Making the buzz go away

Jass muso Herbie Hancock points to an electric keyboard, the
mechanics of which will help make electric cars sound like cars.

MAKERS of electronic keyboards Roland has announced an agreement to co-develop driving sounds for the ZZ, a two-seater electric sports car built by Japan’s electric car specialists, Green Lord Motors (GLM).

GLM’s website states its 850-kg ZZ does 0 to 100 km km/h in under 5 seconds. Prices start at around £51,000 and the car is not on sale in SA.

Under the agreement with Roland, the ZZ gets driving sound that will modulate with the input from
the brakes or accelerator, using Roland’s renowned SuperNatural synthesiser technology.

Roland include Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Page, George Duke as the world’s most talented musicians who rely on its synthesisers to create music.

The ZZ, by Japanese electric car builder Green Lord Motors.

For GLM, Roland will not create music, instead Roland said in a statement its technology will be used “to create ingenious neo-futuristic sounds that will give sports car enthusiasts the experience of driving a space ship on the road”.

Roland’s SuperNatural synthesiser technology recreates acoustic sounds on digitally based on the length of a key-press or blown note. Roland said it can use the system to create the best driving sounds possible in the electric sports car. The ZZ is only produced in very limited numbers and isn’t available in Europe and the U.S. Japanese sales started last year.