Arturia’s AstroLab 37 crams 44 synths into a tiny keyboard

Last year, Arturia launched the first phase of the keyboard, Astrolab. Unlike synthesizers, theatrical keyboards focus more on providing performance-ready presets than on sound design. It’s geared toward touring and performing musicians who need access to a range of sounds with a minimum of fuss, rather than messing around in the bedroom. But, although the first entries in the series were large and expensive — $2,999 for the 88-key model, $1,999 for the 61-key model — Astrolab 37 Offering the same vocal repertoire in a smaller, more affordable package. It’s a portable, slim-key 37-key instrument that costs just $699.

What makes the AstroLab range stand out from many of its competitors is that it is primarily made by Arturia AnalogLab Classic synthesis simulation in hardware form. Arturia’s plugins are very popular, and for good reason – they’re excellent. But until last year, it was restricted to your computer. AstroLab gives you access to most of them (though not all) in a standalone tool, albeit in a simple form.

Artoria V group It gives you deep editing tools and rich recreations of synths like the Yamaha CS-80 and Fairlight CMI, which are basically unobtainable. (And even if you do manage to track down one, it’ll cost you tens of thousands of dollars.) AnalogLab, and by extension AstroLab, are much like pre-made browsers, a nice collection of sounds harvested from the more expensive V Collection.

In the case of the AstroLab 37, it comes preloaded with over 1,800 presets, covering 44 instruments ranging from acoustic pianos, to analogue classics like the Minimoog, to lo-fi digital instruments from the 1980s like the Ensoniq SQ-80. Most of the synths are excellent. Rhodes emulation is my favorite (and there are plenty of options available), and having access to Arturia’s Pigments (my favorite compositing software) in hardware form is great. Only the organ and acoustic piano are a bit disappointing. It’s not bad by any means, but I think if that’s your priority, you might be better served by something Nord.

You can load it with additional sounds using the AnalogLab desktop software via USB or the portable AstroLab Connect device via Wi-Fi. The first option is ideal, since the wireless connection is not very stable. You’re supposed to be able to connect over your Wi-Fi network, but I was never able to get it to work. Connecting directly to AstroLab using its hotspot was more reliable, but even that had a tendency to disconnect after a while.

Navigating a library this deep can be overwhelming. Arturia makes things easier by letting you filter based on voice type (bass, lead, etc.), instrument, favorite, or sound bank. There’s also Songs, which groups presets together for quick, one-button access, and Playlists, which allows you to group songs together to navigate through your playlist with ease. This is definitely beneficial for live performance.

The presets have four macros that you control using the knobs on the left, and what you control can change depending on the patch. On the right are four knobs for calling effects, such as chorus, reverb and delay. This at least gives you some control over the sound, but there’s no way to create a patch from scratch and do serious sound design. Instead, you’ll need to purchase the V Collection, which starts at $199, and load your own custom presets. It’s not uncommon for stage pianos to have minimal, hands-on controls, but AstroLab is particularly sparse given the depth of its sound engines.

Acoustically, you don’t lose anything by downsizing the AstroLab 37 from the larger versions; All the differences are in the hardware. The faceplate is made of plastic, but it’s not cheap, and the 37 retains the lovely wood cheeks of the larger models. While the 88- and 61-key models have a large navigation wheel with a color screen built into it, the 37 has a separate small encoder below the screen. It’s also missing a locked power cord, which could be a problem if you’re a particularly active performer.

But the biggest trade-off is in the keyboard. The AstroLab 61 has a semi-weighted keyboard, while the 88 has a hammer Keyboard skin. The latter, in particular, which sounds very similar to a real piano, is luxurious if you’re used to the cheap, lively key combinations on most affordable synths and MIDI keyboards. The AstroLab 37 has a composite keyboard with micro keys and aftertouch. It’s not bad, it’s probably the same bed of keys that was recently found in Arturia Keystep MK2 console, but it definitely lacks the premium feel of its bigger siblings.

On a smaller keyboard like this, some of the AstroLab’s features, such as the ability to split the keyboard in two with bass on the lower keys and main tone on the upper keys, don’t make much sense. Most keyboard players, especially professional players, will want something larger. But musicians looking to cram the most sounds into the least amount of space, without having to worry about an OS update shutting down their laptop mid-set, may find a lot to like about the new AstroLab 37.