Chapter 1
Start here
Where the documentation lives, and the first hour with the unit, in order.
In this chapter · 10
- 1.1What the BCR32 is
- 1.2How to read this guide
- 1.3Where the documentation lives
- 1.4Plug the computer into the right USB-C port
- 1.5Check the operation mode
- 1.6Update the firmware with ControlTribe
- 1.7Find the two USB MIDI ports
- 1.8Back up before you experiment
- 1.9Play your first pattern
- 1.10Technical specifications
What the BCR32 is
The Behringer BCR32 (model 0715-AAW) is a MIDI controller with 32 push-encoders and the Zaquencer step sequencer built in. 1ZAQ/CTRL switches between the two halves: in controller mode the encoders and keys send whatever MIDI you assign, and in sequencer mode they program four tracks of up to 32 steps, with four CV and gate outputs and analogue sync for modular gear. Source: Official
No single document covers the whole unit, so this guide pulls together Behringer’s manual, Music Tribe’s open-source repo, ZAQ Audio’s manual for the original BCR2000 Zaquencer, and what owners have reported since the first units shipped. Each fact is labelled with how far you can trust it — see How to read this guide.
At a glance
- 32 push-encoders with 15-LED rings, 16 RGB keys, 4 track keys, 10 menu and transport keys, and the SELECT encoder.
- 4 tracks × 32 steps, each track in Chord or Drum mode; 16 drum voices per drum track.
- 192 pattern slots (12 pages × 16) and 64 controller presets.
- 4 CV outputs (0 to +10 V, 1 V/oct), 4 gate outputs (5 V or 10 V), 3.5 mm TRS sync in and out.
- USB-C with two virtual MIDI ports, plus DIN MIDI In, Out A and Out B/Thru.
Sources & further reading
- “The Absolute Sequencer Powerhouse”, Behringer’s promo videoBehringer, reposted by MatrixSynth — Behringer’s own promo, presented by Bartek. It points bug reports and feature requests to ideas.behringer.com. Not an owner thread.
- Synth Anatomy: BCR32 coverage since 2021Synth Anatomy — Updated for the open-source firmware: a rocky launch, with recent updates fixing the major issues.
- MusicTech: BCR32 available to pre-orderMusicTech — Pre-order news: £142 at Thomann, with a 12–15 week wait.
- Gearnews: Behringer BCR32Gearnews — News coverage of the controller and its built-in sequencer.
- Mixmag: the BCR32 sequencer teaseMixmag — Coverage of Behringer’s January 2021 tease, with the Zaquencer built in.
How to read this guide
Every fact carries a label for where it comes from. Where sources disagree, the guide says so rather than pick one.
- Source: Official
- Behringer’s manual, product page or Music Tribe’s GitHub repo.
- Source: BCR2000 Zaq
- ZAQ Audio’s manual for the original BCR2000 firmware. Likely the same here, but test it.
- Source: Press / owners
- Music-tech press or owner reports.
- Source: Unverified
- A claim in circulation that no source we found confirms.
Behringer’s manual gives every control an item number: 1–68 on the top panel, 69–85 on the back. This guide uses the same numbers, and shows them on each key cap, like 61STORE or 68PLAY/STOP. The 32 encoders are items 25–56, numbered left to right with the top row first, so in the sequencer encoder 25 is step 1 and encoder 56 is step 32. Source: Official
Where the documentation lives
Behringer’s manual has the button map and menus, the GitHub repo has the hardware detail, ZAQ Audio’s manual explains the sequencer concepts in more depth, and owner threads cover what the manuals leave out.
