Arturia: A new chapter awaits…

[CyberGene]

I’m wondering what the underlying hardware/architecture is. I bet it’s ARM based and their Apple Silicon revamp some years ago helped in porting it for any other ARM-based CPU easily. 
 

At 10kg which is almost twice the weight of a CK61 it’s a bit heavy for me though. Nice concept but I’d wait for it to get near or under €1000 (from the current €1600 list price) to count myself interested. 

[AnotherScott]

4 minutes ago, Paul Woodward said:

Well that was disappointing 

 

I don't know. I really enjoy when something that should be exciting comes out and I actually don't feel tempted to buy it. 😉

[stoken6]

And I'm enjoying being wrong about an acquisition by an anonymous conglomerate.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[Paul Woodward]

50 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

 

I don't know. I really enjoy when something that should be exciting comes out and I actually don't feel tempted to buy it. 😉

I was just thinking how I can recreate what it's offering (in the studio) with what I already have 😉

[J.F.N.]

Who designed the user interface?

 

A tiny keyhole window, no numeric keypad for selecting patches, and very odd design with the parameter buttons and knobs on the right side of the top plate?

 

 

[Paul Woodward]

8 minutes ago, J.F.N. said:

Who designed the user interface?

 

A tiny keyhole window, no numeric keypad for selecting patches, and very odd design with the parameter buttons and knobs on the right side of the top plate?

 

 

French design....ever driven a Citroen?

[J.F.N.]

Just now, Paul Woodward said:

French design....ever driven a Citroen?

 

Oh man, I've spent almost 2 decades of my life in that backwards country.. I could tell you why, probably, the things mentioned have been overlooked... but I'm just laughing here, I think this will be a perfect noodling machine for home studio and song writing usage...

[CyberGene]

15 minutes ago, Paul Woodward said:

French design....ever driven a Citroen?

Not sure they have them in the US. Or if ever had them at all, although I think I read somewhere they imported Citroens   in the past. I like their quirkiness and ride but I’d probably never buy one. 

[Docbop]

 

[Jim Alfredson]

Meh. Where’s my PolyBrute 12?

[JoJoB3]

35 minutes ago, Docbop said:

 

THE DIATONIC BATTLE OF THE CENTURY

"It's a stage piano...so..."
"splits and layering...a game changer."

*defunding music education was a bad idea

[RABid]

On 4/7/2024 at 11:28 AM, RABid said:

Hmmmm, a new Keystep that will run their software instruments?

What I didn't expect is this price. Not bad at all.

[konaboy]

On 4/7/2024 at 8:36 PM, konaboy said:

i'm thinking keyboard with v-collection built in.

what a tremendous success that would be!

can't imagine it being too hard to run their vsts natively on an embedded hardware OS.

spot on woody!

[ElmerJFudd]

2 hours ago, konaboy said:

spot on woody!

sort of, didn't they say it only ships with analog lab?  you have to factor in the cost of V collection into the price of this keyboard.  

[konaboy]

24 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

sort of, didn't they say it only ships with analog lab?  you have to factor in the cost of V collection into the price of this keyboard.  

 

analog lab is basically all the v collection instruments with a dumbed down user interface. same sounds, minimal editing.

[Stokely]

This one is a bit of a miss for me, but mainly because I'm set for hardware keyboards (and then some, trying to sell a couple of keyboards.)

If I wasn't, and especially if I owned V collection, this would be way more tempting as a "disliker of live laptops".  I went down a different avenue with softsynths, going with u-he and Komplete among a few others, so now I'm literally awash with the things and don't see v collection in my future...  If this had Poly AT I could stretch the rationalization muscles to let this be my new home controller + live...but right now I have no compelling reason to get it.   A bunch more controls and as noted more to the left would have been more enticing as well.    I like the general idea though!

[Tusker]

55 minutes ago, Stokely said:

This one is a bit of a miss for me, but mainly because I'm set for hardware keyboards (and then some, trying to sell a couple of keyboards.)

If I wasn't, and especially if I owned V collection, this would be way more tempting as a "disliker of live laptops".  I went down a different avenue with softsynths, going with u-he and Komplete among a few others, so now I'm literally awash with the things and don't see v collection in my future...  If this had Poly AT I could stretch the rationalization muscles to let this be my new home controller + live...but right now I have no compelling reason to get it.   A bunch more controls and as noted more to the left would have been more enticing as well.    I like the general idea though!

