Add Roli Blocks to Seaboard Block to create musical masterpieces
Last week we touched upon Roli and the different Seaboards the company offers, among them being the Seaboard Block as well. As a modular keyboard with a pressure-responsive musical surface, it allows the creation of highly expressive music with hundreds of sounds available. But, what makes Seaboard Block so different from other Seaboards is the add-on Roli Blocks that add even more functions to the original device itself allowing the unlimited creation of sounds, and here is what they are.
The Blocks
Lightpad Block M
As MIDI pad controller, Lightpad Block can work on its own or in combination with the Seaboard Block or any of the other Blocks. Even though it is compact to fit in a pocket, it delivers sounds with precision while the surface lights up with high-definition colors at every touch of the surface.
The smooth illuminated surface is made out of soft silicon that responds to touch and, based on the move across the surface, reproduces over hundreds of sounds. The surface uses Five Dimensions of Touch (5D) and takes each touch of the surface from striking and sliding to pressing and lifting of fingers one step closer to a music piece.
Lightpad Block M comes with desktop software Equator Player, Cypher2 Player, Strobe2 Player and Tracktion Waveform 8. The two apps, Roli PLAY for the beginners or NOISE app can be a good addition as well. The device wirelessly connects to other devices, or by magnetic connectors to other Seaboards and Blocks.
The price of the Lightpad Block M is around $250.
Live Block
This is the Block module that affects the speed of performance making it much faster to control the switching between scales and octaves, sustaining desirable notes and triggering arpeggios or chords. Usually, all of these controls are available through Noise, Roli’s app for iOS, but Live Block requires much less time and can tune your performance at the spot in the moment.
The block itself connects by click to Seaboard Block using a magnet and can also connect to Lightpad Block. Live Block offers button control over volume, scale, chord, arp and octaves. In addition to this, it has a separate button for sustaining a note and bookmark button to save artists favorite sounds and then switch between them.
Loop Block
Loops are often necessary for a music piece and Loop Block is the one that helps speed up the music production process by making it more convenient to manage the loops. This module will allow you to do it at the spot without the Roli’s Noise app and record and play loops wherever you set up your device.
Same as Live Block and other Roli Blocks, Loop Block clicks to Seaboard Block or Lightpad Block M using a magnetic connector. The eight buttons bring a variety of controls to your Seaboard, among them being options of setting the tempo with Click, using Snap button to Quantize recorded loops but also recording new loops and then manage them as well as volume and playback.
Touch Block
This module is intended for expression control rather than production control like the previous two. Touch Block allows control over what effect each touch can create by adjusting the responsiveness of the Seaboard.
Like the previous two Blocks, Touch Block also connects by a magnet to Seaboard Block and Lightpad Block M, but they can all connect wirelessly amongst each other. The 8 buttons help adjust the responsiveness of surfaces to striking movements, side-to-side and up-and-down movements, continuous pressure applied to the surface and lifting of fingers. There is a Piano Mode that turns off all touch responses, allowing the Seaboards to act as a piano.
The Seaboard Block itself is $375 and is able to connect to up to 4 Roli Blocks at the same time. The original Blocks are sold for around $115 including the Live, Loop and Touch Blocks, while the Lightpad Block M is priced at $250.
Roli Blocks Kits
Beatmaker Kit
As the name says, Beatmaker Kit is intended to improve the creation of expressive beats. It consists out of Lightpad Block M surface that allows production of sound and the Loop Block that is intended to improve the loop production.
In combination with desktop app Melodics, Beatmaker Kit can assist learning beat-making techniques starting from the very basics and improving to more complex patterns. With the kit, you are given a 6-month subscription and hundreds of lessons to explore. Furthermore, you get a custom version of Ableton Live Lite, a music production software to work on the final music piece.
Songmaker Kit
With The Songmaker Kit, a track can be produced at any time, anywhere as it contains all necessary elements a composer might need, including the Seaboard Block, Lightpad Block M and the Loop block. As it includes two different touch-responsive playing surfaces, keywave surface with 24 keywaves and illuminated expressive one, together with additional production control, there are many options when creating a piece.
The Blocks included can be separated or built up further on with additional Blocks. They come with a software bundle that includes Equator Player, Ableton Live Lite, Strobe2 Player and Tracktion Waveform that provide even more control over music production.
Songmaker Kit and Beatmaker Kit are priced around $680 and $320 respectively.
Accessories
Roli also created protective cases in different sizes that snap on, cover and protect the Roli Blocks, further making them safer during transport. Snapcase Solo is designed for Lightpad Block M while Snapcase Duo can hold either two Lightpad Blocks or one Lightpad Block and any two blocks from Live, Loop, and Touch. The prices are around $57 and $68 respectively. There is also a Snapcase ⅜ which fits a Seaboard Block together with one Lightpad Block and one Block from Live, Loop and Touch Blocks, perfect for a personalized modular set. It is priced around $80.
Read also: Create expressive music on the go with Roli Seaboards
