Playing Arturia AstroLab at Coachella - Keyboard Review

This past week I got to play the new Arturia Astrolab at Coachella Music Festival. I learned a lot about the upsides and downsides of the keyboard, and hopefully you'll find my findings useful!

#arturia #synth #synthesizer #keyboardist #musicgear

[SamGutman]

A FEW THINGS I GOT WRONG / HAVE SINCE LEARNED

1- The Astrolab DOES come with Analog Lab Pro. I may have made it sound like you have to pay for ALL the software.

2- You CAN edit the most important parameters of a patch (like ADSR on an analog synth) in Analog Lab WITHOUT buying the VST.

3- You CAN add presets to playlists and organize your sound banks ON the Astrolab, without the computer. I simply missed this.

4- The individual instruments ARE $150 each BUT the whole V-Collection with 30+ instruments is $599.

5- You CAN achieve more onboard control by connecting an external MIDI controller, and then you have access to 9 additional parameters.

I have become a much bigger fan of this keyboard since the time of making this video. The number 1 thing that changed my mind was falling in love with the software. My main contention in the video was that you needed the software to really unlock the keyboard. This is still true, however, the software is really really great and so I think it’s worth it. I love making a patch in Pigments, loading it right into the keyboard, and then playing a show without my computer. It WOULD be nice if there was more onboard control (without plugging in an external controller), BUT as long as I set up my Macros how I want them, it doesn't bother me.

[loicmaestracci]

Bringing the Astrolabe straigt to Coachella is a big leap of faith. Kudos

[illyareid]

Like the fact a gigging keyboard player is actually reviewing this through a real setting and seeing what it can do live

[pierrepfister]

Awesome to see our keyboard used on a big stage, and thanks for your insights!

[The_Sonic_Oasis]

This is probably the best Astrolab review out there!!!!

[michaelhauschild]

I think it would be a fair thing if Arturia made as VERY special offer for AstroLab owners to 'cross grade' to a full version of V Collection!

[bodhibeats]

Really think they should just be including a full V Collection license with the keyboard. Great review! Thanks!

[albeckwall]

Very well done, honest review of capabilities and limitations from a gigging perspective.

[classicarcadeamusementpark]

Can you do more than just two splits or two layers with the Astrolab?

I've heard you can't. I've posted this question several times since the keyboard was released, and no one has answered back yet.

[Solanaar]

This is a great video.

I always dreamt of having some sort of hardware synth. I always thought about getting an actual one like the polybrute, but I am in denial, because ultimately I live in the box most of the time. So being able to simply take patches I made in my DAW and use them in a hardware-style manner is probably what I actually want.

I think the biggest strength is Pigments, hands down. It comes with almost any synth engine imaginable and it has a sampler so it's impossible to NOT get the sound you want in there. This flexibility overshadows any full hardware synth when things like direct parameter controls (which isn't even fair, since many hardware synths have menu diving) or "analog circuitry" (which imho is a bit of a strawman argument) aren't of any concern.

This keyboard works because it cleanly separates PERFORMANCE and SOUND DESIGN. When I am performing I don't need to be able to adjust any parameter, so the few controls are fine, the limitation might even be useful. Makes you think more about what parameters you actually need to control during a set, and might lead to creative accidents. And when sound designing at least for me, I am in my studio anyways, I don't need to be able to change 3 parameters simultaneously.

I wonder how this compares to a standalone version of native instruments kontakt. Is it even possible to compare?

[spitfirem]

I’m researching getting my first and likely only for quite some time keyboard. I don’t really plan on playing out but would like the option in the future. I’m torn between AstroLab and MODX6+. Any advice given your experience with both? MODX6+ seems more flexible with more control surfaces and both sample and fm synth engines onboard, but that also makes it potentially more difficult to use. On the other hand, since AstroLab is more software-based, will that equate to a longer life before it becomes outdated?

[terrygray]

Great review. I'm intrigued by the AstroLab, but bought an NI Kontrol s61 months ago and feel that I have more control with that via NKS - even though I'm tethered to my laptop. All that said, I own the V Collection and the idea of not needing my laptop has me looking at it closely.

[JeffPalmer]

I think Arturia may change course eventually and throw in V Collection for AstroLab owners. It seems to be in stock everywhere online—compare that to many recent synth launches that have sold out quickly.

That said, you can usually get the V Collection on a steep discount around Black Friday, although that’s a long away.

[scott]

Great video. Not including Analog Lab V with the purchase is a huge oversight. If you buy an Akai Keys 61 you get more soundware than anything in their current lineup even the more expensive MPC-X SE. Premium price and premium placement in the lineup should not include crippled soundware.

[warrenbeatty]

Good to see a video of someone using it in real life rather than just bashing it without using it. I’ve had one for a couple weeks and my liking it a lot so far. Got some nice patches ready on my Mac, loaded unit AstroLab and headed to studio. Going to attempt live use very soon.

[user]

I think you are the exact use case for this particular keyboard, so it's super useful to hear your take. I agree that they should have included the full V Collection license with the keyboard purchase.

[MauriceJayMusic]

Since committing to the full Vintage collection, Analog Lab and a KeyLab II a few years ago, costing around $1000, I've been dying for a keyboard like this for live use. Now that it's here, it's far too expensive for someone who has already purchased all of the above!! Arturia really should have a tiered pricing system for existing customers; given that AstroLab is pretty limited without the individual VST licenses!

[hyperspacecubed]

I’ve played one recently and and have noticed latency. Have you noticed any key lag or latency?

[enochroot]

Interesting insights, thanks for the video

[scott]

Right I get that, but the edit functionality unless you pay for a fully licensed $600 package is not included. As you shared your are tweaking presets not creating anything new or substantially editing them. You can’t swap a saw oscillator for a square in the presets or add an effect that not present on the preset without the full package. Glad you did the video. My guess is you’ll never get one of these from a back line vendor if it’s on your rider.