Your comments describe the difficulty of carving out the niche for these offerings.

 

An Arturia soft synth user who want to go all hardware?

Someone who has never worked with software? Possibly

 

But if someone has worked with Arturia's soft synths, can you persuade them to leave the laptop at home? If someone has worked with another manufacturer (say U-He and NI) can you get them to switch? Soft synth manufacturers encouraging a hardware switch, really have to do their market sizing accurately.

[Paul Woodward]

I have a few Arturia soft synths and Pigments as well as the Korg Collection, Sylenth and more. I use them in the DAW at home quite happily so it has no appeal on that level.

If I gig I have all the synths (and bread and butter sounds) I need on an iPad which I can run with greater poly and more layers from a board like the Keystage with Poly AT paired with a stage piano for the better keys/pianos. 

I realise I'm not their target audience, but I do struggle to see how I would find a genuine use for this. Watching Woody's revisit after the initial launch, I thought much the same as he did...its an expensive enigma.

I think it would need more poly, more splits/layers, more controls, bigger screen and a better keybed to justify it's current price tag, or it needs to be sub £1k with all the software options included to be a tempting proposition especially as an iPad and a Keystage offers a 10" touch screen, numerous sounfd engines (and poly) with 61 key Poly AT for half the price. Alas I cant operate my central heating from the iPad 😉

I realise I'm a bit iPad biased there of course 😜

[J.F.N.]

6 minutes ago, Paul Woodward said:

I have a few Arturia soft synths and Pigments as well as the Korg Collection, Sylenth and more. I use them in the DAW at home quite happily so it has no appeal on that level.

If I gig I have all the synths I need on an iPad which I can run with greater poly and more layers from a board like the Keystage with Poly AT paired with a stage piano for the better keys. 

I realise I'm not their target audience, but I do struggle to see how I would find a genuine use for this. Watching Woody's revisit after the initial launch, I thought much the same as he did.

It would need more poly, more splits/layers, more controls, bigger screen and a better keybed to justify it's current price tag, or it needs to be sub £1k with all the software options included to be a tempting proposition especially as an iPad and a Keystage offers a 10" touch screen with 61 key Poly AT for half the price.

I realise I'm a bit iPad biased there of course 😜

 

That's what they should do instead, an "Arturia Stage World" for iOS, with all their models as "add-ons" (like Korg Module) which then integrates with all their existing MIDI controller keyboards... EPIC!

 

[Paul Woodward]

1 hour ago, J.F.N. said:

 

That's what they should do instead, an "Arturia Stage World" for iOS, with all their models as "add-ons" (like Korg Module) which then integrates with all their existing MIDI controller keyboards... EPIC!

 

Perhaps they know that could potentially decimate sales of the new keyboard.....

 

[J.F.N.]

24 minutes ago, Paul Woodward said:

Perhaps they know that could potentially decimate sales of the new keyboard.....

 

 

Or they are waiting for Main Stage iOS and then they can just release all their models one by one at a fair amount, even subscription, etc.

 

Decimate keyboard sales, dunno, as long as they keep mapping stuff.. All they need is to port Analog Lab to iOS basically.. and offer upgrades to "full" versions of the models inside it...

[Ibarch]

1 hour ago, J.F.N. said:

 

Or they are waiting for Main Stage iOS and then they can just release all their models one by one at a fair amount, even subscription, etc.

 

Decimate keyboard sales, dunno, as long as they keep mapping stuff.. All they need is to port Analog Lab to iOS basically.. and offer upgrades to "full" versions of the models inside it...

 

As much as you may wish otherwise I don't see that happening. None of the major virtual instrument suppliers have shown any interest in giving 30% of revenue to Apple. And Apple have shown zero interest in allowing iPads to run a fully powered MacOS. 

I'm fairly sure there is a market for those who would like the power of soft synths like Arturia's V collection available in a hardware keyboard. It's not just me. 

 

Mind you, this first attempt isn't remotely tempting. Just 2 parts, limited polyphony, lack of controls such as faders and pads, no on board editing, no audio interface. Its like needing a proper computer but being offered an iPad 😂

[Paul Woodward]

6 minutes ago, Ibarch said:

...like needing a proper computer but being offered an iPad 

😂

 

Ouch, my M2 iPad Pro absolutely flies, but it doesn't full programs so I see what you mean 👍

[J.F.N.]

