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But perhaps AstroLab’s best tricks for finding what you need are playlists and songs. These are grouped presets and you can move between them with the press of a button. So if you want the quiet pads of the Ensoniq SQ-80 for the verses and the razor-sharp leads of the MS-20 for the chorus, group them into one song and specify the button for the instrument type. can be turned into a direct shortcut to any instrument. preset. The songs are then further organized into playlists. Simply press the arrow button below the screen encoder to jump to the next track in the set and load another batch of presets.
If you can’t find what you need among the factory sounds or the countless sound packs Arturia offers, you can always design a patch from scratch on one of the instruments as part of the V collection. You can then save it as a preset and load it onto your keyboard. Granted, you’ll need to buy the V Collection for this, but they often have sales, so if you already own Analog Lab Pro, which is part of AstroLab, you can get an even bigger discount.
world class soft synth
I’m halfway through this review, and I haven’t mentioned the sound at all. Part of this is because it’s Analog Lab. This is an industry staple and sounds great. But if you’re not familiar with it, rest assured that you’re getting the finest emulation of vintage instruments available. When you compare the price to one of the iconic keyboards being recreated, the value is undeniable.
The Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Hammond B3 are comparable to the Nord Stage keyboard, but at almost half the price. It convincingly reproduces the dizzying percussive effects of an organ passing through a Leslie or the smooth chimes of a Fender Rhodes.
You also get pretty faithful versions of basically unobtainable synth gems like the Moog Modular, Yamaha CS-80, and Fairlight CMI II. Not to mention mass-market classics like the Yamaha DX7 and Casio CZ-101. Additionally, Arturia’s Pigments and Augmented lineup combines orchestral, piano, and vocal samples with his robust synth engine. You’ll have access to everything from crunchy lo-fi pianos and his EDM-based sounds to his high-pitched string pads perfect for sci-fi thriller music.
The only weak point is the acoustic piano. It’s not terrible and has definitely improved over the years, but it still feels a little thin and flat compared to the real thing. However, it’s highly unlikely that someone will complain about them at your next gig.
It’s worth noting that this is currently the only way to obtain Arturia’s pigments in hardware form. That’s something I’m personally very excited about. I think this is the best softsynth on the market, and it can easily go toe-to-toe with other giants in the field such as Massive and Serum.
Some people derisively say that it’s a VST, but it’s built into a MIDI controller. But that feels reductive here. Firstly, this isn’t just a bare-bones digital synth. And the hardware packed into it is gorgeous, too. The semi-weighted keys feel great and have aftertouch (unfortunately they’re not polyphonic). The pitch and mod wheels are solid aluminum, and the screen is small but bright and colorful. There are also some nice wooden cheeks on the sides. This looks and feels like high quality gear.
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