Arturia - from software to hardware

French company Arturia has gradually moved from software to hardware since the introduction of Virtual Studio Technology solutions for well-known digital musical instruments in 1999. The company has been a well-known player in the field of soft synth emulations since 2003. Time for the history of Arturia—from software to hardware.

Previous publication

On 9 October 2024, this article appeared on Artigenda’s website . This article can still be found on this website there, but it now refers to this location.

The beginning

Arturia was founded in Grenoble, France, by Frédéric Brun and Gilles Pommereuil. They were both students at the Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG). As a college and research institute, the INPG has been part of the Université Grenoble-Alpes since 2016.

During their studies, both Brun and Pommereuil were members of l’Orchestre, the symphony orchestra of the INPG. Brun as violinist and Pommereuil as conductor. From their love of music, they started with the idea of reviving analogue synthesisers of yesteryear. They wanted to do this differently. By offering them as software solutions. So through the technology of Virtual Studio Technology (VST). The aim here was to provide the technology to the widest possible audience.

If you visit Arturia’s website of February 5, 2001 via The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, you will notice that another website was available at that time. That was one that offered a software package called WebSTAR Server Suite. That software was offered for an entirely different purpose and by an entirely different company (Star Nine Technologies/Blue World Communications). In 2003, it became clear that the domain name Arturia.com did indeed belong to the French company, as can be seen via this archived version of the website dated February 7, 2003.

Storm Music Studio and DAWs

Arturia’s first serious project consisted of Storm Music Studio. Storm Music Studio, often abbreviated to Storm, was a DAW developed by Arturia.

A Digital Audio Workstation or DAW is software that makes it possible to record, edit, mix, arrange and mix audio. For numerous musicians and producers today, this is an indispensable part of their work. This is true even when not using VSTs.

A DAW allows you to:

Record sound through external instruments, microphone or other sound sources.
Edit, cut or modify sound or sound sources in any way.
Adapting sound fragments in such a way as to create an arrangement (arranging).
Mixing different tracks, via balancing and adding effects.
Mastering, so that a final product becomes final and the sound quality is tuned for its intended purpose.

Nowadays, it’s no longer possible to download Storm Music Studio. This is because the DAW is no longer part of Arturia’s core business.The core business consists of both software and hardware. If you’re interested in other DAWs as alternatives, see the options below:

For Apple Garage Band and Logic Pro, these are only available for limited platforms (Mac). For all other software, they are offered for more than one platform. This is then not limited to just one operating system.

Minimoog V

In 2003, Arturia partnered with Robert Moog (May 23, 1934 – August 21, 2005) to develop the Modular V. On its website, this VST is still offered and described as the instrument that started it all. By the way, the claim may be questioned a little, not for Moog. For Arturia then. The first VST was indeed the Modular V. The first software sold by Arturia was a DAW (Storm Music Studio). On the 2003 website, you can read that the first release of the Modular V was released on March 1, 2003. In this article there’s more information available on the release of the Minimoog V. The price charged then was considerably higher than now.

More such VSTs would follow after its introduction. Arturia ensured that old synthesisers that were limited or more restricted in accessibility could thus be accessed more easily. In addition, this was a good way to determine whether a synthesiser could meet certain expectations. The disadvantage was then that it was necessary to proceed to the purchase of software to test something, before still proceeding to the purchase of the real model. In other cases, this was not possible at all. Then these were models that were not accessible to a wide audience because of the price.

As this is often the case with VSTs, it’s all about making choices. Investing in software solutions brings benefits. You don’t have to make choices when it comes to physical space. On the other hand, this can also require an investment. Not just when it comes to buying those VSTs. In the long run, it may also require an investment of equipment on or with which to enable that technology of VSTs. Besides, not everyone is a fan of using VSTs.

If you look on YouTube, there are plenty of videos focusing on the subject of“Dawless” (without DAW). People are doing the same thing they do with VSTs but without a DAW. So basically “just” using real equipment or equipment that has already been pre-programmed, for example. In addition, real synths are used there. These are all choices that are made and they realised that at Arturia too.

