Roland Lucina AX-09 shoulder synth: take your Rock Band fantasies to the next level
The Rock Band 3 keytar may have got some attention, but if you really want to be taken seriously you need to head over to Roland and check out their Lucina AX-09 shoulder synthesizer. Packing 37 keys and 150 preloaded sounds – ranging from synth leads through to classical string instruments – the AX-09 also has a USB Host port that allows you to load WAV or MP3 audio files and play along on the fly.
Alternatively there's a regular aux-input for piping through an iPod or other MP3 player, a Modulation Bar and Touch control – along with an invisible d-beam – for adding real-time effects, and USB MIDI support for hooking the Lucina up as a controller to your computer. Eight AA batteries are good for around four hours of playback.
The keyboard is velocity sensitive and there's 128-note polyphony. Of course, spangly music tech like this seldom comes cheap, and the Roland Lucina AX-09 is priced at $699 for the pearl white and $799 for the black sparkle versions.
Press Release:
ROLAND SHIPS LUCINA AX-09 SHOULDER SYNTHESIZERUltra-light Synth With Intuitive User Interface, Wide Range of Sounds
Los Angeles, CA, June 14, 2010 — Roland is proud to announce that the Lucina AX-09 (www.RolandUS.com/Lucina) is now shipping. This compact and affordable shoulder synthesizer is designed to fit all musicians — even kids. Featuring an intuitive user interface, Lucina packs a heavyweight musical punch with its stellar sounds and expressive controls.
With a stylish body and 37 keys, the Lucina AX-09 is compact, lightweight, and loaded with 150 high-quality sounds that cover a wide stylistic range, from synth leads to solo violin. It can be played in either a standing position using a shoulder strap or in a traditional horizontal tabletop orientation. Find the perfect sound quickly with the Category buttons, and press the Preview button to hear the currently selected sound with a pre-programmed riff. Assign your top 12 sounds to the Favorites bank for instant, one-button recall. Volume, reverb, and patch edits can be stored with each Favorite.
A USB host port allows users to play WAV and MP3 music files directly from a USB flash drive, making it easy to jam along with their favorite songs. Audio from an external MP3 or iPod® music player can be played by connecting the device to the EXT jack.
Designed for mobile operation, the Lucina AX-09 runs for up to four hours on eight NiMH AA batteries. To get up and running, a tutorial DVD and quick guide is included.
The Lucina AX-09 is now shipping in both pearl white and black sparkle, with suggested retail prices of $699.00 and $799.00, respectively.