Roli Seaboard RISE

[Noumena]

I find the RISE most useful for chordal playing. I set pressure to control volume, gaining per-note continuous control that way -- I can play a thick chord of Spitfire Audio string samples and fade in and out with each finger controlling one instrument. I was a woodwind player for many years and this kind of smooth continuous control of gain is central to the technique on those instruments... being able to do it polyphonically allows me to perform ensemble pieces (rather than drawing the crescendos in automation after recording each part one by one.) And this technique translates perfectly to synth voices as well -- although I will say that most of the mpe compatible synths make full control over volume by pressure difficult to implement as they are oriented towards piano like playing and have hard coded the VCA envelope into the end of the signal chain.

So playing with pressure as volume and then toning down the poly pitchbend to 2-5 steps instead of 48 gives me the ability to play delicate chords rising from silence and then by subtly wiggling my fingers independent of each other I can get a very organic ensemble vibrato, which sounds especially wonderful with a slow, woodwind like modulation.

This being the starting point, and a strong one, I've been working with Kontakt, Hive 2 and the Bitwig Grid and built ins to go farther -- there is so much to explore. But, again, I'd take another look (and maybe a string or a woodwind section conductor's look) at what you can do with these instruments and chords.

And if you have a RISE and Kontakt, really do take a look at Slate and Ash's AURAS. What an amazing sample library for mpe...

[bobsled]

re: Slate and Ash's AURAS

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... d452cv0ZhH

That really does look like a lot of fun.

[Mats Eriksson]

I like the chordal playing, on Rise, Haken, because one of the options (just one) is just when playing chords one can do a pitch bend within the chord with minimal movement. Thus, you can set pitch to waver within a few cents, and don't have to rely on the too stretched and too sharp majord third of a - say - C major chord. One can play with symphonic instruments intonation, and when switching to minor chord you're back to the "normal" (mind quotes) intonation so that third will be ok still. However, when playing piano patches you have to stick with equal temperament, where certain notes just have to be a little bit too stretched, and causes that small irritating "modulation" when held together with other notes relatively. I do like this very much, if not the most, when playing the Roli and such instruments.

[Echoes in the Attic]

That’s sorta where I’m at right now... I’m trying to find the best way to use Roli Seaboard Blocks (x2 Songmaker kits) with Kontakt. I’ve only had these since Wednesday.

You've seen this page, right?

https://rolisupport.freshdesk.com/suppo ... akt-blocks

Yes, but likewise I want a better way

Start pestering NI about adding MPE support on their forums. I was pretty amazed when their “flagship and groundbreaking” Massive X didn’t have it. (Serum does!)

I’d say that if NI partnered with Roli, it would be a great thing for us and MPE as a standard. Put MPE in all their Komplete synths and do an offer where if you buy Komplete, you get a discount on a Rise/Blocks, or if you buy a Roli instrument, you get a discount on Komplete.

One of MPE’s “issues” is that there are too many kids who think the penultimate controller is something like an MPC (Maschine) or TR. Why f with manual methods of expression when you can just draw them in on your DAW? You need to make some hot demo videos, like those of Tim Exile, with someone using Maschine X and a Rise 49/Blocks setup. Reaktor Blocks meets Roli Blocks. Roli has some work do to as well, for instance, making a way for pressure sensitivity curves to happen at the controller app level and not inside the instrument plugin. (A big problem, IMO)

Just FYI - penultimate means second last.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Well I just ordered myself a used Roli seaboard rise 49. Now I’ll be able to really compare to the linnstrument as I own the 128. I came to the realization that I could’nt really chose one since they were too different and both have significant advantages. My only concern is maintaining the connectivity (via usb) since my Roli lightpad Block seems to lose connection sometimes. Linnstrument never has this problem. Maybe because I have quite a few usb controllers going through my hubs, not sure. Fingers crossed. Anyone have connectivity issues on windows over usb?

[BONES]

No. I've got the Songmaker Kit, so my Lightpad Block is connected through the Seaboard Block, but both work as expected and with 100% reliability.

[Mats Eriksson]

My only concern is maintaining the connectivity (via usb) since my Roli lightpad Block seems to lose connection sometimes.

Even you, Brutus...Yes my connectivity lost sometimes not all. But every once in a while the controllers and faders on the keyboard got stuck, and didn't respond to changes through USB regardless of synth engine. Had to reboot ever so often.

I feel that while the hardware of the Roli is top notch, the software, as it is with most software synths, drivers, firmware a never-finishing job. They find new irks, quirks and gnarls to iron out, and then introduces new ones. Has always been this with any such instruments, or computer.

[Echoes in the Attic]

My Rise 49 arrived yesterday and I'm loving it! I bought it used in Canada on ebay for the equivalent of about 950 usd with hardly any shipping charges. And it was in brand new condition (apparently the seller had only played it for a couple hours). And to top it off he gave me Cypher2 with it, which wasn't even advertised, what a nice bonus!

I like it so much more than the Seaboard block, which I had for about a month last year and then sold it. The key areas were just too small, but the Rise is the right size. I played a rise in a store once and felt that the slide up wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped but it feels perfect on this unit. Maybe my hands were sticky that day who knows. Overall I'm very impressed by how well the pitch slides track across the keys and how responsive the expressions are. Feels great. The only issue I could see is getting some kind of ergonomic strain issue playing this too much as it can make your wrist a bit sore after a while if you're contorting your hand in weird ways to make crazy expressions. A whole lot of fun though and so very different to the Linnstrument that it's definitely worth having both. I think I enjoy playing this more than the linnstrument but the linnstrument has some great things going for it that I don't think I'd want to get rid of it.

