YouTuber playpm recreates Roland’s new AIRA compact instruments for free
The channel shows nifty hacks to achieve the same sound as the T-8, J-6 and E-4, all without spending a penny.
play.pm
In light of Roland’s new set of AIRA compact instruments – launched in early May – YouTube channel playpm has released a video detailing how producers can achieve the same sounds with cost-effective alternatives.
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Priding itself on being able to find affordable substitutes for some of the most popular or new music tech, playpm’s GAS Therapy video series– based on the acronym, ‘Gear Acquisition Syndrome’ – has found simple ways of overcoming hefty price tags often tied with making music.
Now, in a recent video, the channel has tackled Roland’s new AIRA compact instruments. Featured in the launch comes the T-8 Drum Sequencing Machine, the J-6 Chord Synthesizer and the E-4 Voice Tweaker – for all of which playpm finds free alternatives.
Using a $200 MacBook Air from 2014, the video shows hows how users can achieve the same effects as the AIRA without having to pay for expensive plug-ins or invest in the latest laptops.
For the most part, playpm shows the extensive list of features that can be achieved via the Roland Zenology Lite:an easily-accessible, free plug-in that provides numerous classic drum sets, melodic synth instruments and SP-404 effects.
Other features of the video include advice on how to adjust vocals in the same way as the Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker. Here, the channel lists numerous plug-ins and techniques on GarageBand that successfully pitch, harmonise and tune vocals free of charge.
Released earlier this month, the original by Roland was designed as a pocket-sized device that used lithium-ion batteries to provide a multitude of features on the go. In addition, the effects available in the AIRA came inspired by previous launches by the brand, with the device using Analogue Circuit behaviour to recreate voices from TR drum machines, TB-303, Juno series, VT effects and more.
Watch the full video from playpm below. Subscribe to the Youtube channel here.
