Introducing Roland AIRA Compact | T-8 Beat Machine, J-6 Chord Synthesizer, E-4 Voice Tweaker

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$199.99 each. Additional videos below. Press release and pics below them.

"AIRA Compact puts Roland’s legendary creative magic in the palm of your hand. Easily play and perform with these highly jammable instruments—anywhere, anytime. Chain them together to catalyze your creativity or connect with MIDI gear, computers, and music apps to expand your setup. Just power on and go with the flow.

About the T-8 Beat Machine

The T-8 Beat Machine is a mini rhythm factory with six tracks of pristine TR drums plus a TB-303 bass track. Embodying decades of modern musical sound, the T-8 gives you the power to create infectious tracks in seconds flat. Craft on-the-fly acid jams or trap bangers with the intuitive 16-step sequencer, shape sounds with onboard controls, and flip and dice beats with simple, yet powerful tools.

About the J-6 Chord Synthesizer

The J-6 is a portable synth toolbox with all the building blocks you'll need to bring harmonic substance to your jams. Pairing a powerfully unique chord sequencer with lavish JUNO-60 synth tones, J-6 packs a versatile feature set into a highly jammable format. Generate soul-stirring song ideas with the turn of a knob and explore 100 chord sets over a variety of genres. Experiment with styles and variations to coax dancing lines and rhythmic patterns from your chords. Add lush chorus, reverb, or delay to frost your sound.

About the E-4 Voice Tweaker

Harmonize, auto-pitch, vocode, loop, and glitch your voice all from the portable E-4 Voice Tweaker. Want hands-on control? Connect a mic or input a feed and easily explore effects using the sliders, function buttons, and scatter knob. From looping live jams to livestreaming or tightening up and expanding performances, the E-4 will transform your voice into your new favorite instrument.

Chapter Breakdown
0:00 – Series Introduction
1:50 – T-8 Beat Machine
2:22 – T-8 Patterns, Sounds, and Tracks
3:22 – T-8 Hands-On Controls and Performance Tools
4:19 – T-8 Create a Drumbeat
4:41 – T-8 Create a Bassline
5:40 – T-8 Advance Programming and Effects
6:25 – J-6 Chord Synth
6:52 – J-6 Playback and Genres (Chord Sets)
7:13 – J-6 Sound
7:52 – J-6 Style and Variation
8:22 – J-6 Chord Sequencer
9:14 – J-6 Connect to DAW
9:39 – E-4 Voice Tweaker
10:14 – E-4 Hands-On Controls
10:29 – E-4 Auto Pitch, Harmony, Vocoder
11:09 – E-4 Looper
11:26 – E-4 Scatter
11:50 – Connectivity"

Roland AIRA Compact J-6 / T-8 / E-4 - DEMO by gattobus

video upload by gattobus

"Roland's birthday party it's not over!
A few days ago they sent me these little magic boxes to try them out and in less than an hour of tweaking, I came out with this song!!!
The song title "A Big Tiny World" is because they are BIG sounding TINY boxes indeed! :D
They are:

- J-6 Chord Synthesizer
- T-8 Beat Machine
- E-4 Voice Tweaker

Their sound quality is astonishing! It's amazing to have the power of ACB technology in such a small form factor...
Everything you hear in this video was played and recorded in real time, no post processing or FX was added.
I had so much fun, I hope you like it!"

Roland Aira Compact : T-8 / J-6 / E-4 : Portable Drum Machine, Polyphonic Synth, & Vocal Effects

video upload by Perfect Circuit

T-8 Drum Machine & Acid Style Bass Synth
J-6 Polyphonic Synth
E-4 Vocal Transformer

"Join our pal Dustin for the debut of the AIRA COMPACT line of synthesizers ! These three desktop style devices combine some of Roland's most recognizable and powerful sound palettes into a portable, affordable, and outrageously fun package!

Check out our in-depth Signal article for more details - https://bit.ly/3L08Msr

0:00 - Intro jam
1:07 - Overview of Aira Compact Line
2:54 - T-8 Drum Machine & Bass Synthesizer
5:50 - J-6 Four Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer
9:50 - E-4 Vocal Processor, Looper, & Effects
11:57 - Robot Acid BOPS !"

