Tech Reviews: New products (May 2022)

Roland AeroCaster, VRC-01

Price: £267

Roland's VRC-01 AeroCaster presents a highly cost-effective option for any teacher or group of students wanting to livestream a musical performance. As long as you have an iPad, four smartphones, a couple of microphones and access to a wireless network, you can livestream in high-quality audio and video using the four cameras of your smartphones to stream your video (wirelessly). The VRC-01 itself acts as an audio interface for your mics with the video mixer/switcher allowing you to transition between shots, utilise a range of other video effects (for example, picture in picture) among other features. The VRC-01 AeroCaster is a fraction of the cost of other multi-camera video mixers/switchers and, with its phantom-powered XLR microphone inputs, covers all angles on the audio side of things too.

proav.roland.com/global/products/aerocaster

Sontronics: Solo

Price: £99

Sontronics is a leading British manufacturer of microphones of all shapes and sizes. The Sontronics Solo is its award-winning hand-held dynamic microphone. I have just replaced our rehearsal studio microphones with this microphone, and I am really impressed. Sontronics claims that the high-output capsule ‘reproduces all the presence, depth and clarity of your performance while minimising feedback and distortion’. I can confirm that this is definitely the case. Importantly, the microphone is also incredibly well manufactured, with a robust case that will easily withstand the rigours of school life. Finally, Sontronics offers a lifetime warranty on all its microphones. I don't expect you to have any problems with this microphone, but it is good to know that the company stands squarely behind its products and are there to support you as required.

www.sontronics.com/solo

La La Lab: Pink Trombone

Price: Free

Pink Trombone is a free web resource that provides an interactive model of the human vocal tract. It allows users to synthesise the human voice from scratch, control the different components of a vocal tract, and listen to the resulting sounds and how they change in real time. This resource would have a great application for any students learning to sing or play a wind instrument. More generally, it could be used in lessons when you are thinking about vocal production and the range of sounds that the human voice can produce, such as beat-boxing or other vocal-based sound art.

imaginary.github.io/pink-trombone

Snark Clip-on All Instrument Tuner (rechargeable)

Price: £29.99

There are numerous digital tuners on the market, but Snark has a long history of producing quality products that are simple to use and last well in educational settings. Its latest offering is an all-instrument rechargeable digital tuner. This particular model can be recharged via any connected USB power source (computer, power-bank, and so on). With a fully chromatic pitch calibration between 415-466Hz, tuning response is extremely fast, all the way down to the lower regions of baritone or multi-strung bass guitars, where low notes and overtones can often confuse less responsive tuners. Its bright, colourful, easy-read, pin-sharp, high resolution LCD screen is clearly readable under all conditions.

www.jhs.co.uk/collections/new/products/snark-clip-onall-instrument-tunerrechargeable