Roland Intros New Aerophone AE-20 Electronic Wind Instrument
Roland announced the Aerophone AE-20, the latest member of their family of digital wind instruments.
They say that the Aerophone AE-20 delivers the playability and expression of the flagship Aerophone Pro, but in a more compact and streamlined design. It features the core sounds and control of Aerophone Pro.
Here’s what they say about it:
“Aerophone AE-20 provides a wide range of stunningly authentic acoustic instrument sounds at the touch of a button. Soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes are on hand, plus clarinet, flute, trumpet, and more. Violin, cello, and other string instruments are also included, along with world instruments like erhu, shakuhachi, and bagpipes. Backed by Roland’s SuperNATURAL technology, every playing nuance is fully translated with lifelike dynamics, articulations, and overtones.
The versatility of Aerophone AE-20 extends even further with the ZEN-Core Synthesis System, the same advanced sound engine found in professional Roland keyboards like FANTOM and JUPITER-X. Everything from traditional analog synths to modern digital voices are available, all carefully curated for the unique articulations and extended dynamic range of a wind instrument.
Aerophone AE-20 lets wind players step right into their musical flow with a familiar reed-style mouthpiece, immediate response, and natural pitch and vibrato control. The breath and bite sensors are customizable and ultra-sensitive, and it’s possible to reconfigure the fingering for sax, clarinet, flute, recorder, or a personal setup. Instant transposition and a five-octave range enable players to cover any style without the range limits found with traditional acoustic instruments.”
The Aerophone AE-20 is designed to be an all-in-one solution, with a built-in speaker so you can play it anywhere and a headphone jack for quiet practice. There’s also a line output for connecting to a stage amp, plus USB-MIDI for controlling MIDI applications and hardware.
Aerophone AE-20 also features Bluetooth connectivity, for wireless connectivity to music apps from Roland and others. The Aerophone Lesson app helps users get started right away and the Aerophone Pro Editor gives you deep control over sound parameters and performance settings.
Additional sound packs are also available via Roland Cloud.
The Roland Aerophone AE-20 will be available in the U.S. in March for $999.99
