[Richard901]

Alistair Parnell: Part 10 - Using computer soft synths with the Roland Aerophone GO

 

[FishyJoe]

Does anyone know if you have to worry about cleaning the tube inside? I take off the mouthpiece and wipe down the metal sensor area, but it seems like there is probably a lot of moisture beyond it. It definitely drips out the bottom after playing a while.

 

[Jazz Is All]

Okay, I read one of you say that the flute sounds are really good. Are they good enough to give one the feeling that your are actually playing an instrument that sounds like a flute? Not physically, but in terms of the aural feedback to your body that you get playing the flute sounds on the GO? The reason I ask is that I have thought of getting a student flute to be able to learn to double on it since it is so similar in fingering, at least, to a sax and I love that airy sound. The thing that stops me from doing it is that aside from having to develop the embouchure for it, the position you have to hold it in is too uncomfortable for my ageing body. That arms up right arm out posture is the pits and a turn off right away. I tried a couple in a shop and it was awful. Ideally if there were vertical flutes with T head joint that didn't cost an arm and two legs that would be the ticket, but they are out of my price range by a mile. Hence I am considering the Roland Go as a possibility but only if it really sounds authentically like a flute. What do you guys think?

 

[ubizmo]

The SWAM flute sounds are quite good, but pricey like their other sounds. The onboard flute sound is not convincing.

I know what you mean about the ergonomics of the flute. I'm 66 and I also find it difficult, and I know that even younger players may suffer from neck and shoulder pain.

I picked up a Nuvo J-flute 2.0, with the new "doughnut" head joint. This is a plastic flute meant for children without enough wingspan for a normal flute, but it works well for seniors too. The sound is not nearly as bright as a metal flute, but it's by no means terrible, at least up to 3rd octave F. And I'm just a self-taught hacker.

The doughnut head is better than the actual J head, because it's more balanced and clear sounding.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

 

[Jazz Is All]

The SWAM flute sounds are quite good, but pricey like their other sounds. The onboard flute sound is not convincing.

I know what you mean about the ergonomics of the flute. I'm 66 and I also find it difficult, and I know that even younger players may suffer from neck and shoulder pain.

I picked up a Nuvo J-flute 2.0, with the new "doughnut" head joint. This is a plastic flute meant for children without enough wingspan for a normal flute, but it works well for seniors too. The sound is not nearly as bright as a metal flute, but it's by no means terrible, at least up to 3rd octave F. And I'm just a self-taught hacker.

The doughnut head is better than the actual J head, because it's more balanced and clear sounding.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

I was afraid you were going to say that about the onboard flute sounds because I listened to a few youtube vids of them and they don't sound real at all but the SWAM is too rich for my blood. What I like about flute is that sweet but airy sound that many jazz cats get (Dolphy, Rasshan, etc) and that definitely is not what I heard on those videos. I saw the Nuvo flute but only with the J head, but didn't try one. Cheap enough to give it a go I suppose, but the Go is pretty cheap also and I can get trumpet and violin sounds and a bad flute imitation all with a sax player's chops. With the flute I'll still have to learn the embouchure. So it's a tossup.

 

[Daskeladden]

Just wanted to say that I got it working on Windows 10 Ableton 10. At first I could only connect to Ableton through USB, but with this method I did manage to get it to work through Bluetooth.

Probably a way to get Ableton to see the Aerophone Bluetooth device by changing the Register Editor in Windows but for now this video is the only way I have gotten the Bluetooth to work on Window 10. How to update the firmware through Windows I have no idea how to do.
That being said it works great with plugins like SWAM so I'm happy. No latency that I notice. I have a Presonus Quantum Thunderbolt audio interface with great and fast ASIO drivers.

I would be happy if somebody found a way to connect the bluetooth without using the two software in the video. The Roland Aerophone uses Windows Bluetooth LE Device with the driver name: bthleenum.inf

 

[aircanuck]

Don't want to derail the thread as I am grateful for the great technical guidance. For those familiar with the Aerophone, how useful is it in the hands of a complete musical beginner? I travel a ton for work as a professional pilot, so practicing is impossible on the road. I'm 40, just getting into music because it has been an unchecked box in my life and I love playing my sax. Can I throw the aerophone in my bag as a means of staying connected to music and having a creative outlet while on the road? Or will it hamper my development as a beginning student? Thanks all!

