Analog Lab Pro (formerly Analog Lab V) is a good way of easing gently in to Arturia's huge universe of plugins. Built on the same engine as the individual instruments in the V Collection, Analog Lab Pro seems like a single plugin – but it's packed with sounds from a wide range of synths: Despite the name, it's not just about classic analogue emulations, as there are recreations of iconic digital synths, vintage samplers, organs, grands, and electric pianos in addition to Arturia's own designs. The Lab Pro interface has been deliberately designed to be straightforward, although the 2,000+ presets and their linked effects can be tweaked efficiently using predefined parameters, making it quick to shape them for any track.
The library of sounds in Analog Lab Pro are built on emulations of a wide range of synths – classics from Roland, Oberheim, ARP, Yamaha, Sequential, and more, plus keyboards like the Hammond organ, Clavinet, Mellotron, and Wurlitzer, and even strings. Arturia's own Pigments synth suite also has a few choice sounds featured here. With this much to choose from, it's a relief one key feature of the plugin is its clear, streamlined browser, which makes it easy to sort and select sounds according to category, instrument, style, and type. Each preset comes with four mapped parameters for shaping the sound, controlled via virtual dials on the main panel. On top of that, two individual effects plus reverb and delay can also be applied at the flick of a switch, so producers and DJs can drop the results straight into a track they're mixing – or even playing live – without the need for any extra FX plugins.
Arturia Analog Lab Pro is the ideal solution when a broad selection of ready-to-play sounds from different synths is exactly what's needed: Whether it's in the studio or at home on a DAW, even professional producers don't always need the entire range of editing options. Especially when they're just sketching ideas or building out an existing track, it's often better for the workflow to have quick access to sounds in clear categories – and that only need a little tweaking. The plugin's browser and easy-to-use UI are designed with exactly this in mind. Similarly, keyboard players who'd like to take Analog Lab on stage with them, simply running on a laptop and played live using a MIDI controller, can prep their sets with playlists beforehand and then manage them smoothly using the plugin's gig-friendly Stage View.
Arturia's success story began with software emulations of well-known analogue synthesizers such as the Moog Minimoog, Sequential Prophet-5, and Oberheim SEM. The popular software instruments included in the V Collection are still flagship products of the French developer today. Over time, Arturia has gradually expanded its range and now also offers a host of hardware devices, ranging from synthesizers and keyboard controllers to sequencers. Since then, the former software developer has thus also become a household name in the world of analogue synthesizers and other equipment.
Arturia has tailored Analog Lab Pro so that it can be used seamlessly with its own range of controllers; for instance, their encoders are pre-mapped to the eight main parameters in Analog Lab (four for sound, four for FX). Musicians can also browse preset lists and activate sounds using their keyboard's display, so they won't need to fiddle with a laptop's trackpad. Of course, MIDI controllers from other brands are compatible too, though users should remember that they'll probably have to map their encoders to the Lab's parameters manually. Finally, if a particularly productive producer should ever feel the need for even more presets, or sounds in a specific style, Arturia's Sound Store has plenty to offer, with new packs released every month in a variety of genres.