Hardware

For a long time, Arturia’s VSTs were doing pretty well. Whereas others started with hardware, Arturia did it exactly the other way around. Think of Moog, Korg and Roland.

The MiniBrute was Arturia’s first analogue synthesiser. This version is now no longer sold, but its successor is. If so, it is the MiniBrute 2. Arturia’s website from 2012, the year the MiniBrute (1) was introduced, did not always save well via The Wayback Machine. The opening page in particular left quite a bit to be desired. The first version of the MiniBrute was first available via the website in April 2012, according to this archived page. Since then, the price has remained unchanged (€499).

Immediately after its introduction, the MiniBrute received rave reviews for its user-friendly interface and powerful, analogue sound. The price was also cited by many as attractive.

MiniBrute V

A soft synth emulation of this MiniBrute is also available. That is the MiniBrute V. This VST can be used in any DAW. This is not a must, by the way, as the MiniBrute V can also function as a standalone application.

KeyStep en MiniLab

The introduction of the MiniBrute was followed by the MicroBrute, MatrixBrute and another series of synths, each with a unique sound. To meet the desire for making especially older and more limited digital instruments available, Arturia continued with that too. In which the KeyStep series and the MiniLab series are a must-have for anyone who wants to start working with a DAW and VSTs. The latter in particular is an alternative to another very popular midi controller. These are the AKAI keyboards. Specifically, then, the AKAI MPK Mini Plus and the AKAI MPK Mini. There are more similar alternatives, from competitors by the way.

The difference between the KeyStep series and the MiniLab series is that both are MIDI controllers and only the KeyStep involves a sequencer. The KeyStep has more keys and the sequencer is suitable for capturing melodies and rhythms. You can record up to 64 notes and then capture them in one sequence and then play them back.

In addition, the KeyStep is equipped with a built-in arpeggiator (arp) with different modes and variations, making it possible to create a variety of arpeggios.

Along with the MiniLab midi controller, the KeyStep also features modulation wheels and a pitch-bend controller. Needless to say, both devices integrate seamlessly with the best-known DAWs. You could solve the lack of recording functionality with the MiniLab by buying another device, a MIDI controller with faders. For example, the AKAI APC Mini, provided you are not so brand loyal. There are other solutions too. From other well-known brands.

Arturia’s MiniLab is a compact midi controller that features drum pads, rotary knobs and faders. The advantage is that you don’t need a separate power cable for it. A USB-C cable to your computer is sufficient, and the MiniLab has fewer keys, 25.

Compared to other midi controllers, the MiniLab has a big advantage. That is the presence of both a USB port and a MIDI-out port. The MiniLab also features a socket for a sustain pedal.

Software

Just as this applies to most midi products, when you buy a midi controller you will receive software licences or discounts when you buy (external) software.

V-series and Analogue Lab

So how do you distinguish what is “real” and what is not “real”? In short, how do you distinguish what is a VST and what is not? Sometimes prices seem to mislead you. Take the price for Analog Lab V. The full price for Analog Lab V is 599 euros. The distinction is made with the letter V. Then there is Analog Lab which is a collection. A kind of library, where you have a choice of options.

The free version of Analog Lab is available as Analog Lab Play. This version is limited to a maximum of a hundred instruments. If you prefer to have more instruments at your disposal, there are more extensive versions. The following versions are available.

Analog Lab Play

28 instrumenten, 100 presets.

Analog Lab Intro

28 instruments, 500 presets.

Analog Lab Pro - € 199,-

All instruments, more than 2,000 presets.

V Collection - € 599,-

All instruments, over 9000 presets.

Analog Lab Play and Analog Lab Intro are the basic versions. They are limited and if you want more functionality, opt for a paid version. Besides the mentioned instruments and presets, you get additional options. With the Analog Lab V Collection, these are additional instruments, normally offered as separate VSTs. These partly correspond to the titles offered for Analog Lab Pro, which is somewhat confusing.

Dependent on designers

What you need to bear in mind and what could potentially cause some disappointment is that Analog Lab (regardless of version) will function differently to VSTs you download from other sources. You’re dependent in some cases on what the designers have made of it. Some designers have been pretty strict about how an instrument relates and what it does. Others have put their own “spin” on it. This is something you have to take into account when it comes to presets. Presets are customisations of instruments.

