Roli is no stranger to quirky instruments. After all, it was a pioneer. But the company’s latest tool may be its strangest. Roli Airwave is a product that can also be used as a digital theremin. Yes, it’s the same high-pitched theremin that appeared on hit records like: and
The Airwave is basically a tall stand with a camera on top. This camera points downward to track the player’s finger movements on a connected MIDI keyboard. Movements are tracked in real time and transmitted to the tablet, which provides visual representations to teach users how to play the song correctly and correct mistakes. It will even try to correct bad playing posture.
Airwave uses machine intelligence and computer vision to track players’ hands and provide advice on where those hands should be placed. The system includes some machine learning as it analyzes live video to find the correct training method.
The affiliate app also integrates with ChatGPT to enable natural language queries. For example, users can ask related questions about the song they are learning or general questions about music theory. Similar to how a player’s hands work during a piano tutorial, these questions can be asked by voice rather than typed on a virtual keyboard. It’s not better than communicating with a real piano teacher, but it’s probably easier than trying to find a needle in a YouTube video haystack.
“Essentially, 100% of the time you practice, you will now be practicing correctly,” says Roland Lamb, CEO of Roli. . “So you’ll develop good habits over time.”
Airwave isn’t just for students. The device is also marketed as a means for experimental music production. It has five inputs that adjust various parameters through hand movements. This means that a player can use one to radically change the sound of the instrument being played.
“By simply raising a hand, creators can transform the piano into a full orchestra just as a conductor would, or by tilting the wrist, they can transform sweet synth pads into powerful leads,” Roli wrote in a press release.
Now let’s look at some precautions. There are a few things: This is undoubtedly a cool technology. However, there are significant barriers to entry. For starters, the Airwave itself will cost $300 when it launches in February. The device cannot be used alone. Alternatively, you will need an existing Roli keyboard such as (now called Piano M). Additionally, users will be required to bring their own tablet to access the educational tools. There are apps for both Android and Apple devices, but only the latest iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab models are supported.
Lastly, budding piano players will also have to pay $15 per month to access the Roli Learn music education subscription service. If money is no object, this seems like a fairly new way to learn piano.
Roli says Airwave is just the first release of its so-called Music Intelligence (MI) platform. “The Roli MI platform will be the foundation of our future intelligent product roadmap, starting with Airwave,” the company said. Airwave is available for pre-order now.
