But perhaps AstroLab’s best trick for finding what you need is playlists and songs. These are grouped presets that you can switch between with the push of a button. So if you need a quiet pad from an Ensoniq SQ-80 for the verse and a razor-sharp lead from an MS-20 for the chorus, you can group them into a song, turning the instrument type buttons into direct shortcuts to specific instrument presets . The songs are then further organized into playlists. Simply press the arrow buttons below the encoder on the screen to skip to the next track in your set and load another batch of presets.
If you can’t find what you need among Arturia’s factory sounds or one of the countless sound packs, you can always design a patch from scratch in one of the instruments as part of the V Collection. You can then save it as a preset and load it onto the keyboard. Granted, you have to pay for the V Collection, but it often goes on sale, and if you already own Analog Lab Pro, which is included with AstroLab, you’ll get an even bigger discount.
World-class soft synthesizer
I’m in the middle of this review and haven’t talked about the sound at all. That’s partly because it’s Analog Lab. It’s an industry staple and sounds fantastic. However, if you’re not familiar with it, rest assured you’re getting some of the best vintage instrument emulations available. When you compare the price to even one of the legendary keyboards it replicates, the value is undeniable.
The Rhodes, Wurlitzer and Hammond B3 compare favorably to what you’d find on a Nord Stage keyboard, albeit for almost half the price. It convincingly delivers the percussive, dizzying effect one would get from an organ with a Leslie and the gentle chimes of a Fender Rhodes.
On top of that, you get pretty faithful versions of basically unavailable synthesizer gems like a Moog Modular, a Yamaha CS-80, or a Fairlight CMI II. Not to mention mass-market classics like the Yamaha DX7 and the Casio CZ-101. Plus Arturia’s Pigments and Augmented series, which combines orchestral, piano and vocal samples with a robust synthesizer engine. You’ll have access to everything from crisp lo-fi piano and EDM bass wubs to soaring string pads perfect for scoring a sci-fi thriller.
The only real weak point are the acoustic pianos. They’re not bad and have definitely improved over the years, but they still feel a bit thin and flat compared to the original. However, the chances of someone complaining about it at your next gig are slim to none.
It’s worth noting that this is currently the only way to obtain Arturia’s pigments in hardware form. This is something that really excites me personally. I think it’s the best softsynth on the market, and it can easily compete with other industry giants like Massive and Serum.
Some will derisively say that it is a VST but is integrated into a MIDI controller. But this feels reductive here. For one thing, this isn’t just a simple digital synthesizer. And the hardware that houses it is luxurious. The semi-weighted keys feel incredible and have aftertouch (although unfortunately not polyphonic). The pitch and mod wheels are made from solid pieces of aluminum and the screen, while small, is bright and colorful. There are even some pretty wooden jaws on the side. This looks and feels like a high quality device.