The ZOOM ARQ Aero RhythmTrak AR-96 Is Growing Up With Custom Sample Support, Editable Arpeggiator & More

On the NAMM 2016, the ZOOM ARQ AR-96 caused a look because it was something completely new, which was not yet there. Unfortunately, this hype quickly fled since you had not heard of it for a long time and many noticed that the device is relatively limited in its sound.

In the meantime, the device is available from music specialist dealers and ZOOM announced today a major firmware 2.0 Update for the entire device. This update includes excellent new features like custom-sample import, editable arpeggiator and much more. Will we this device more under musicians? It will been seen in the coming months and years. Nonetheless, a good decision from ZOOM to enhance the features of this special instrument.

ARQ AR-96 Firmware Version 2.0 Update

When we released the ZOOM ARQ Aero RhythmTrak AR-96 in July 2016, we broke all tradition. With its loop-shaped design and innovative hand-held Ring Controller with touch PADs and interactive LEDs, ARQ ushered in an entirely new way to compose and perform electronic music.

Now, a year on, Zoom is ready to unveil the AR-96 Firmware V2.0 Update which brings a slew of improvements and added functions that make the ARQ experience even more enthralling. Here’s what the new firmware offers:

An overall re-styling of graphics and icons used on the AR-96’s main LCD offers a more intuitive user’s experience with the instrument
Images on LCD and actions from the Ring Controller are now seamlessly integrated providing a user-friendly approach to Pattern and Song making
Sound parameters can now be accessed instantly and edited on the fly through the ARQ’s enhanced onboard Knobs and Cursor buttons
In addition, you can expand the ARQ with your own original samples by importing WAV files into the internal synth engine’s OSCillator and edit them like a Sampler
A fully-editable Arpeggiator is now available and the Accelerometer functions are expanded for controlling the ring Controller’s sound parameters and effects
Integration with Mac/PC has been taken a step further with all parameters now assignable to MIDI Out (via USB-MIDI port) from the Base Station and Ring Controller. You can record your own electronic music from the ARQ directly into the bundled Ableton Live Lite software
Finally the AR-96 Editor is made available for viewing and accessing all functions through your Mac screen in the studio or on your laptop during live performance