 

[lesacks]

Don't want to derail the thread as I am grateful for the great technical guidance. For those familiar with the Aerophone, how useful is it in the hands of a complete musical beginner? I travel a ton for work as a professional pilot, so practicing is impossible on the road. I'm 40, just getting into music because it has been an unchecked box in my life and I love playing my sax. Can I throw the aerophone in my bag as a means of staying connected to music and having a creative outlet while on the road? Or will it hamper my development as a beginning student? Thanks all!

Have a look at

 

[motteatoj]

Don't want to derail the thread as I am grateful for the great technical guidance. For those familiar with the Aerophone, how useful is it in the hands of a complete musical beginner? I travel a ton for work as a professional pilot, so practicing is impossible on the road. I'm 40, just getting into music because it has been an unchecked box in my life and I love playing my sax. Can I throw the aerophone in my bag as a means of staying connected to music and having a creative outlet while on the road? Or will it hamper my development as a beginning student? Thanks all!

I take mine everywhere I travel for work.
I did buy the Swam sax engines as I really hated the built in or in app sax sounds and the app crashes endlessly.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

Don't want to derail the thread as I am grateful for the great technical guidance. For those familiar with the Aerophone, how useful is it in the hands of a complete musical beginner? I travel a ton for work as a professional pilot, so practicing is impossible on the road. I'm 40, just getting into music because it has been an unchecked box in my life and I love playing my sax. Can I throw the aerophone in my bag as a means of staying connected to music and having a creative outlet while on the road? Or will it hamper my development as a beginning student? Thanks all!

Short answer: yes, I think the Aerophone works as a travel instrument and you can play it with headphones so you can play it anywhere, even while piloting an airplane. I just learned about the AE mini in the earlier post and I'd recommend against that. What I like about my AE-10 is that the fingering is very sax-like. I think the Mini would hamper your development as a sax player more than the AE-10 would because the fingering system is so different. You love playing your sax so you want a travel instrument that's similar in how it operates. The embouchure is different - really, you can set it up so no real embouchure is required - but that and breath control are the main things that will keep you from developing your sax chops. For running scales, learning tunes, and just playing for fun, the Aerophone works as a travel substitute for a sax. It comes in a nice case too and doesn't weigh very much. HOWEVER, if making noise is not a problem when you're traveling - that is, it's NOT a problem that people can hear you playing away in the middle of the night in your hotel room - then you might do better with a soprano sax or even an alto. They're not that big and you can get them in a smaller gig bag so they're easy to take along. But if you want to play without being heard, the Aerophone AE-10 is a good option. I don't think it will hamper your development. But there's nothing like developing on a real sax.

 

[YorkshireSax]

Hello everyone, I'm new on here and would appreciate some advice please.

I started learning the Alto sax a few years ago but unfortunately had to stop for a couple of reasons. The good news is that I've restarted learning and am making decent progress. To allow me to practice more without annoying my good lady I've also invested in an Aerophone Go. It's great for getting some playing time, using headphones, but I'd also like to be able to play it through my Windows 10 PC and hear some much nicer sax sound by doing that.

If you give me a graphics program I'm fine but unfortunately I have zero experience when it comes to audio software. Because it probably won't get a lot of use I'd also prefer a free piece of software too if possible, that money can be used to upgrade to a nicer real sax at some point soon!

If anyone can advise and help me with this I'd be very grateful.

Thanks, David

 

[MartinMusicMan]

Hello everyone, I'm new on here and would appreciate some advice please.

I started learning the Alto sax a few years ago but unfortunately had to stop for a couple of reasons. The good news is that I've restarted learning and am making decent progress. To allow me to practice more without annoying my good lady I've also invested in an Aerophone Go. It's great for getting some playing time, using headphones, but I'd also like to be able to play it through my Windows 10 PC and hear some much nicer sax sound by doing that.

If you give me a graphics program I'm fine but unfortunately I have zero experience when it comes to audio software. Because it probably won't get a lot of use I'd also prefer a free piece of software too if possible, that money can be used to upgrade to a nicer real sax at some point soon!

If anyone can advise and help me with this I'd be very grateful.

Thanks, David

This video explains how to connect your Go to a computer.

Audacity is free audio software. So is Garageband.

There are several options if you want to hear it through bigger and better speakers. The video explains how to connect your aerophone directly to the desktop speakers that your PC plays through. It also shows how to connect via bluetooth. I plug my AE-10 directly into my QSC K8 keyboard speaker. Killer.

