Roland update AIRA Series to firmware 1.10

If you're a proud owner of any or all of Roland's AIRA Series of boxes, you'll want to head over to the website and download the spanking new v1.10 firmware for it/them posthaste.

Perhaps most significantly, AIRA 1.10 brings the first model for the eagerly awaited PLUG-OUT system to the SYSTEM-1 synth in the shape of a 1:1 emulation of the legendary Roland SH-101. In a nutshell, this comprises a VST/AU plugin version of said classic synth that, as well as running in your software DAW, can be loaded into the SYSTEM-1 itself, which can then be disconnected from your computer and used entirely standalone, switching between SYSTEM-1 and SH-101 modes at the touch of a button.

Hard 8

The TR-8 drum machine, meanwhile, sees the addition of per-instrument gain adjustment, improved roll functionality, pattern lock, automatic disengage of Scatter after one cycle and MIDI control of effects.

The TB-3 synth has had its range expanded to cover notes C0-C6, and been blessed with the ability to record pattens in real time from external MIDI devices and assign specific tones to patterns, so that switching to a pattern also switches to its associated tone.

Finally, the VT-3 vocal processor has had the wilder side of its sound brought under control with the introduction of noise gating and a reduction in low frequency sensing, and been made more useful with external MIDI pitch control.

As well as those unit-specific improvements, all of the AIRAs can now back up and restore patches, kits, presets and patterns to USB.

Obviously, the PLUG-OUT feature is the really big story here, but all four updates look to make a fine fist of addressing many of the complaints that users of the innovative AIRA range have been voicing since its release earlier this year - nice work, Roland.