ROLANDAIRA Compact J-6 CHORD SYNTH | Portable song creation machine with professional Roland sound and features | JUNO-60 Synth Engine & Presets | Chord Sequencer | Effects,Black

The Roland AIRA Compact J6 Chord Synth is a little box of magic for anyone who loves crafting synth sounds without needing a full-sized keyboard (but you CAN connect one via MIDI if you want to of course). It takes the power of Roland’s legendary synths and squeezes it into something you can toss in a backpack.Right out of the box, though small, it feels solid. Small but not flimsy, with buttons that have a satisfying click and a layout that makes sense even if you are just messing around for the first time. The built-in chord sequencer is where this thing really shines. You do not have to be a theory expert to create lush, evolving progressions. Just pick a key, choose a chord type, and let the J6 do its thing.Sound-wise, it delivers a classic Roland warmth and depth. The Juno-inspired synth engine brings fat basses, dreamy pads, and plucky leads that sit beautifully in a mix. It is not just about playing chords either. You can tweak filters, modulation, and effects to sculpt your sound and add movement. There is even a built-in arpeggiator that adds instant groove to anything you play.The battery life is decent, and it plays well with other gear thanks to MIDI and sync options. Whether you are jamming on the go, laying down ideas in a DAW (as I often do), or integrating it into a live setup, it fits in effortlessly. If there is a downside, it is that the small interface can feel a little cramped when making deeper edits, but I suppose that is to be expected with a compact unit like this.Overall, the J6 is a fun and inspiring little synth that packs a serious punch. Whether you are a beginner looking for an easy way into synthesis or a pro wanting a tiny portable tool for quick ideas, this one is a winner.

I love this J6 from Roland. It is so portable you can literally be creative anywhere with a set of headphones and a good 3-4 hour internal battery life. The controls are very easy to use and work out before reading the instructions. For somebody who isn't very musically talented this device makes me sound like a music legend. So easy to create chord progressions with plenty of space to save your own progression. There are some useful chord progressions already programmed in which really get your creativity going. Switch of the chords function and you have a keyboard to create a tune. The arpegiator and its vast range of styles only adds another creative twist. What I really love is that I can plug it into my computer and the functionality of the J6 transfers straight to your DAW though MIDI so any sample can be used with this devices functionality. Even better, it will also work as an audio input so you can use the built in sounds along with all the adjustable to put some legendary sounds into your production. Love it!

Brilliant little device, and works perfectly for what it is. But don't expect to go anywhere with it. On its own, or paired with the Aira Compacts, it's awesome. But once you connect to a DAW and realise MIDI controls are hampered (no CC support), you realise it is exactly what it was intended for; portable music ONLY. Other than that, for a Juno in a box, it's amazing.

Extremely fun, better than I expected for the price. Easy and quick to get creative which is what I wanted.Wouldn't replace a decent laptop and waves tune live or melodyne etc as (obviously) you can do finer parameters adjustments, but as a sceptical buyer this has exceeded my expectations.Spent the first hour recreating a live version of burial archangel vocal edit with pitch shifting reverb and auto tune. Outstanding haha.Next attempt is midi keyboard input for beastie boys intergalactic vocoder (of which is a standard I haven't been able to emulate the clarity on with other vocoders, this however got so close in 5 mins I know that if I sit down with it longer it can be done.) Great little piece of kit.

Good, slightly tweakable Roland drum sounds, but sadly not that many. Just 606 type sounds with additional clap. 303 acid bass sounds as you would expect. Has decent effects, but no song mode. Maximum 32 step sequences. Knobs are a bit fiddly, but Thonk sell trimmer toppers that can make them a bit taller and fatter. Some functions require menu diving. Side chain compression and effects don’t work on external audio in, unfortunately. It is rechargeable so it doesn’t eat batteries. A bit expensive at original price but good value now at around £150.

Fun to play with but it is just a gimmick and doesn’t negate the need for an autotune plugin if you’re as bad a singing in tune as I am.

Part of Roland's range of mini synths, the J-6 is primarily a 64 step sequencer capable of single note and chord sequences. Comes with 64 built in synth sound pre-sets, small LED display screen, 64 programmable patterns (inc. some demo patterns). The sound can be tweaked with filters, delay and reverb.Power comes from the built-in Lithium rechargeable battery or through the USB port (charging/data lead is included).Can easily be linked to the other Aira compacts in the range (T-8 drum machine, E-4 voice tweaker and S-1 synth) via 3.5mm TRS MIDI sockets, or to a computer (works with Ableton Live etc). The unit also has an extensive pre-programmed set of chords as well as style and variation settings that can be used in your sequences.Note: Headphones/ear buds or an amp is required to hear any sounds and the full manual has to be downloaded from the Roland Website (highly advisable).I think this little synth is great fun, either solo or when used with other Aira compact units and it is small enough to be taken anywhere.

I'm still getting to grips with it, but for a tiny synth it packs a lot of punch, & the chords/arpeggios are amazing.