Roland Boutique?! [new synths]

gearslutz is going to actually break

I was there when the prophet 6 got announced.  does anyone remember those few days?

i think aira had some interesting ideas but maybe didn't really take off - i'm sure they've sold a lot of TR-8s and quite a few TB-3s (be interesting to know how many people, like me, have since got rid of their TB-3 though)... but has anyone bought a System-1 Plug Out synth or one of the modular things...what about the voice transformer and that mixer thing as well?  i don't know anyone who's got one... haven't seen many studio pics of people with them either.

I know a guy who has the voice transformer. It sounds pretty good but it's rather limited in weird ways, like not actually being able to use it as a vocoder with external synth sounds, and I think the pitch can only be controlled by the knob on the front or something? bizarre.

My problem with the aira range (besides the tacky green shit) is the unnecessary size of everything. The tr-8 doesn't need to be as big as the original 808/909, imo.

it serves a fun little purpose i guess. the one thing about the tr9.. or whatever it's called. it's like.. it seems totally pointless having a big box replicating analogue drum sounds digitally, in the age of samples ... and samplers ... and ableton with samples ... ??? what's the point. 

the only point ... as far as i can see it is ... IS replicating the feel of the original and trying to capture the feel of punching out the drum patterns on the same kind of layout. perhaps the overly big sized layout plays into that. 

i dunno. i would never buy the aira stuff cos it seems contradictory (similar to xox's point *** ) but the one thing that would draw me to them is the size and feel of the units. 

( *** one of the main reasons why those original boxes were designed the way they are is because they were analogue and they couldn't make them better. today we can make them better but we choose to make inferior products instead, inferior event to those old originals *** ) 

If they made the 303 reissue a bit more interesting with different waveforms (pwm, noise, unison waves etc) I'd probably be tempted. That said, I'm happier with the acid sounds I've made on the monomachine than I would be with the sounds I'd make on a 303.. I'm the opposite of a purist when it comes to this stuff.

pretty much right tho ??? i feel like, with 303 emulators and clones and rolands 303 clone attempt ( aira tb-3 ), it's like ... the timing on this thing is so fucked and impossible to sell. i can't imagine it's just you and i feeling abit unenthused at the idea of a straight up 303 reissue ... right now .. as weird as that is to say ???? 

  On 9/4/2016 at 2:28 PM, BCM said:

i guess they're maybe trying to quietly kill the aira line and reboot it with the boutique line?

Might be fake, but I doubt it.

I wouldn't lose my hopes just yet. If these sound like the originals + new functionalities, effects, etc, I'm all for it.

  On 9/4/2016 at 2:56 PM, modey said:

I know a guy who has the voice transformer. It sounds pretty good but it's rather limited in weird ways, like not actually being able to use it as a vocoder with external synth sounds, and I think the pitch can only be controlled by the knob on the front or something? bizarre. Roland

Fixed 

Oh, I heard you can't control any of the parameters on the old boutiques by midi... Just with the front face microknobs, can someone confirm? Sounds completely ridiculous. A VST that doesn't understand midi.

K. I googled it, midi cc support was added in an update a couple of weeks ago, still... shipping them without it makes it pretty obvious Roland have no idea what they're doing.

Roland Pocket

Poland Rocket

I like hearing the 303 in the right hands or done well but I'm more interested in hearing acid with other synths and sounds.

to me 303 only mostly sounded interesting in the hands of plastikman

  On 9/5/2016 at 12:07 PM, xox said:

to me 303 only mostly sounded interesting in the hands of plastikman

man there is so many good 303 tunes.. but it depends what you like I suppose.  303 seriously has the funk

  On 9/5/2016 at 5:53 PM, lala said:

 

  On 9/5/2016 at 12:07 PM, xox said:

to me 303 only mostly sounded interesting in the hands of plastikman

 

man there is so many good 303 tunes.. but it depends what you like I suppose.  303 seriously has the funk

 

i'm sure there is and that's why i said ''mostly'' ;) but somehow i remember only those of plastikman and maybe cause he uses the 303 in a unique way. most others just make boring boogie boogie kmiuaoo kmiaoo buic buik boogie boogie kmiaooooooo boog acid at 160 bpm

im talking 120-130bpm acid house/techno stuffs.  Not to mention aphexs use of the 303 was very well done.  Some I cant work out if its pure 303 or what but its dancefloor melting music for me.  wasnt called the acid box for no reason

  On 9/4/2016 at 3:22 PM, bitroast said:

it serves a fun little purpose i guess. the one thing about the tr9.. or whatever it's called. it's like.. it seems totally pointless having a big box replicating analogue drum sounds digitally, in the age of samples ... and samplers ... and ableton with samples ... ??? what's the point. 

 

the only point ... as far as i can see it is ... IS replicating the feel of the original and trying to capture the feel of punching out the drum patterns on the same kind of layout. perhaps the overly big sized layout plays into that. 

 

i dunno. i would never buy the aira stuff cos it seems contradictory (similar to xox's point *** ) but the one thing that would draw me to them is the size and feel of the units. 

 

( *** one of the main reasons why those original boxes were designed the way they are is because they were analogue and they couldn't make them better. today we can make them better but we choose to make inferior products instead, inferior event to those old originals *** ) 

For me there's to reasons; my laptop isn't that fast, so if I can have otb gear that can lighten the load on my cpu a bit that's an advantage. Another thing is having a  tactile, dedicated interface to control the sound. It turns a bunch of drumsamples/emulation into an instantly playable instrument. 

https://twitter.com/residentadvisor/status/774285953456373760]

The TB-03 looks so lopsided.

  On 9/9/2016 at 9:02 PM, Gocab said:

The TB-03 looks so lopsided.

The footprints of these are just soo wrong. Seems like they had it in their head that it was going to be the same sized box as the other Boutique units and no one at any point questioned if this was the way to go. 

Like fuck the way this section looks, fuck its depressing to look at

jesus. serious aesthetic fail going on there.  who decided that was a good way for the one of the most iconic synths of all time to get rebooted into. 

Also all that real estate but tiny pots close together.  :shudder:

  On 9/9/2016 at 7:10 PM, Kidrodi said:

https://twitter.com/residentadvisor/status/774285953456373760]

This is gonna sound fucked up guys, but after watching that video, I think I want them both (plus maybe one of the accordions to shove up my asshole). It's fucked up, cuz we're living the basement musician dream, guys. This is NUTZ. We've wanked long enough on some skill somehow that people pay us for it, and then these acquired funds can be used for rice and an assortment of meats and synthesizers. We made it, dudes.

One of our unanimously favorite electronic music hardware brands is so prolific that we can't even be impressed anymore. We've spoilt ourselves into oblivion.

Welcome to Ze Phuture.

  On 9/10/2016 at 3:13 AM, peace 7 said:

we're living the basement musician dream, guys. This is NUTZ. We've wanked long enough on some skill somehow that people pay us for it, and then these acquired funds can be used for rice and an assortment of meats and synthesizers. We made it, dudes.

One of our unanimously favorite electronic music hardware brands is so prolific that we can't even be impressed anymore. We've spoilt ourselves into oblivion.

 

Welcome to Ze Phuture.

P.S. I kind of want this 909 too, it is orbs of adorbs. 303-wise I would rather have a TT-303 or a x0xb0x because, yes, that's how much of a motherfucking spoiled babby I am just, like the rest of you cunts