A New Take on Integrated Production Stations?

After the well-publicized financial troubles of Open Labs this year, one would think that "Production Stations" with built-in computers would be marketing kryptonite.

However, Austin, Texas-based Music Computing hasn't let that deter them. Two of their products in particular appear to be aimed at cornering this new market with a new approach.

First up is the StudioBlade, which is based around a Windows computer attached to a 61 or 88 key velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted keyboard. It also includes an abundance of sliders, encoders, knobs, and an 8 x 8 grid of lighted pads not unlike the Monome. It also includes a built-in audio interface making it more or a less a fully self-contained music production solution. Perhaps most importantly, the StudioBlade is significantly cheaper than the OpenLabs machines, starting at $2,599.

What I find more intriguing, however, is their iKeyDock, which takes the same keyboard, audio interface, and array of controls, but removes the computer, instead providing a dock to integrate your own 13"-17" laptop. I think this one shows the most potential as many live musicians are already using a laptop live, and it also seems a bit more future-proof. If you decide you need to, you can buy a new laptop and simply swap it out instead of having a giant, out-dated paperweight. Even better, the price is $1,499, which seems a lot more consumer-friendly.