Explore the inspirational world of wind instruments

Wind instruments can impart powerful emotions upon music, especially within the genres of classical, pop, rock, and jazz. The sound of the saxophone, for example, has captivated music lovers of all ages, and many people would love to play one – although it’s not always easy. For instance, there are many types of wind instrument so choosing one can be tough, especially when you like several of them. Noise levels make it difficult to practice at home, particularly at night. And staying motivated is hard when your practice time is limited or you can’t find a place to play. Roland’s Aerophone GO is a digital wind instrument that solves all these problems. First, there are 11 expressive instruments on board including a variety of sax sounds. You can play them anywhere, thanks to battery operation and a built-in speaker. And you can practice whenever you like, by connecting a set of headphones. Wirelessly connect your smartphone and you can access extra sounds, play along with your favorite songs or start an ensemble performance with up to six friends. If you’ve always wanted to play the saxophone (or flute, clarinet, and many more) Aerophone GO gives you everything you need to start…and keep on going.

Find an inspiring sound, think of your favorite tune, and start playing

With 11 instrument sounds onboard – including soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone sax – Aerophone GO lets you explore a multitude of musical genres. But even if sax is your preferred instrument, playing violin, clarinet, or even synth lead is great fun and hugely inspiring. Downloading the free Aerophone GO Plus app invites you to explore even further, adding 50 additional sounds and letting you customize the onboard settings to suit your personal style.

Play anytime, anywhere

Aerophone GO is highly portable, with four rechargeable NI-MH (AA) batteries that let you play anywhere. The built-in speaker delivers high-quality sound wherever you want to play, without needing external speakers and connections. And using headphones means you can play any time of the day or night without disturbing family or neighbors; just choose a sound, set the volume and start playing. Weighing 1 lb. 9 oz./695 g, Aerophone Go is a great travel partner too – and comes with a soft case for your musical adventures.

Smartphone apps make it quicker to learn your favorite song

As a standalone instrument, Aerophone GO offers inspiring sounds, portability and the option of playing with headphones. And when you use Bluetooth® to wirelessly connect with your smartphone, things become even more exciting. Aerophone GO Plus is a free app that lets you play along with favorite songs from your smartphone, offering several ways to learn specific songs including slowing the tempo of the playback song, or looping a section of the song so you can study it in detail. Using the app gives access to an additional 50 sounds, covering an even wider range of musical genres and you can even adjust various performance settings including the sensitivity of breath control and the bite sensor, as well as the customization of fingering type.

*Available for iOS and Android devices

Ensemble, assemble!

The Aerophone GO Ensemble app lets up to seven Aerophone GO players perform together wirelessly. Once connected to this free app, each group member can access 19 sounds on the smartphone, and each musician can choose a different sound. The sound from the group is mixed in the smartphone, and by connecting a small monitor speaker (such as the battery-powered Roland Cube Street EX) everyone can hear and react to the resulting ensemble – perfect for street performances, jam sessions or classroom learning.

*Available for iOS and Android devices

*11 onboard sounds on the Aerophone GO are not available when you use this app

Supports traditional sax fingering and authentic breath control

Aerophone GO is a great choice for anyone learning a wind instrument, but it’s also compatible with traditional sax and recorder fingering, so experienced players can use familiar playing techniques. A sensitive mouthpiece-mounted breath sensor also functions as a bite sensor, supporting expressive techniques like vibrato and pitch. Beginners can enjoy playing the onboard sounds right away, while more experienced performers will appreciate that they can play Aerophone GO without having to learn a new fingering system or adapt their existing technique.

Get to grips with note transposition

If you want to play the saxophone, understanding transposition is essential. The sax is a transposing instrument, which means that the key in which you play sounds different to what’s written on the music score. For example, if a guitarist, pianist and a saxophonist are jamming in the key of C, the sax will be playing the key of A for an alto sax, or D for a tenor sax. The Aerophone GO’s Transpose function makes it easier to transpose between what you’re reading, what you’re playing and what you’re hearing.