ARTURIA AstroLab 88

Arturia presents the 88-key weighted keyboard version of its most ambitious project ever: AstroLab 88.

A top-of-the-line hammer-action keybed (Fatar TP-40L) with 40 onboard instruments, more than 1,600 presets and the innovative and revolutionary concept of the AstroLab project. Compared to the previous 61-key version, AstroLab 88 also features an updated CPU that further increases polyphony and reduces loading times, making it even more effective for live performances.

AstroLab is the result of many years of work by Arturia's research and development team, who wanted to create a ‘stage keyboard’ that would allow every keyboard player to bring the quality and wide range of sounds that the French company has been producing for 25 years to the stage, without the need to transfer their studio to the stage.

The fundamental concept behind AstroLab is to allow live musicians to transfer their studio to the stage in a simple and effective way. The classic procedure involved creating and modelling the sounds in the studio, then ‘dismantling’ the studio to transfer most of the equipment (keyboard controller, audio interface, computer, cables, etc.) to the stage for the live performance. Now, with AstroLab, the process is much simpler and, in a single device with a solid and reliable 61-key keyboard, we have everything we need with an almost unlimited number of sounds.

The sounds can then be customised and organised - even once you leave the studio - using AstroLab's dedicated mobile app, which allows you to edit playlists and explore new sounds, completely independently of your DAW or computer.

Another of AstroLab's strengths is its connectivity. With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, AstroLab is fully capable of interacting with computers, smartphones or tablets, simplifying your live and studio workflow. The Wi-Fi connection allows you to use the Astrolab Connect app on smartphones and tablets. The Bluetooth connection also allows you to use AstroLab as a sound card, so you can listen to the audio from your smartphone, tablet or even your computer directly from the AstroLab outputs. The USB connection allows you to connect AstroLab to the Analog Lab Pro environment (supplied), where you can program sounds in detail and then transfer them to the AstroLab 88's internal library.

The keyboard panel features a circular display in the centre mounted on a more complex control with a ring that can be rotated and pressed, allowing you to scroll through the various presets, selecting them according to different criteria and navigating between the various AstroLab functions.

The AstroLab 88 is the perfect synthesis of a master keyboard with a refined aesthetic and the infinite sounds that Arturia has to offer.