Hello,
New update 1.70 for Astrolab.
Excellent addition: Pigment 7 support.
https://www.arturia.com/fr/products/hardware-synths/astrolab/update
5 Likes
It also supports MiniFreak V4.
3 Likes
Can we get an updated Manual as well?
Thank you!
No manual update really needed.
This version is primarily for Pigments 7 and MiniFreak V4 compatibility, but it also includes new options to delete user samples and delete user content.
These new options are located in the Home/Settings/Utility menu:
-
Delete unused samples: Delete all the samples that are not associated to any preset.
Deletes Factory and User samples alike, if they are not used anymore by any preset in the AstroLab’s soundbanks (factory library, user and downloaded soundbanks).
Typically, if you have deleted some presets that were using samples and no other remaining preset is using those samples, you can reclaim the storage space they were using. -
Delete user content: Delete all user banks, presets and samples.
Does not delete Factory content and Playlists.
2 Likes
Thanks Sean!
That’s the extra info I was looking for!
Best,
DD
1 Like
These point releases just contain minor fixes with no major changes expected like:
Support for missing instruments expected in a stage keyboard
Allow use of the Expression pedal for Overall Volume/Part
System backup/restore without requiring a computer running Astrolab.
Use of auxiliary inputs without using a specially crafted preset.
I trust the devs are working on a major update to be released some time this year?
No big changes with this 1.7, I hope stability improvements too, I have to reboot my astrolab too many times…
always frustrating !
Mine is pretty stable with 1.7 so far but as we both have noticed, these updates are only minor and haven’t addressed any of the missing features that we hope will be coming.
Why do you need to reboot your Astrolab?
What do you mean by stability?
Do you have the 61- or 88-key version?
I hope that development will remain proprietary to Arturia for some time.
It’s a core piece of equipment; if development were to stop in a year or two, the keyboard would be a financial loss because we wouldn’t be able to do much with it (since it’s dependent on a PC and Analog Lab Pro).
Regarding the processor, even with optimization, isn’t it likely to become outdated fairly quickly for new Arturia creations?
This isn’t criticism at all, quite the opposite.
Just a question from me.
I mean, sometimes, when I turn ON my Astrolab, it stays mute. I have to reboot it and after it’s ok, I can play… I have the 61-key version.
I hope Arturia will be able to fix some memory issues too.
I “use” 115% of disk according to Analog Lab while Astrolab can’t detect the double/triple presets when I import them from different sources… It’s difficult to manage it without an accurate view of memory.
I would like a random option too, in a bank representing all the presets on board. Like in Analog Lab… I like to discover sounds by this way.
I am a beginner and I love my Astrolab, it allows me to discover and play many different instruments, many different synthesis philosophies. Without computer, it’s important for me.
My Astrolab 61 froze yesterday, and neither panic mode fixes worked, meaning I had to reboot. The other issue I still have is some presets such as brass Emulator I believe, require a note (which doesn’t sound), before it works, after first switching to it.
Any idea why these crashes are happening?
Apparently, this problem of crashes and having to restart the Astrolab is recurring.
Regarding the note issues with certain presets, what’s causing this problem?
Could it be related to an underpowered processor (polyphony management and/or a bug)?
What’s causing the note problem?
Is this after updating to 1.7.0? Or are you still on an older fimware?
Any indication of what operations you were doing when it froze?
As mentioned before, those freezes are exceptional.
I agree they should not happen at all.
The vast majority of users never experienced it, so it’s hard to find what is specifically causing it.
Anyone experiencing a freeze should report it to Arturia Support with as much detailed information as possible (Firmware version, what was connected to AstroLab via USB, MIDI, pedals, and during which type of operation it happened…).
The missing first note played after loading a preset is a known issue with only a few specific instruments, but not Emulator II.
It has already been fixed on almost all instruments, but currently (as of 1.7.0), it still happens on some presets from CMI, Pure LoFi and Synclavier.
These should be fixed in an update.
No, but it is a bug that should be fixed.
As described above, this update 1.7.0 adds 2 features to clean up the internal storage (delete user samples and delete user content).
The commitment from Arturia is to add compatibility with new Arturia instruments, which has been delivered in several updates (Acid V, Jup-8000V, MiniBrute V, MiniFreak V, Pure Lofi, Synthx V, and the Augmented series), and this update adds compatibility with the latest versions of Pigments and MiniFreak V.
While you may wish for other instruments that Arturia doesn’t have yet in its libraries, you might put it in a new feature request, but it is not something that Arturia had announced and not delivered.
I agree that the mapping of the Expression pedal should be made easier, possibly as a global option.
You mean, without Analog Lab?
How would you suggest to do that without a computer?
Again, that would be a new feature request.
The audio inputs were specified as audio in for instruments that support external audio, Vocoder V in particular (but a few other instruments have external audio in, such as ARP2600V3, Buchla Easel V, KORG MS-20V, MiniV3, MiniFreak V, and Pigments).
While it would be nice to be able to use the audio inputs without such an instrument preset, this is again a new feature request, not an “expected feature” promised by Arturia.
Also keep in mind that AstroLab has a built-in Bluetooth receiver, so you can play an audio track from your Bluetooth phone/tablet through AstroLab and play the AstroLab over it.
Arturia is always working on new updates for the AstroLab series, some small, some big, but Arturia has not announced what will be in the next updates nor when they would be released.
Considering that Arturia has already released 7 firmware updates since the first introduction of AstroLab less than 2 years ago, I think it would be reasonable to anticipate at least a couple more updates this year.
Well as far as adding new voices, I brought this up before and Lilly agreed that since basic stage keyboard voices, would be added. Things like Sax, harmonica, bongo, Conga, etc. Every other stage keyboard has at least a few of these.
Regarding backup and restore, it should be fairly straightforward to allow the Astrolab itself to save all user added songs, their presets and settings to a suitably sized flash drive and then allow them to be restored. Most other stage keyboards do this.
I don’t want to delete them but I would appreciate an accurate view of disk, and more options to manage it.