Description
The New Roland GO has been designed as a more entry level introduction to the world of the wind synth. It takes on most of the features of the AE 10 model and while it has reduced facility in areas such as range, number of onboard sounds and functionality, it has the added advantage that it is Bluetooth controllable – Roland have designed a free App that gives the player plenty more sounds and editability!
Description
The Roland AE 5 (or GO) gives the player immediate satisfaction from a user-friendly point of view. The design is very light and compact, the 11 available onboard sounds are easy to select via a sound wheel on the reverse, and there is a very useful transpose dial which allows sax players to adjust their key accordingly. While it lacks in the more extensive features of its older cousin (the AE10) it taps into a whole bank of further possibilities via the Roland GO App, available for free.
11 onboard tones including four sax variations, flute, clarinet, violin, plus 50 sounds available through the Aerophone GO Plus app for iOS or Android devices
Headphones let you play anytime without disturbing other people
Play anywhere with battery operation and onboard speakers
Easy to carry, weighing just 1 lb. 9 oz./695 g – comes with dedicated soft case
Play along with favourite songs on your smartphone, using Bluetooth® audio
Play with up to six friends using Aerophone GO Ensemble smartphone app for iOS or Android devices
Compatible with traditional sax fingering; instantly transposable to any key with no fingering stress
Mouthpiece features sensitive breath sensor with reed structure for authentic playing feel and control over techniques like vibrato and pitch
Staff Review
This is certainly a fun little wind synth that comes in useful for the non-computer savvy sax players out there, and there are plenty! Straight out of the box the Roland GO plays without any consultation with the instruction manual! You can either power up with 4 AA batteries, or use USB power and get going straight away, adjusting the tone with a very user-friendly dial on the back. The onboard sounds, especially through the tiny onboard speaker, are a bit naff, but you can quickly move on from this by installing the App and getting into the more pleasing onboard PCM sounds, via a very handy Bluetooth connection!
I struggle a little with the ‘clicky’ feel of the buttons, as opposed to smoothly operating levers (as in some older reputable wind synths no longer available on the market), and I feel that some fractional latency can get in the way when playing faster passages – an issue with all current modern wind synths – I think you almost learn to adapt to this when you spend some time with them. However, from an overall perspective, this little synth offers a fun alternative to playing the sax at a very decent price. Jim@sax.co.uk
Delivery & Returns
FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS OVER £100 TO UK MAINLAND
FAST & FULLY INSURED INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING. PAY THE FINAL LANDED COST AT CHECKOUT!
If you're based overseas and would like more information, please read our overseas guide located here
RETURNS
Goods purchased online can be returned within 14 days of receipt. This does not apply to custom ordered goods, products where hygiene is concerned and product seals have been broken (reeds, mouthpieces etc), digital download codes or software licences. Goods purchased through our website cannot be returned to our retail stores.
