Arturia has just released a new standalone synthesizer called AstroLab. This 61-key stage keyboard is basically in hardware form, making it perfect for live performances. The synthesizer boasts ten dedicated sound engines and access to up to 35 virtual instruments, including the vast majority of emulations found with . It also costs $2,000.
You could recreate it cheaply just by buying some software instruments and a MIDI controller, but this is a stage keyboard. In other words, it was designed with live performance in mind. The cabinet is durable and built to withstand the rigors of touring, and there’s a host of great sound design tools that should come in handy while performing.
There are 12 FX insertion options, with four control buttons, and the ability to loop any sound up to 32 bars. The instrument even captures MIDI, so people can easily swap in another instrument and play the same part. The multitimbral feature allows players to set a split point along the keyboard, to make it easier to pick up two instruments at the same time. This is a big deal when playing live, as you never know how long it will take the keyboard to load a preset.
If you want to get people dancing to the sound of a robot voice singing “around the world” over and over until 5am, the AstroLab keyboards come with a vocoder and microphone jack. Of course, the synthesizer has the usual equipment such as mod wheels, an arpeggiator and various chord scale options. Finally, there’s an accompanying mobile app, AstroLab Connect, which allows users to organize their presets and download new sounds from the store. The keyboard is available now through Arturia and various retailers.