Arturia's AstroLab is a large, beautiful piano keyboard that can run Arturia's software plugins, making it perfect for musicians and anyone who hates computers.
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For centuries, electronic musicians have opted to bring a set of instruments, like synthesizers, to the stage, or a computer hooked up to a MIDI keyboard. But all those synthesizers are big and expensive, and a computer, as we all know, can be pretty unreliable. And then there’s the performance aspect of using a laptop on stage. It’s like going to a concert and watching someone do their taxes. Astrolab wants to change that by packing all those computer instruments into a stage-ready keyboard.
"[T]he AstroLab is clearly not intended for synth fanatics who like to delve into sound design, but it could be perfect for certain types of artists who rely on these kinds of sounds (e.g. cover bands, worship bands, etc.)," musician Your_Lamp wrote in an Elektronauts forum thread that Lifewire participated in.
The Astrolab, from French hardware and software maker Arturia, is a pretty hot-looking electric keyboard that would also look great in the corner of your living room, especially if you use it with those mid-century-modern-style legs. It has 61 semi-weighted keys, a bunch of buttons, and a neat circular display surrounded by a selection knob, which looks like part of a smart thermostat or other household appliance.
