New stuff from Roland!

[D-Collector]

Just checked their Connect website and there are some new and possibly exciting things:

http://www.rolandconnect.com/

FA-06 / FA-08 Music Workstation



More interesting is this new AIRA branch. There is one video up, and they talk about the classic TRs and their influence. It is obvious they are up to something though. Someone on Gearslutz pulled these screens from the video, and it looks like a larger TR inspired box with sliders and knobs.





http://www.roland.com/aira/

[sentientprogram]

Roland clones NI's Maschine with strictly 808 and 909 samples, I'm calling it.

[Ashe37]

My bet its somewhere between the MC grooveboxes and Maschine.

[D-Collector]

I found one more in the video! And I somehow have the feeling the music in the Aira clip is made by the new machine. But this better not be a controller.

[Alex E]

I like this stuff.

[salwa]

Here it is.

[D-Collector]

Great! I was just about to post that. Here is a bigger one, and another pic:

[kuroichi]

Looks like some form of controller. Which seems to be the way to go for people nowadays. Although the function buttons seem almost too specific. If it can also work standalone in some form then it could be promising. If it's a x0x version of Maschine I imagine it could still do well to be honest. Either way this is the first thing to catch my attention for quite some time.

[Blue Monster 65]

My curiosity is piqued ...

EDIT: With no display, I'm betting it does need to work in conjunction with a computer. I hope not - stand alone would really appeal to me. I'm not really interested in another Maschine (happy enough with that as it is), but we'll see. If indeed it is an analog engine that uses the computer for a controller ... then we've got something else to check out.

You know, as I type I'm thinking it would actually be really cool if it was an analog engine that could use an iPad for a controller - that would be fantastic for my wants and needs.

We'll find out in a few days, eh?

[madmarkmagee]

Well it must be some kind of groove box. Analog drum machine is my guess. Something half analog like the the volca drums but more fully featured?

[phesago]

this is sick. I knew I should've sold my 808. Un less its not analog, then im good to go lol

I actually hope it is analog though, despite losing value on a piece I've been reluctant to sell anyway lol

[griffin avid]

I'm going to take a super shot in the dark and guess it's not (fully analog).

You don't put that many lights on something analog. I'm just saying.
With the number of years this needed to incubate, I say it's closer to NI's Maschine.


And I thing 'taking the next step' is integrating your DAW, you know using your computer for the heavy lifting....
No one seems to care about the original gear's sound.
They always revert back to the concept......


Oh yeah, backing tracks .....from our product.....for your music in 2014

[D-Collector]

Well, it seems to have some sort of small 2-3 digit style display at the far right side. I'm really, really hoping this is not just a controller. Because that would be exactly like a nightmare I had once.

And why make something look as good as this and NOT let it be standalone hardware? That is what everyone wants anyway, a Roland made TR style standalone hardware drum machine. That is what people have been nagging about for over 20 years.

[kuroichi]

It would be interesting if it was part analog with computer controllability. I'm also waiting to see what the new voice transformer is like. I thought that because it shares a similar design to this, perhaps AIRA is a new digital engine used in a range of products.

[nathanscribe]

Making this simply a controller would be a massive ball-drop. Sensibly-priced Drumstation-cum-beatbox thingy would be nice, if it's standalone and also integrates with software. Too much computer, otherwise, and not enough funbox.

I would be beyond amazed if this has any analogue voicing at all. Not Roland, not these days. Even their distortion pedals are digital now.