Arturia today introduced AstroLab, a new stage keyboard that brings the company’s massive line of virtual instruments to standalone hardware.
The Arturia AstroLab features 10 sound engines, 34 instruments and over 1300 presets, letting you cover a huge range of sounds using a single instrument.
If you want to know more about the AstroLab, here’s a couple of in-depth reviews.
The first video, embedded above, is a Sonic Lab review from host Nick Batt. Batt likes the AstroLab, calling it ‘a lovely piece of hardware’ and praising the keyboard, but also noting that he’d like to see deeper patch editing be possible directly on the instrument.
In his latest loopop video, host Ziv Eliraz offers an overview and in-depth review of the Arturia AstroLab.
Eliraz says that the AstroLab offers the largest timbral range possible in a standalone keyboard instrument, adding that “nothing comes close” to its range. Like Batt, Eliraz highlights the lack of deep editing control on the keyboard itself as the instrument’s biggest downside.
Topics covered:
0:00 Intro
1:15 Overview
7:05 Keybed
8:00 Build
8:45 Encoder
10:00 Browsing
10:45 I/O
11:45 Phone app
13:05 Macros
14:40 Effects
15:40 Insert FX
16:40 Send FX
18:20 Master EQ
18:50 Arp
19:35 Chords
20:00 Scales
20:20 Looper
21:25 Split, layer
22:30 Analog lab
24:55 Get sneaky
25:55 User macro
26:40 V Collection X?
27:35 SFZ?
27:55 Pros, cons
30:55 Outro
What do you think of the new Arturia AstroLab keyboard? Check out the videos, and then share your thoughts in the comments!
Seemingly unweighted keyboard and secondary requirement to purchase V Collection for mac/pc in order to edit sounds turned me off at this price.
Makes no sense, remember the origin, a complete disaster, arturia who’s in charge, bad decision, going backwards. More control not less, goofy.
no poly AT is a deal breaker in 2024
Especially when Arturia’s own software synths (Pigments) use it.
Yeah for me the idea is good and certainly a useful bit of gear
But they were always going to get hammered for the crap editing capabilities
And then you have to spend another €600 for V Collection just to unlock editing?
After already spending €1600 on the keyboard?
At that point you’ve just spent €2200 on a glorified MIDI controller
Also stay tuned for “limited edition” black version
and Astrolab Pro
A tiny keyhole window, no numeric keypad for selecting patches, very odd design with the parameter buttons and knobs on the right?? No drawbars for playing the organ (which often happens when you’re a “stage keyboard” player.
Not designed for live work clearly, noodling toy!
Weird product.
for an avant garde stage piano, no mpe feels like a miss.
good concept overall but the lack of poly at and extended instrument control + 61 keys only makes it rather a beginner stage instrument.
Not to bring Behringer into everything, but watch everyone be okay with cloning Arturia stuff now.
This product at this price is crazy and the fact you have to purchase V Collection separately is absurd.
Yeah, they didnt design this midi controller for the internal presets, its for the V collections sales that wont seem so bad when you already own this and 2 years pass. $2200 up front is different than $1600 up front and $600 2 years later. It’s like Disney+, just more content, just more product.
Has any stage piano, ever been made, with polyAT?
Given the way these stage pianos are most frequently used, this doesn’t seem like the critical feature you imagine it to be, at least for most players.
I think this is the point of confusion. My first thought was, where is PolyAT? but that’s because I was looking for a studio controller and thinking of Arturia in that way. Hopefully a PolyAT keylab-style controller is coming.
As a workhorse for a keyboard player in a wedding band or in an orchestra pit, the nuances of PolyAT probably aren’t going to be audible or necessary, and this Astrolab is going to be a perfect instrument. It almost makes me want to sign up for gigs like that so that I can buy one of these for it.
A VST in a box is a desirable instrument at least for me. I mean a full suit of fully editable software instruments all contained within one hardware unit.
Since this one is dependent on a computer for deep editing, I don’t know if this is really better than a controller+computer system.
Maybe for live use this is more rugged and stable since you will be using previously crafted presets?
Personally, I’ve been wanting something similar to this. I have the KeyLab Mk2 and hate being tethered to a laptop when playing out. However, the buttons and knobs seem lacking, especially for the price. The KeyLab Mk2 is the right amount of sliders and knobs for an instrument like this. I don’t need the pads. I just don’t understand the choice to handicap the physical interface in this way and charge this type of premium.
Playing an organ B3 emulation without access to drawbars is like playing a static sample.
I bought a mac mini m1 and a ipad for 500€. And a little stand for the ipad which I use as a monitor. And I have much more power and can use every vst including a ton of effects at lowest latency.
I bought a new phone and new pants, powerful pants.
All my pants are power pants.
If your pants don’t have power, what’s the point?
I’d rather be naked than not have powerful pants.
Plus you also get fruit on the back
S:) exact my setup
With SoundLab Pro (included) and Pigments over 4000 presets, ca. 2000 from Pigments (editable via Mac)
Enjoing to switch on, start playlists or using the encoder, to forget Space and time.
French Design Avantgarde… let them speak so much
😉 Heinz Peter
arturia definitely has a roland side where they make boneheaded decisions on giant product lines
If it’s not for me it’s stupid.
Keyboard’s ergonomics designed by Love Hulten?
I like the idea. But a number of reviewers have commented that the keybed isn’t great considering the price point. And almost everybody seems to agree the screen is too small and too fidgety. Maybe the Astrolab II will solve these problems, add polyafter touch, and include the Mellotron! If the thing had the Mellotron sounds, I might’ve bought it sight unseen!