Sanjay C Goes Galactic: ROLI Airwave & Piano Unleashed

21. November 2025

SPARKY

Sanjay C Goes Galactic: ROLI Airwave & Piano Unleashed

Dive into Sanjay C’s exploration of ROLI’s futuristic Airwave and Piano setup. Harnessing the power of the air for musical expression, this is innovation at its finest. Forget mod wheels; welcome to the world of hand gestures and infrared magic. Perfect for those ready to push the boundaries of performance.

The Futuristic Rave Bunker: ROLI's Airwave and Piano

Enter the musical future with ROLI’s groundbreaking new duo: the Airwave and Piano. If you thought stage performances were getting a bit samey, Sanjay C’s latest video presents a refreshing deviation from the norm. The duo acts like a curious blend of ethereal and electronic, giving musicians the power to play not just notes, but also the air around them. The Airwave perches like a technological deity above the Piano, capturing every hand wave and movement to transform them into sonic actions. It’s the kind of setup that’s as visually impressive as it is functionally ingenious. Sanjay wastes no time in showcasing these instruments’ flair, immediately drawing us into a world where music and motion blur seamlessly. Let’s face it, music control has just been redefined.

Together they turn movement, touch, and space itself into music.

© Screenshot/Quote: Sanjayc (YouTube)

Infrared Magic: Hand Gestures in MIDI Control

The wizardry behind the Airwave’s gesture control isn’t just for show – it operates using ultra-precise infrared cameras that track your hands with a 90 frames per second frenzy. It’s the reality of tech meeting creativity with an unprecedented level of synchrony. Sanjay C dives into this aspect with a palpable enthusiasm, breaking down how these cameras detect hand joints to translate gestures into crisp MIDI data in real-time. Picture this: a tiny rave bunker packed into a device that doesn’t require you to hammer on keys – you simply wave your hands, and voilà, your synth’s soundscape dances under your command. It’s all about freeing musicians from the confines of traditional control methods, allowing them to explore a realm where touch and modulation can happen simultaneously. When he mentioned mapping this to any standard MIDI keyboard, we couldn’t help thinking – what’s next? A toaster that makes beats? Truly, this is tech’s invitation for sonic experimentation.


Mastering Gestures: The Air Tricks Up Its Sleeve

Ever tried air rising at a gig? Probably not, but thanks to ROLI, it’s now on your performance tool belt. The Airwave introduces a suite of hand gestures like ‘air rise’, ‘air tilt’, and ‘air glide’, each offering a tactile solution to electronic sound crafting. It’s these gestures that promise a leap in how we experience music-making. Sanjay shows us the ropes on these gestures, demonstrating how an air rise brings dynamic swells, while an air tilt can seamlessly sweep filters. The precision of these movements speaks to the device’s robust design, yet it retains enough flexibility to make every performance feel personal. The best part? These gestures make you look like a sonic mime at a cosmic circus – truly a spectacle for live shows. It’s not just about pressing play; with the Airwave, it’s about engaging with your music on a different plane.


Fusing with the Big Guns: Airwave Meets Serum and Omnisphere

The airwave comes with special software, airwave player, which has presets that are pre-mapped to the different gestures.

© Screenshot/Quote: Sanjayc (YouTube)

When Sanjay C hooks the Airwave to some of the industry’s finest virtual instruments like Serum and Omnisphere, you realise just how versatile this piece of kit is. The Airwave doesn’t just play nicely within the ROLI ecosystem but stretches its potential across the entire DAW universe. Imagine modulating your favourite patch in Serum with just a flick of your wrist or adding an atmospheric shimmer effect in Omnisphere by merely raising your hand. Sanjay walks us through the setup, mapping gestures and showing how they bring his DAW projects to life. This segment of the video underscores the Airwave’s compatibility and the boundless creative doors it opens for producers. There’s an undeniable excitement in executing sound manipulations with such natural and intuitive control, blurring the lines between performing and producing. It’s less about wrestling complex setups and more about painting with broad, expressive strokes of sound. Blimey, it feels like conducting an orchestra of electrons.

Back to Basics: The ROLI Piano's Subtle Might

Also in Sanjay’s spotlight is the ROLI Piano, and don’t be fooled by its understated presence. With its semi-weighted keys, pristine aftertouch, and full-scale MPE capabilities, this instrument is a gentle giant among its peers. Sanjay gives us a feel of how the Piano operates, showcasing its fluid Bluetooth connectivity – a feature that’s key if you’re dodging latency like it’s a punch at a synth-infused brawl. Beyond just a mere controller, it’s a serious contender for those dipping their toes into MPE tech. The backlit keys aren’t just for show; they guide learners and provide a vibrant display during play, making the Piano a self-teaching trainer without pressure or stress. As the Airwave steals the limelight with gestures, the Piano grounds the user with a reliable, familiar touch. For those accustomed to the traditional keyboard feel, transitioning into expressive tech doesn’t have to be daunting.

Because for many people this may be the best way to get into MPE playing.

© Screenshot/Quote: Sanjayc (YouTube)

Learning the Future: ROLI's Pathway for Beginners

Not forgetting the budding musicians, the setup incorporates ROLI Learn – an educational app tailored to take learners from clueless to composers. Sanjay touches briefly on how this app, with its light-guided keys and feedback capabilities, makes learning intuitive. The Airwave even steps in as an iPad stand and rhythm coach, providing feedback on posture and timing. While nothing replaces a trained tutor, the system offers a stellar way to start your musical journey. It’s a tool that teaches without preaching, a digital mentor for the self-motivated. ROLI’s approach encourages exploration and improvement at your own speed, gently nudging you towards proficiency. So, whether you’re orchestrating a space-age opera or simply seeking a new way to jam, there’s a place for the Airwave and Piano in both education and entertainment.


The Verdict: ROLI's Paradigm Shift

The airwave is not a gimmick at all. It's a performance instrument.

© Screenshot/Quote: Sanjayc (YouTube)

Sanjay C tops off his deep dive with a nod to ROLI’s impressive innovation, a declaration that the Airwave and Piano aren’t mere novelties but genuine musical instruments poised for performance. The Airwave’s ability to transform stage dynamics, paired with the Piano’s tangible playability, marks a significant leap in expressive technology. Sanjay prompts viewers to consider if this gear is headed to the studio or the stage, yet one thing’s for sure – they redefine how sound is sculpted and experienced. With its pairs of eyes (those infrared sensors) and ears (MIDI and MPE abilities), the Airwave is an artist’s silent collaborator, while the Piano serves as a bridge from traditional to futuristic music-making. Together, they represent not just tools, but steps towards a sound revolution.

This article is also available in German. Read it here: https://synthmagazin.at/sanjay-c-geht-galaktisch-roli-airwave-piano-entfesselt/