The Roland Aira series are fun little portable devices that work on battery power. See the Dawless review of the Roland T-8 and Roland J-6. But because they are so small the controls can be awkward to use. The ease of use is further hampered by the cryptic 4 digit LED display and Shift combos to select some of the functions. Previously we looked into using external midi controls to help using the S-1 and T-8. But what I also found was some neat little trim toppers than can go over the pots to make them a bit easier to turn, also they have little white lines to show where they are set. Also I racked up the two synths together with some side panels from Etsy, and now it can sit on a table or on your lap on the sofa and is a bit more comfortable to use, with the drums, and bass from the T-8 and leads, chords or arps from the S-1 it makes a nice little combo. Throw in a USB-C power bank to keep those jams running.
Gear mentioned in this article available on Amazon:
– See the Roland Roland T-8 on Amazon
– See the Roland S-1 on Amazon
and the trim pot covers are from Thonk
I participate in affiliate link programs, which may earn me a small commission if you purchase something at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support!