Devin Belanger Unleashes the Arturia Astrolab 37: Tiny Synth, Massive Mayhem

Devin Belanger wastes no time letting us know what’s on the slab: the Arturia Astrolab 37, a synth that’s as compact as a stubby cooler but packs a wallop. It’s the smallest and cheapest in the Astrolab family, but don’t go thinking it’s a toy—this thing’s built for real performers who want to travel light without sounding thin. Devin skips the usual patch parade and instead promises a trio of original demo tracks to show what this little beast can do in the wild.

Right from the get-go, you get the sense that the Astrolab 37 is aimed at musos who’d rather not haul a back-breaking rig to every gig. With its streamlined design and focus on performance, it’s a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of synths that need their own postcode. Devin’s no stranger to clever setups, and his approach here is all about showing off the synth’s real-world chops, not just its menu-diving skills.

Devin kicks things off with a metal demo that’s as aggressive as a magpie in nesting season. Every sound—except for the live guitar and drums—comes straight from the Astrolab 37, proving it can hold its own in a wall of noise. The synth’s portability means you can actually pull this off live without needing a roadie or a chiropractor. It’s a ripper example of how the Astrolab 37 can slot into a band setup and still cut through like a chainsaw at a sausage sizzle.

Next up, he shifts gears into ambient territory, teaming the Astrolab 37 with the Soma Cosmos pedal for lush, sprawling textures. Here, the synth’s ability to change sounds on the fly becomes a real asset—no need to faff about with endless parameter tweaks when your pedals are doing the heavy lifting. Finally, Devin dives into live techno, where the Astrolab’s hands-on controls let you ride the filter and resonance like you’re surfing a rogue wave. It’s clear this synth isn’t just a one-trick pony; it’s got the versatility to handle whatever genre you throw at it.

One of the standout features Devin highlights is the Astrolab 37’s seamless patch switching. You can flick between sounds mid-performance without any awkward note cut-offs or dead air—a lifesaver when you’re in the heat of a live set. This means you can sculpt evolving soundscapes without feeling like you’re about to wipe out on a dodgy patch change. For anyone who’s ever had a synth choke at the worst possible moment, this is pure gold.