Roland's Wireless Connect lets your iPhone and electronic instruments play nice sans cords
As if there weren't already enough devices out there for connecting musical instruments to iDevices, Roland's unveiled its latest entrant to the fray over at this year's Musikmesse. Combining a duo of iOS apps and a Netgear-sourced USB dongle, the company's created what's dubbed as the Wireless Connect system. Essentially, by plugging the USB stick into a select number of the company's electronic instruments, you'll be able to jam out using your iDevice as a cord-free aid. With its updated app version of V-Drums Friend Jam, drummers can work on their chops and share the results over the web (alternatively, the current computer variant requires a wired connection). Additionally, the Air Recorder app allows you to hook up with its Synths and V-Accordions to record your playing, jam along with songs from your iPhone or both at the same time. Notably, you likely won't get much use out of Wireless Connect at your next gig, though, as it requires a LAN connection with access to the internet for full functionality. While there's not word on a pricing just yet, Roland plans to have the system on store shelves by the end of spring. Interested musicians can glance at the press release and instrument compatibility details planted just past the break.
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ROLAND WIRELESS CONNECT DEBUTS
Los Angeles, CA, March 21, 2012 - Roland is pleased to introduce Roland Wireless Connect, a new system that allows electronic musical instruments to communicate with the iPhone®. Consisting of a wireless USB adapter and two new iOS apps, Roland Wireless Connect makes it easy for Roland users to enjoy their instruments with the popular mobile devices from Apple®.
With the Air Recorder app, audio can be recorded from a Roland synthesizer or V-Accordion® directly into the iPhone. Songs can be played from the iPhone and sent to the instrument, where users can jam along and record the result back in Air Recorder.
V-Drums® Friend Jam for iPhone is an iOS version of V-Drums® Friend Jam, the popular social practice tool for drummers. While the Mac/Windows version of V-Drums Friend Jam requires a USB or MIDI connection from a V-Drums sound module to a computer, Roland Wireless Connect provides a direct, convenient connection from the module to the iPhone. The app allows V-Drums users across the globe to interact with each other while improving their drumming skills with play-along audio songs and practice evaluation features.
The hardware portion of Roland Wireless Connect is a simple, compact wireless USB adapter WNA1100-RL (manufactured by NETGEAR® and distributed by Roland) that plugs into the USB port on a Roland instrument. In order for the mobile device to communicate with compatible musical instruments, you need a wireless LAN access point with internet connection.
Compatible instruments (with firmware update) include:
Synthesizers
JUNO-Di / JUNO-Gi / JUPITER-80 / JUPITER-50 / Lucina® AX-09
V-Drums Sound Modules
TD-30 / TD-15 / TD-11
V-Accordions
FR-7x / FR-3x / FR-1x
Roland Wireless Connect, Air Recorder, and V-Drums Friend Jam for iPhone will be available in late spring. For more information, visit www.RolandConnect.com.
