinguishes natural notes and accidentals, with middle C illuminated as a reference. Use the same button combination to return to the sequencer.
Printable sequence sheets. Generate a printed grid of any sequence or all eight at once — useful for session notes, collaboration, or just keeping a paper record of a pattern you like.
Hardware layout
The 8×8 pad grid maps directly to tracks and steps. Each row is a drum track; each column is a step within the current page. Lit pads are active steps; dark pads are silent.
The right-hand Scene Launch buttons double as row activity and mute controls. A button lights green when its row contains an active step; press it to mute or unmute the row, with blinking green indicating mute. Hold Shift and press the bottom Scene Launch/Stop All Clips button to toggle Performance Mode. The transport buttons below the grid handle play, stop, reset, and sequence navigation. Shift also unlocks tempo adjustment, chain mode, and the per-step parameter editor.
Setup
Before launching MiniStep, disable the APCmini mk2 as a control surface in Ableton Live (MIDI preferences → Control Surface → None). Leave the Input and Output set to the device. MiniStep creates its own virtual MIDI port — set your drum instrument to receive from MiniStep MIDI Output.
Connect the APCmini mk2 via USB before opening MiniStep. Once the app launches, the Volume button lights to show the current page. Scene Launch buttons light only for rows containing active steps. The virtual MIDI device appears in your DAW's input list immediately.
Sequence documentation
The print function generates a clean grid showing all 32 steps across all 8 tracks, with tempo and sequence metadata. Print a single sequence or all eight at once for a full session overview.
Features at a glance
- 8 drum tracks × 32 steps (4 pages × 8 steps)
- 8 sequence storage slots with preview before load
- Pattern chaining — program sequence order per page
- Ableton Link sync — tempo, transport, and beat alignment
- 9 faders sending MIDI CC 0–8
- Per-step velocity and probability editing
- Per-step subdivisions from 1–8 for tuplets and ratchets
- Per-row mute controls with activity LEDs
- 64-pad Performance Mode on a dedicated MIDI channel
- Customizable track and transport colors
- Printable sequence documentation
- Sequences saved as JSON
- macOS only — no internet connection required
System requirements
- macOS 11.7 or later
- AKAI APCmini mk2 (required — mk1 and other controllers are not supported)
- No internet connection required for sequencing; local network required for Ableton Link
License
MiniStep is a one-time purchase. Includes lifetime updates and a comprehensive PDF manual.
Available soon...
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