57 minutes ago, Ibarch said:

 

As much as you may wish otherwise I don't see that happening. None of the major virtual instrument suppliers have shown any interest in giving 30% of revenue to Apple. And Apple have shown zero interest in allowing iPads to run a fully powered MacOS. 

 

I'm fairly sure there is a market for those who would like the power of soft synths like Arturia's V collection available in a hardware keyboard. It's not just me. 

 

Mind you, this first attempt isn't remotely tempting. Just 2 parts, limited polyphony, lack of controls such as faders and pads, no on board editing, no audio interface. Its like needing a proper computer but being offered an iPad 😂

 

 

Supply chain 101, reseller often expect 25-30 percent, if you then have a distribution chain on top of this, you take home only 50 percent, at best, of the customer price. So that argument is just not cutting it.

 

Yes, setting up a new framework for programming software can be time consuming, however, looking at the hardware platform for iPads running the M processors, and Macs today now with the M ARM processors being standard since about 3 years now, means that all DSP code (math/algorithms) running on the ARM Mac machines, already works.

 

It smells lazyness, but is inevitable, come 3-4 years ahead, those starting now will have a great advantage.

 

There are already a bunch of innovative small software houses making decent money on iOS apps, probably their advantage is that they have no back catalogue running on desktops, and are not corporate, or halfways there, instead agile, creative, and fast on their feet.

 

Go figure.

[AnotherScott]

2 minutes ago, J.F.N. said:

Supply chain 101, reseller often expect 25-30 percent

 

Yeah. I don't know the details, but I'd guess there's not much difference between a VST manufacturer selling their product on the Apple store and giving Apple 30%, vs. having Sweetwater or whoever sell it and probably giving them close to the same.

[HammondDave]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:23 AM, CyberGene said:

So, AstroLab is a great keyboard! But I really ROFL-ed when they started it with that crappy modeled piano that sounded like a cymbalom 🤣

And they followed that with that pathetic Hammond sim. OY

[Ibarch]

Given that none of the libraries I have are available for iPadOS/iOS, despite tablets having been very capable for 5 years plus, I just don't see it happening. 

 

As founder and owner of my own software development company I know better than most what the extra costs are to support the mobile platforms. When most of the target user base already has your software on a computer and pays $500, why introduce a 3rd platform where the same customers  expects the same product for $25 dollars? Their competitors aren't bothering so there is no reason. Mr independent and 1000 other wannabes  may be churning out a few titles but they aren't going to come close to likes of  VSL, Yamaha, Roland, Arturia, NI, Spectrasonics. 

 

Given Arturia's pivot to making  dedicated hardware for their V collection, I would be amazed, gobsmacked even if they decided that this was the perfect time to open up an Eastern front for iOS. It just isn't happening. 

 

Mind you, I didn't see Arturia making hardware for this either so shows how much I really know. Let's take a raincheck and come back in five years and see if I'm wrong. 

 

[DeltaJockey]

5 hours ago, Paul Woodward said:

Ouch, my M2 iPad Pro absolutely flies, but it doesn't full programs so I see what you mean

I see contemporary comparison comments about iPad vs Computers, as moving on from the traditional power gap. iPads have come a long way from their hobbled limited capabilities in the early days.

But to me, it's more about the flexibility of connectivity options. Though the iPad is still a little bit sandboxed it is way more open compared to the old days, data transfers are a lot easier now, as there is enough power to perform security functions "on the fly", but for me, I do enjoy the multitude of connectivity without needing adapters, hubs etc that my Mac offers.

[Mark Schmieder]

5 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

 

Yeah. I don't know the details, but I'd guess there's not much difference between a VST manufacturer selling their product on the Apple store and giving Apple 30%, vs. having Sweetwater or whoever sell it and probably giving them close to the same.

 

Not to mention that the value added from Sweetwater vs. the annoyance factor from the Apple store might be a big motivating factor as well. As someone who has been caught in situations where the Apple Store delayed software product release to the point of impacting competitiveness, I see many vendors trying to move away from reliance on that sales model, to the degree that they can.

[AnotherScott]

1 hour ago, Ibarch said:

When most of the target user base already has your software on a computer and pays $500, why introduce a 3rd platform where the same customers  expects the same product for $25 dollars? Their competitors aren't bothering so there is no reason.

 

An interesting approach taken by Pianoteq and VB3-II is that their iOS versions are free... but you have to have a license for their desktop versions. So they're not selling any lower cost version, but they may well sell more of their desktop product because of the perk of customers also being able to run it on their iPad at no extra cost.