Arturia today introduced the AstroLab 88 Avant-Garde Stage Keyboard, a flagship version of the instrument, featuring a full 88-key semi-weighted keyboard.
The AstroLab 88 expands on the original AstroLab with a premium hammer-action fatar keybed, 40 reference instruments and over 1600 sounds.
Features:
- Semi-weighted keybed with aftertouch.
- 40 instruments, 1,600 onboard presets and up to 10,000 additional sounds via V Collection and Pigments.
- Built-in Arpeggiator, Chord, Scale modes, Looper, and hands-on macro controls.
- Navigation wheel & screen: Browse sounds, switch presets, and view real-time feedback.
- Extensive connectivity: MIDI DIN I/O, USB-C, plus pedal inputs for sustain, expression & more.
- Software ecosystem: Includes Analog Lab Pro and AstroLab Connect for mobile sound management.
Pricing and Availability:
The AstroLab 88 is available now for $2,999 USD.
What makes it avant-garde?
Can it praxis? Or even better does it have surrealist button?
Tbh, I am guessing avant garde is a French word, so arturia has that going for them. When I think of avant garde music I think throbbing gristle, the residents, einsturzende neubauten, skinny puppy, stockhausen,, maybe some of the French music concrete composers. If you were to say avant guarde music gear, I think ms20, as several of the bands listed used an ms20..modern day synth manufacturers who are avant garde, first that comes to mind would be soma. Moogs newest synths definitely feel inspired from soma, with the subharmonium and labyrinth. Honestly the labrynt in tone reminds me of am ms20 but the soma’s approach of “I’m soviet russia, synthesizer plays you! Approach to programming sequences. At least is what comes to mind when I think of avant guard. This stage piano…welll….
Agreed. This is nothing more but a preset surfer with a few macro knobs. It’s nice, but not avant-garde. Would be cool if they bought the analog lab preset editor to iPad/Android for patch editing instead of relying on a laptop and Analog Lab.
Let’s just call it what it is… Bullshit marketing
It’s bizarre to me that they don’t try for something better and more suitable than avant garde
Tbh, the most avant garde about that stage piano, the price. When I saw the price I started weeping. Then calculating how many behringer clones I could buy for that price. Or how many versions of an ms20 or minimoog I could buy from arturia for that price. Sure is great that is all included already, but if it doesn’t have enough knobs to run a mimimoog patch? Well I guess me and my wallet will keep crying. Please tell me it’s at least poly after touch? At least the keystep 37 has that, plus knobs. Not sure what software is bundled though
It’s not all included as I understand it
If you want full versions of the arturia collection you still have to pay for them
This comes with watered down macro control version of the plugins which isn’t a bad thing necessarily
Tbh the most avant garde part of this product is the price. But not in the cool avant garde way. In the not cool this product is giving me sticker shock sort of way. Ie, bad avant garde
I’m sure lots is included with the bundled software, but if there are not enough knobs to run a minimoog or ms20 arturia patch, it looses value for me. For that price I’m wondering how many Behringer clones of the ms20 or mini moog I could buy. Or even arturia clones in software form. Please tell me it at least has polyphonic after touch? I know there is bundled software but I haven’t seen Any mention of aftertouch. I might be too scared too look. Sometimes I get sticker shock so bad it verges on trauma. Like when I saw the geddy Lee minimoog. Makes me love my red korg monologue, battery powered even more.
They updated the CPU to increase polyphony too.
Why are the pots still on the right side? As a live player that’s a mayor issue, I hope they will figure it out soon, and Arturia will double their sales.
Arturia seem confused about their own product, and can’t decide if the keybed is semi-weighted or hammer-action. (I’m guessing the AstroLab 61 is semi-weighted, and 88 hammer-action. Also shame on you for just blindly reprinting this nonsense press release.)
Knowing the gear from the bands listed, I know the ms20 was used in einstruzende neubauten, skinny puppy, trhrobbong gristle. Skinny puppy also used 808’s 909. There was an ms20 in throbbing gristle. I got to know the residents through full live performances youtube. For the 70s albums I believe it was an arp odyssey. In the 80s once they went on tour it was I believe a sampler from ensonic (sp) and in the 90s it was animation software from Lucas Ltd star wars building cd roms
I saw the 3 times in the 2010s. At the time doing 150 live shows a year. Just amazing. I spied the synth players setup, it was backing tracks and then playing live in ableton live. Love me some avant garde musicians
$3k? It would be wise to spend $1k+ more to buy Yamaha Montage 8Mx.
Nice to see they are expanding the concept – I’ll be waiting for a compact desktop module form factor.
Would be amazing if Arturia made something like the AKAI MPC keys – a device that actually allows you to edit sounds fully. I would love to be able to work with all of Arturia’s wonderful synths without a traditional computer. I hope that is their next step.
I want a 73key with sliders.