| Source | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Product page and user manual (PDF) Source: Official | Item numbers 1–85 for every control and jack, the settings menus, store and load, controller modes and the full sequencer key map. | There’s one multi-language manual and no separate Quick Start. It has editing errors (see Errors in Behringer’s manual). docs.behringer.com has no BCR32 pages yet. |
| ControlTribe app 1.12.4 Source: Official Source: Press / owners | Firmware updates. The manual says many functions can also be done in the app. On Windows, its Help menu has a Repair Driver option that fixed one owner’s connection problem. | It’s ControlTribe, not SynthTribe. Get it from the Downloads section of the product page (Windows .zip, macOS .dmg). An owner reports it can’t save sequencer patterns. |
| MusicTribeOpenSource/0715-AAW Source: Official | Schematic, MCU pinout tables, the bootloader entry protocol, update tools and a bare-metal demo firmware you can build. | The demo isn’t the Zaquencer, and flashing it replaces the factory firmware. One commit, no tagged releases. |
| ZAQ Audio downloads Source: BCR2000 Zaq | Zaquencer manual v1.5 (37 pp.) and the English SynMag review and interview. Clearer explanations of chords, ratchets, chains, scales and clocking. | Written for the BCR2000 firmware: different buttons, no USB, no CV, no OLED. Don’t copy its button names onto the BCR32. |
| Owner threads and reviews Source: Press / owners | The Elektronauts thread (posts #165–#223, Aug–Nov 2026) and the Thomann.de owner reviews, many in German, have the most hands-on detail: firmware fixes, Bitwig and Ableton feedback, SysEx. Also bcr32-studio, a community browser editor. | Firmware changed almost weekly in Sep–Oct 2026, so check each post’s date. Reddit and Gearspace threads exist but block automated reading, so this guide doesn’t cover them. “The Absolute Sequencer Powerhouse” is Behringer’s own promo video, not an owner thread. |
Sources & further reading
- Behringer BCR32 product pageBehringer — The manual, the ControlTribe downloads and the specs.
- BCR32 user manual, Rev1 / V 2.0 (PDF)Behringer — Item numbers 1–85, every menu and the full sequencer key map. Read it with the errata.
- ZAQ Audio downloadsZAQ Audio — The original Zaquencer manual and the SynMag review, for the BCR2000 firmware.
- SynMag review and interview, English (PDF)David Thiehoff, SynMag (via ZAQ Audio) — A magazine review of the BCR2000 Zaquencer followed by an interview, in English translation.
- Elektronauts: Behringer BCR32Elektronauts — Owner reports from post #182 (24 Sep 2026): firmware fixes, DAW feedback and SysEx. Check each post’s date.
- Thomann owner reviews (German)Thomann.de — The most detailed owner reports, including the Bitwig script and the SysEx workaround.
- Thomann owner reviews (English)Thomann.ie — One review, in English.
Plug the computer into the right USB-C port
The rear has two USB-C ports, labelled USB POWER and USB POWER/DATA. Connect the computer to POWER/DATA. The power-only port can light the unit up but won’t carry MIDI. Source: Official
One owner got odd bugs and shutdowns running power and data over a single cable. They recommend a strong separate supply in USB POWER, with POWER/DATA used for MIDI. Source: Press / owners
If the computer still can’t see it
- Check the operation mode isn’t
STDL, which turns USB off (see Check the operation mode). Source: Official - A USB 3 port made it visible to one owner’s OS and DAW, though ControlTribe still didn’t see it. Source: Press / owners
- Another owner fixed Windows 11 with Repair Driver in ControlTribe’s Help menu. Source: Press / owners
- Others rolled recent Windows 11 updates back, or found a later update fixed it. Source: Press / owners
Sources & further reading
Check the operation mode
Hold 1ZAQ/CTRL for 3 seconds. Key 1 and keys 5–12 turn blue for device Settings. Key 7 sets the operation mode, which decides what works: Source: Official
MIXED- Everything on: USB, DIN MIDI, the internal clock and analogue sync. Start here.
USB- Turns off DIN MIDI and the internal clock. If you get no notes from MIDI OUT A/B, this is usually why.
STDL- Standalone: turns off USB and analogue sync. If the computer still can’t see the unit on the data port, check this next.
Key combinations
- Hold 1ZAQ/CTRL for 3 seconds
- Opens device Settings: key 1 and keys 5–12 glow blue.