 

[YorkshireSax]

This video explains how to connect your Go to a computer.

Audacity is free audio software. So is Garageband.

There are several options if you want to hear it through bigger and better speakers. The video explains how to connect your aerophone directly to the desktop speakers that your PC plays through. It also shows how to connect via bluetooth. I plug my AE-10 directly into my QSC K8 keyboard speaker. Killer.

Thank you for the reply and advice.
The problem with Garageband is that it's intended for Apple computers and would need an emulator to run it on my Windows 10 PC. I'd rather not have that added complication.
Is Audacity a good programe, and more importantly, is it easy for a DAW novice like myself, to use?

 

[YorkshireSax]

While browsing around I also found Wavepad. Does anyone know if that would be suitable for what I need?

 

[Guto]

Got one this week. Something new to break the work from home - eat - sleep routine. What a fun instrument! It takes some getting used to the keys pressing to avoid glitches when they are not pressed exactly together. I’m doing well with key delay set to 4, hoping I’ll be able to reduce the delay as I get more familiar with it.

Using their GO Plus app, I’m wondering whether anyone was successful connecting it directly to an iPad Pro through the supplied USB-C cable? That doesn’t work for me. The app doesn’t recognize it at all. I’ll try the USB-A cable through the camera kit adapter when I’m able to put my hands on one. BT works but the latency bothers me. On fast passages it completely throws me off.

As said above it’s amazing the lack of information about this product on the web!

 

[crakob]

hi guys, i own the AE10 but like the SWAM option and being wireless. So, thinking about the GO. You think this setup is correct =>
1. Ipad + Camelot + SWAM
2. Connect the Go with Ipad via bluetooth. (no latency ?)
3. Output. Hmmmm ? via Airpods with iPAD or wired from the GO to Headphones/Amplifier, wired from iPad to Amplifier ?

are my thoughts correct ?

thankf for your help

Christian

 

[Guto]

hi guys, i own the AE10 but like the SWAM option and being wireless. So, thinking about the GO. You think this setup is correct =>
1. Ipad + Camelot + SWAM
2. Connect the Go with Ipad via bluetooth. (no latency ?)
3. Output. Hmmmm ? via Airpods with iPAD or wired from the GO to Headphones/Amplifier, wired from iPad to Amplifier ?

are my thoughts correct ?

thankf for your help

Christian

I tried my GO with the Roland app through BT. Latency is unmanageable IMO. Wired, the latency is much better, but their SW has glitches, clicks every so often. It's unusable aside from showing off a couple notes. Only benefit of their app IMO is that you can control all settings from there wirelessly. But when playing, I resigned to playing its built-in sounds only so far. Maybe Camelot would work without glitches, I'm curious to know.

 

[skir67]

I recently bought an aerophone go to start learning sax. At some point I intend to also buy an alto sax, but as my work often means I am travelling and living in close proximity to others for long periods of time the ability to silently practice is ideal for me (and others I'm sure!).

The supplied neck strap from Roland I find rather uncomfortable so I'm looking for an alternative. What are other people using with their aerophone? I was thinking about getting a standard sax neck strap, but as the aerophone is quite a bit shorter than even an alto sax I'm not sure that one of these would adjust short enough to work properly. I'll be very happy if a standard strap does work though.

So, any recommendations?

 

[Guto]

I recently bought an aerophone go to start learning sax. At some point I intend to also buy an alto sax, but as my work often means I am travelling and living in close proximity to others for long periods of time the ability to silently practice is ideal for me (and others I'm sure!).

The supplied neck strap from Roland I find rather uncomfortable so I'm looking for an alternative. What are other people using with their aerophone? I was thinking about getting a standard sax neck strap, but as the aerophone is quite a bit shorter than even an alto sax I'm not sure that one of these would adjust short enough to work properly. I'll be very happy if a standard strap does work though.

So, any recommendations?

I never bothered even unpacking their strap. I play soprano sax without a strap. The Aerophone is much lighter, really no need for a strap. But if you must, this reviewer recommends a good alternative:

 

[skir67]

I never bothered even unpacking their strap. I play soprano sax without a strap. The Aerophone is much lighter, really no need for a strap. But if you must, this reviewer recommends a good alternative:

Thanks for the link. I like having a strap as it allows me to not have to think about where to put the aerophone down when pausing whilst practising and I'm trying to develop some good habits for when I get an alto, however the aerophone certainly is light and small enough to go without if preferred.