This needn’t be a problem, as you can set a lot yourself. Moreover, you can find free sources that allow you to import presets into Analog Lab. The only question is whether that gets you “done” or not.

Do you perhaps benefit more from an actual VST file or not? You can choose to purchase a VST file from Arturia’s website which is also included in Analog Lab. A VST that you know is not set up like the one in Analog Lab. Whether you end up cheaper with that is, of course, the question.

In certain cases, yes. Now, in some cases, you are cheaper with VST files, even if you have to pay for them and even if you have to invest in hardware (computer, laptop, sound card, MIDI controller, etc.). Even then, you are still cheaper. Besides, there is still such a thing as availability. A good example is Arturia’s solution for the Yamaha CS-80.

Yamaha CS-80

One of the VSTs on Arturia’s website is the CS-80 V. This is a soft synth emulation of the legendary Yamaha CS-80. You won’t easily find this synthesiser on Marktplaats. The website Reverb does list the synthesiser, which was introduced in 1977. For these synthesisers, you pay a price of around 30,000 euros. Prices from 40,000 or 50,000 euros are quite common.

The CS-80 was an extraordinary instrument in every way. This was one of the leading polyphonic analogue synthesisers ever made, according to connoisseurs. It made it possible to play eight notes at once (8-note polyphony).

Of course, it is difficult to decide whether to use the present or past tense when it comes to the CS-80. Chances are many will never play a physical CS-80. Hence, a past tense makes more sense. Therefore, it makes more sense to talk about how the CS-80 used analogue subtractive synthesis, where sounds were formed by filtering a rich waveform.

The synthesiser had 22 presets and four memory slots for storing custom sounds. What made the CS-80 unique for the time was the presence of the ribbon controller, which could be used to perform pitch bends and glissandos.

Desired instrument

It became a sought-after instrument for the likes of Vangelis (March 29, 1943 – May 17, 2022), David Bowie (January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016), Jean-Michel Jarre, Brian Eno, Kate Bush and Stevie Wonder. These were artists from a particular period. In more recent times, it was Tori Amos, Daft Punk, Röyskopp, Empire of the Sun and Coldplay.

For a very long time, the CS-80 was not produced and many models of it were not made. Incidentally, the CS series was not only limited to this model. The CS-50 and CS-60 also scored very well. Not as well as the CS-80. Even then, the Prophet-5, the first version of which was introduced in 1978 by Sequential Circuits, could compete well with the CS-80 because of a couple of important pluses. First, this synthesiser was easier to transport. Also, the entire internal memory could be stored on a compact cassette, allowing for backup. Moreover, you did not have to take a device with you to another location. Then there was another option, due to its size. That was stacking.

Because the Prophet-5 was considerably cheaper than the CS-80, this synthesiser was there for a wider audience. The last versions of the synthesisers would be sold in 1984.

This synthesiser also has a VST produced by Arturia. That is the Prophet-5 V. The CS-80 is available as a VST by Arturia as CS-80 V.

Bridge

Will you be cheaper with a VST for the Yamaha CS-80? That depends. There are also free alternatives. Take Arminator. That is only a 32-bit VST. Without a software tweak, not every DAW will be able to run this VST. Steinberg’s software will not encounter any problems with this. However, Ableton Live will experience a problem with this, which is why a Bridge is needed. You can read more about that in this article in Ableton’s Knowledge Base.

In the end, you have to ask how far you want to go to use free VSTs. The older those VSTs are, the more likely it will be that they may not work well with newer versions of your DAW. You should always think about that carefully. A more recent version of a VST or one through a provider that provides the VSTs with a regular update ensures that you can rely on a stable version. This is not to say, by the way, that you should never choose free VSTs.

Arturia currently has a free programme available and that is Analog Lab. That is worth trying out. Especially to see if Arturia’s solutions are suitable. Whether you stick with Analog Lab or opt for one of the VSTs or not.

Curious about all the products from this French company, check out this page.

Arturia – from software to hardware