- 1ZAQ/CTRL
- Leaves Settings.In Settings
- 7MUTE, then turn SELECT
- Picks the operation mode; press SELECT again to save it.In Settings
The other Settings keys set the power-up mode, device ID, CV calibration, footswitches, firmware version and factory restore — see Device settings.
Update the firmware with ControlTribe
Download ControlTribe 1.12.4 for Windows or macOS from the Downloads section of the product page (both files dated 28 Oct 2026). SynthTribe is a different app, for Behringer’s synths. Source: Official The QR code in early boxes led to a 404, so go straight to the product page. Source: Press / owners
The launch firmware was poor, and updates came almost weekly. Owners reported pre-1.0 firmware in late September and 1.0.3 by 29 October. The LED-ring feedback problem is reported fixed on firmware 1.0.3 with ControlTribe 1.12.3; other complaints were only partly addressed. Source: Press / owners
Sources & further reading
Find the two USB MIDI ports
The unit enumerates as “Behringer BCR-32” with two ports. Use BCR-32 CTRL for DAW control and BCR-32 ZAQ for the sequencer’s note output and clock. Source: Official
Back up before you experiment
Start a SysEx librarian (SysEx Librarian on macOS, MIDI-OX on Windows) recording from the BCR32. Then export from each mode in turn. Source: Official
Export
- Press 1ZAQ/CTRL until the keys glow pink (ZAQ mode).
- Press 61STORE, then hold SELECT and press the first encoder, 25.
- Choose what to send: encoder 29 for all sequencer memory, 30 for all twelve pages, 31 for the current page, 32 for the current pattern.
- Repeat in CTRL mode (keys amber), where encoder 31 sends all 64 presets and 32 the current preset.
To restore, press 61STORE, hold SELECT and press the ninth encoder, 33. The unit goes into import mode and stores incoming SysEx in the right places. Source: Official
Key combinations
- 61STORE, then hold SELECT + press 25
- Opens SysEx export; encoders 29–32 (ZAQ) or 31–32 (CTRL) choose what to send.
- 61STORE, then hold SELECT + press 33
- Puts the unit into SysEx import mode.
For controller presets, the community bcr32-studio browser editor (still in alpha) imports and exports BCL files and exports SysEx, for firmware 1.0.2 and 1.0.3. Source: Press / owners
Play your first pattern
A pattern from scratch, in five steps, on a unit set to MIXED (see Check the operation mode).
- Press 1ZAQ/CTRL until the keys glow pink.
- Open 59EDIT/GLOBAL, set encoder 26 (clock source) to
Internal, and leave with 60EXIT. If the setting doesn’t stick, leave with 59EDIT/GLOBAL instead, as the BCR2000 firmware required. - Select 21T1.
- Press 5PITCH and turn a few step encoders.
- Press 68PLAY/STOP.
Technical specifications
The headline numbers, from Behringer’s manual and product page and the open-source repo. Source: Official
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Controls | 32 push-encoders with 15-LED rings, 16 RGB keys, 4 track keys, 10 menu/transport keys, SELECT encoder |
| Sequencer | 4 tracks × 32 steps; Chord or Drum mode per track; 16 drum voices |
| Memory | 192 patterns (12 pages × 16) · 64 controller presets |
| CV / Gate | 4 CV, 0 to +10 V, 1 V/oct · 4 gate, 5 V or 10 V · 3.5 mm TS |
| MIDI | USB-C with 2 virtual ports · DIN In, Out A, Out B/Thru |
| Sync | 3.5 mm TRS in and out (tip clock, ring start/stop) · 1, 2, 4, 24, 48 PPQN |
| Brain | GigaDevice GD32F405RE, Cortex-M4F, clocked at 120 MHz · 128×32 OLED |
| Software | ControlTribe app (Windows, macOS) for firmware updates |
| Street price | €169 (DE) · £139 (UK) · about $269 (US), Nov 2026 Source: Press / owners |