Roland AIRA Compact Series: T-8 beat, J-6 chord & E-4 voice

[Mindseye_robot]

Answer: significantly

[lesstalkmoredisco]

Wow indeed!

[PentalagusMusic]

I wanted to try sequencing with the Launchpad and the T-8 + S-1 felt like an easy enough test.

Bio-Interface / バイオインターフェース // T-8 & S-1

While it has some interesting possibilities, I’ll definitely be sticking to the Syntakt for sequencing and using the Launchpad for playing stuff in.

[djadonis206]

I found when sequencing the T8 from an external sequencer, the hats don’t choke each other.

Main reason why I don’t sequence that little box externally

[PentalagusMusic]

@djadonis206

I found when sequencing the T8 from an external sequencer, the hats don’t choke each other.

Can’t do the Step Jump either!

If I were to do this again I would have the rhythm sequence saved on the T-8.
Keeping melodic stuff on the Launchpad sequencer is good for mutation though.

[Unifono]

#airacompactフェス T-8, J-6, S-1 + MX-1

[jeroen020]

Anyone sequencing the T-8 bass (303) track with an external sequencer like the Octatrack? If so, are you able to do accents & slides externally through MIDI?

[jemmons]

Yup. Accents are dependent on velocity. Anything over some threshold (I think it’s 80 or 90?) gets accented. Anything below does not.

Slides are based on slurs. If the previous note is released before the next one, no slide. If the next note is triggerd before the previous one is released, it will be a slide.

[jeroen020]

Thanks, that sounds workable. I currently use a TB-03 which I enjoy using, only downside is it doesn’t do pattern/program change. On the other hand it has accent control and CC with the T-8 doesn’t… A CC update for the T-8 to bring it on par with the S-1 would convince me to get the T-8 probably.

Any T-8 owners who have/had a TB-03 and can comment on how it compares in practice? I only found this comparison.

[growers]

@jemmons

Accents are dependent on velocity. Anything over some threshold (I think it’s 80 or 90?) gets accented. Anything below does not.

This is extremely helpful, thanks!

[jemmons]

@jeroen020

Any T-8 owners who have/had a TB-03 and can comment

@darenager commented on this above:

Roland AIRA Compact Series: T-8 beat, J-6 chord & E-4 voice

Hmm, well definitely different than TB-03 sound, and the sequencers are within the same note range, but something is different there for sure - playing the TB-03 midi into the T-8 results in some differences regarding slides. Also they are different in other ways to, too early for me to give a detailed analysis as I don’t have time at present, but I will study and compare further at some point. Spoiler: they both sound fine, both sound “acid” but different flavour. Also notable is that sending …

[m0ld]

This is really great stuff, well done! Just tipped me over the edge, I’ll be getting a T-8 in the very near future to go with my S-1.

[growers]

100 is the magic number for triggering accents.

Still hoping that Roland will add midi CC’s for the earlier compacts, inline with the S-1.

[x0x]

To send slides to the TB-03 you have to overlap the notes PLUS send a CC message. It’s quite tedious, especially if you want to move slides around after you’ve already programmed them in. I assume the T-8 doesn’t need the additional CC (as it doesn’t support CCs) but I’ve not tested it.

[PentalagusMusic]

Oh shoot, right on.

I don’t use T-8 as often as I thought I might because I just love the Syntakt for percussion, but sometimes I’ll sit with it on its own and have a great little acid time.

I don’t think I can praise the step jump feature on these and Volcas enough. Great performative feature that would be a welcome addition to Elektron sequencers.

The S-1 though, man. What a good little synth all around.
It’s just tiny, but I consider that a plus.

[fferri]

Can you modify a sequence on the J-6 while it is playing?

It seems to me that edit-step mode it is a hit and miss: it only picks the change while the sequencer is playing the current step, while it ignores what you are doing while it is playing other steps… not very convenient

[JustNoodling]

I have a 1010 Music Blackbox and I’m looking for a small, compact 303 synthesizer. I’m torn between the TB03 and the T8. My decision would depend on whether I can trigger the drum tracks of the Blackbox with the T8 pads. Does anyone have experience with this? It would result in a very compact setup with a sequencer for the Blackbox and a 303. That would be quite Nice.

[m0ld]

Just got a T-8 for the acid voice. It performs admirably at first pass, love the sound. Im not a 303 aficionado, but it gets close enough to my ears. The drums are fun but I don’t see myself using them as much - I bought it exclusively for the acid.

[sinedied]

I’m gassing for a T-8 for its simplicity, though the only thing that’s keeping me out for now it the fact that you can’t save any kit/presets with the patterns. Bummer.

Seeing what the S-1 can see with the 64 steps seq, p-locks, motion recordings, presets per pattern and midi CC, it would be great to see an update for the T-8 to match this though I won’t hold my breath.

What seems really strange with the whole AIRA mini range is that they almost got the i/o perfect, except for one thing: no built-in speaker?
Given the portability factor and that they include a battery, it would be more useful on the minis than on the Boutique line…

[MrJed]

@GovernorSilver

Digging this T-8 jam. Not me, as I plan to pick it up in the near future.

Thanks for sharing my jam and good to hear you liked it I’m still loving the T8!