Product Review: Keith McMillen Instruments 12 Step Chromatic Keyboard Foot Controller
Company Website: keithmcmillen.com/12step
Price: $289.95 US (MSRP)
Rating: (4 out of 5)
Intro: A few companies offer 12 or more pedal units such as Roland, Hammond and even Behringer with their FCB1010. The problem is their portability, and Keith McMillen Instruments (KMI) seems to have figured that out with their ultra compact 12 Step pedalboard.
My Experience: According to KMI, “12 Step is one of the world’s lightest, smallest, and most expressive foot controllers. It weighs 1 pound and is 17.5” x 4” x .75”. The keys are about 1.25” X .5”.” When you see it in person, you will be impressed at just how compact they have made it, while still keeping it functional. The 12 Step buttons or keys are beautifully backlit, and the workmanship is excellent, down to the lovely carbon fiber back.
Our review unit came with a few accessories to get us started, along with a well-documented, printed quick start guide. The accessories include a thin nylon protective sleeve, a 15 foot A to B USB cable, and a 1/8″ to 1/4″ expression pedal adapter. There is also a mini-usb jack if you prefer to use that. I quickly connected the 12 Step to my Mac using the included USB cable, running Apple’s Mainstage software in a bass pedal setup. The pedals, or keys, take a moment to get used to, as they require more force to activate then a conventional organ-style pedalboard, but they are velocity sensitive so you can definitely vary your note playing.
If you need to connect your 12 Step to another synth, processor rack unit, or device without a USB port, you will need the optional KMI MIDI Expander which provides MIDI in and out, along with USB ports for connecting to the 12 Step and power through a USB cable and AC adapter.
While we didn’t need any technical assistance, the KMI website has a Support page where users can open a ticket with the support staff.
