It's kind of an odd beast. Physically, it's a well-designed generic MIDI controller, but then it's basically hardwired when you use it with Studio One. Which means, of course, that it's set to work with the preferred workflow of the designers.

I use maybe half of the functions on mine, and resort to mouse, keyboard, and S1 Remote for the rest. I actually find it more useful in Apple Logic Pro than in S1, where I find the polyphonic aftertouch works very well for MIDI note entry, and the knobs and buttons are easily customized.

Interesting. I really don't "want" to return it. I feel it must provide some sort of value, it wasn't overpriced. But I can't make heads or tails from it.

Ah, the "atom's family" I bought an ATOM, decided to sell it because I didn't think I was using it enough, decided months later I really missed some of the features......re-bought it, now really can't live w/o it.

Maybe this should be the same........

Actually, I was just thinking, I really should explore the "user" part more. Coupled with the strip, that might be my ticket.

I've been looking at this controller since it came out and just didn't get it at all.... until now. I've been trying to get back to minimal kit as I like many have been suffering with gear paralysis. If you come from the pre DAW era, this is exactly what is needed. I say 'needed', of course you can get by without it but the old school way of making music was very tactile and there is something very special about using your ears instead of your eyes to produce music. The last two decades have brought about a huge influx of gear that every musician 'needs' but the truth is, each piece of kit will appeal to a particular user.

I've been fully round the houses many times buying, then selling, then buying again and then selling again looking for the perfect piece of kit/ DAW. My conclusion is (and this is only my personal take) that Studio one 5 and the Atom SQ is pretty much the holy grail. The ability to manage the whole process with very little mouse action is a blessing. The TR style pad layout comes away from the 16 pad MPC style grid based production process and leans towards pre 2000 drum machine era.

There is nothing wrong with the new beat making style of production and there are some truly skilled people out there making amazing beats but for the singer songwriter producer... (well at least me) it just doesn't work.

With the Atom SQ and the latest version of S1 Pro, I feel like I've finally come home and have already been more creative in a week than I have in the last two years which were spent jumping DAWs and fumbling around with Maschine and MPC. I've even been able to replace the legendary Softube Console 1 with the Atom SQ and Fat Channel FX (non stock stuff). The workflow is rapid and intuitive but I guess only for a certain mindset?

To summarise, from my end... This set up is just what I spent the last few years looking for. The Atom SQ is to Studio One what the Machine MK3 is to the Machine software.

Good luck!

UPDATE:

I kept it. In conjunction with the regular ATOM it's quite nice. The pads are great for finger drumming and since it has more pads, it's better overall. I now use the ATOM as my pad for controlling tempo, pattern record and such while using the SQ for banks and rotor controls. Together they ran me just shy of 400 USD and it's handy to have both.

I still feel mousing around the arranger is really best compared to using the little screen and scrolling to use that for things, but I'm on a desktop. For a lappy, I'd see the benefits more really. I wish there were more options for velocity control (the ATOM actually has 4 vs. the SQ which has three) as I feel the "feel" could be a little better. But it's a great addition to my controller collection and gives me more flexibility.

Some of the things don't work quite as expected. If I use the setting to control opening instruments, loops, etc, seems like I have to add an extra step to get things to work quite right. Maybe it's just me.

I don't think the SQ is the end all be all midi controller for S1, its great as quick hands on tool, like the instrument version of a faderport. I like it for quickly tapping in some notes, or feeling out the pattern sequencer, but if I want to do some serious playing I'd pull out the 61 key under my desk.

I did some travelling recently, and with an M1 MBP, IOstation, Atom SQ, I was pretty comfortable. Add in an iPad with sidecar and I think you have a luxurious mobile rig that still fits in a backpack.

Well, in conjunction with my regular ATOM, it's a workflow enabler. When I first got it, I did the Gregor tuts and it was kinda, daunting back then. Now I'm picking up great new tricks.