NEW GEAR
Roland's Aira instrument range is being expanded once again with the launch of three ‘Compact’ instruments that draw on the company's rich heritage: the T-8 Beat Machine; J-6 Chord Synthesizer; and E-4 Voice Tweaker.
It can be difficult to work out what distinguishes an Aira product from a standard Roland one — the Aira microsite, for example, features the TR-8S drum machine but not the TR-6S, its slimmed-down close cousin — but it's pretty clear what the Compact range is all about.
These are “fun, affordable, and easy to learn” boxes that are designed to be used either individually or together, in a similar way to Korg's Volcas. This being Roland, though, everything is completely digital.
Once again, Roland's Analog Circuit Behaviour (ACB) technology is in play, and each model comes with a built-in rechargeable battery that promises plenty of run time.
The T-8 looks like the most straightforward of the three: it's a six-track drum machine that includes sounds from the TR-808, TR-909 and TR-606. You also get a bass part based on the TB-303, taking the device tentatively into groovebox territory. There's a sequencer, obviously with features such as step loop, pattern shift and probability enabling you to add variation to your grooves. You can tweak your bass sound, and there are reverb/delay send effects.