Oh and thankfully I have not had the connection lost at all yet! Maybe because I haven't had all my controllers on at once, we shall see... edit: So far so good with all controllers going.

[elxsound]

My only concern is maintaining the connectivity (via usb) since my Roli lightpad Block seems to lose connection sometimes.

Even you, Brutus...Yes my connectivity lost sometimes not all. But every once in a while the controllers and faders on the keyboard got stuck, and didn't respond to changes through USB regardless of synth engine. Had to reboot ever so often.

I feel that while the hardware of the Roli is top notch, the software, as it is with most software synths, drivers, firmware a never-finishing job. They find new irks, quirks and gnarls to iron out, and then introduces new ones. Has always been this with any such instruments, or computer.

You know, it might not be the software....

I have 3 lightpads (all M). one of them has a connectivity issue, but the other two are fine.

Two are from separate Songmaker Kits, and the 3rd was bought separately. The one that sometimes loses connection, came with the Songmaker kit.

I'm gonna have to explore some more, but I'm starting to think it has has something to do with the way it was manufactured.

I'm already sending one of the Seaboard blocks back because the silicon key cover peeled off on one side. It started as just a bubble on top, but as it was used more, it eventually lifted the glue off. I still love the size of the these things, but I'm noticing quicks/difference in quality between them.

[Echoes in the Attic]

My only concern is maintaining the connectivity (via usb) since my Roli lightpad Block seems to lose connection sometimes.

Even you, Brutus...Yes my connectivity lost sometimes not all. But every once in a while the controllers and faders on the keyboard got stuck, and didn't respond to changes through USB regardless of synth engine. Had to reboot ever so often.

I feel that while the hardware of the Roli is top notch, the software, as it is with most software synths, drivers, firmware a never-finishing job. They find new irks, quirks and gnarls to iron out, and then introduces new ones. Has always been this with any such instruments, or computer.

You know, it might not be the software....

I have 3 lightpads (all M). one of them has a connectivity issue, but the other two are fine.

Two are from separate Songmaker Kits, and the 3rd was bought separately. The one that sometimes loses connection, came with the Songmaker kit.

I'm gonna have to explore some more, but I'm starting to think it has has something to do with the way it was manufactured.

I'm already sending one of the Seaboard blocks back because the silicon key cover peeled off on one side. It started as just a bubble on top, but as it was used more, it eventually lifted the glue off. I still love the size of the these things, but I'm noticing quicks/difference in quality between them.

Good point. I've heard a few stories of people having defects with their Roli hardware and having to send them back for service or a new one. Maybe it's the nature of the squishy sensors but you wouldn't think that should affect connectivity. Maybe they had some quality issues.

[Echoes in the Attic]

My Rise 49 arrived yesterday and I'm loving it! I bought it used in Canada on ebay for the equivalent of about 950 usd with hardly any shipping charges. And it was in brand new condition (apparently the seller had only played it for a couple hours). And to top it off he gave me Cypher2 with it, which wasn't even advertised, what a nice bonus!

I like it so much more than the Seaboard block, which I had for about a month last year and then sold it. The key areas were just too small, but the Rise is the right size. I played a rise in a store once and felt that the slide up wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped but it feels perfect on this unit. Maybe my hands were sticky that day who knows. Overall I'm very impressed by how well the pitch slides track across the keys and how responsive the expressions are. Feels great. The only issue I could see is getting some kind of ergonomic strain issue playing this too much as it can make your wrist a bit sore after a while if you're contorting your hand in weird ways to make crazy expressions. A whole lot of fun though and so very different to the Linnstrument that it's definitely worth having both. I think I enjoy playing this more than the linnstrument but the linnstrument has some great things going for it that I don't think I'd want to get rid of it.

Oh and thankfully I have not had the connection lost at all yet! Maybe because I haven't had all my controllers on at once, we shall see... edit: So far so good with all controllers going.

One strange issue I've noticed is that I can't seem to have my NI Komplete Kontrol S88 mkII and my Rise 49 recognized at the same time (in Bitwig). When I turn one off and on again the other one is no longer recognized. Not sure if this is a Bitwig thing or not. When the Rise wasn't recognized after I turned on the S88, I did notice that when I opened the Roli dashboard, it could still read the input from the Rise 49. Weird.

[BONES]

Sounds like it is possibly a Bitwig issue. I always make sure I have all my hardware connected and switched on before I fire up my host application. Orion only looks for MIDI input devices on start-up so if you switch something on after you open it, you have to manually select it as an input device. I have no idea how it works in Cubase so I treat it the same as Orion.

[Tj Shredder]

Bitwig will recognize all my interfaces without hickup, unless I mix the old javascript controller scripts with the new Java based ones on the same port. But as you set the ports in settings and the Seaboard has its own usb connection, it should always work. Or do you connect it via bluetooth?

[Ploki]

has user samples in Equator via "any sane person" been implemented, or is SFZ still the only option?

[Whywhy]

@Echoes in the attic :
- How is the Linnstrument pressure response compare to the Seaboard rise?
- same with the pitch glide , it is smooth or by step?