AIRA Compact- First Look at the new Range

video upload by sonicstate

Roland T-8 J-6 E-4 Compacts Review: Here's what makes them special // Full Tutorial

video upload by loopop

TIMELINE
0:00 Intro
1:05 Overview
2:05 Connectivity
5:15 T-8 OVERVIEW
8:30 Drum sounds
11:55 Bass synth
14:00 Sequencing
19:20 Effects
20:15 Drive
22:05 Sidechain
24:55 Performance
26:20 T-8 Pros, cons
28:10 J-6 OVERVIEW
29:20 Synth
31:15 Effects
32:55 Keys, chords
33:50 Phrases/arp
36:10 Sequencer
39:50 Step length
40:20 Menu misc
41:40 J-6 Pros & cons
45:10 E-4 OVERVIEW
46:00 Eight things it does
50:00 Interface
50:50 MIDI control
51:20 Vocoder
52:00 Looper
53:20 Scatter
56:25 E-4 Pros & cons
58:25 T-8 Patterns
1:07:10 J-6 Patterns

How fun is the Aira Compact series?

video upload by True Cuckoo

And the press release:

Fun, Pocket-Size Instruments with Innovative Creative Features, Authentic Roland Sounds, and Class-Leading Connectivity

Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2022 — Roland announces AIRA Compact, an all-new series of ultra-portable instruments with free-flowing features for creative exploration and authentic Roland sounds. Fun, affordable, and easy to learn, the T-8 Beat Machine, J-6 Chord Synthesizer, and E-4 Voice Tweaker bring serious musical power to everyone from hobbyists and gadget collectors to tech-savvy pros.

AIRA Compact instruments let anyone jam, perform, and develop ideas on the go with friendly controls, inspiring sounds, and loads of intuitive music tools. Users can realize complete compositions with a single unit or expand their possibilities by connecting and synchronizing with other AIRA Compact models. From one master unit, multiple AIRA Compacts can be mixed and monitored with headphones or an external speaker system. It’s also possible to interface with computer DAWS, mobile music apps, and hardware instruments via USB-C or MIDI.

Driven by Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) and other advanced technologies found in top-line Roland instruments, AIRA Compact delivers the real-deal sounds behind decades of hit music. Users can create with the genuine voices of Roland icons, including TR rhythms, TB basses, JUNO synths, VT effects, and more.

Driven by Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) and other advanced technologies found in top-line Roland instruments, AIRA Compact delivers the real-deal sounds behind decades of hit music. Users can create with the genuine voices of Roland icons, including TR rhythms, TB basses, JUNO synths, VT effects, and more.

AIRA Compact strikes the perfect balance between portability and power. Each model is small enough to slip into a pocket and features an inviting panel to jump-start the creative flow for immediate results. Onboard lithium-ion batteries provide hours of continuous use per charge, while Roland’s famous build quality will support musical adventures for years to come.

T-8 Beat Machine
The T-8 Beat Machine combines iconic Roland drum and bass sounds in a go-everywhere rhythm factory. Beatmakers can build tracks with legendary sounds from the TR-808, TR-909, and TR-606 drum machines, paired with the shapeshifting low end of the dynamic TB-303 Bass Line. The six-track drum sequencer features the famous TR-REC workflow, enhanced with deep tools like step loop, pattern shift, probability, and others to generate dynamic performances with constantly evolving grooves. The T-8 also provides an authentic TB-303 bass experience, including the tactile power to squeeze, squelch, and mangle sounds in the moment.

J-6 Chord Synthesizer
The J-6 Chord Synthesizer is an endless well of musical inspiration, pairing a powerful chord sequencer with the lavish tones of the renowned JUNO-60 synth. Creators don’t need to know chords or theory to make music—they can simply call up one of 100 chords sets and build compelling chord progressions with one-touch presses on the built-in keyboard. Styles and variations are also available to coax dancing lines and rhythmic patterns from chords. Users can quickly string progressions together via step input, tweak the sound with dedicated filter and envelope controls, and add polish with customizable delay and reverb effects.

E-4 Voice Tweaker
The E-4 Voice Tweaker combines advanced voice transformer tools and standard vocal effects with a hands-on interface that’s meant to be played. Performers can go from traditional vocal enhancements to punchy beatboxed grooves to striking alien soundscapes—all in a single tune. Pitch and formant sliders are available to instantly change the vocal gender, create robot voices, and more. Auto Pitch, automatic harmony, and vocoder processors are included, along with reverb, delay, and other effects. There’s also a built-in 24-second looper for capturing performances on the fly, plus a unique Scatter function for slicing and dicing the sound via a dedicated panel knob.

Availability & Pricing

The Roland AIRA Compact series is now available in the U.S. for $199.99 each."

Check with dealers on the right for availability.