Livid has announced updates to the construction of their Block controller and a new free application for Livid Block users.

Instead of being milled from a solid block of wood, the Livid Block is now constructed of four pieces of wood and is hollow. According to Livid, this eliminates construction waste and warping.

It also let them put a piece of translucent acrylic on the bottom, letting you see inside the device.

Another change is inset screws on the faceplate, making the appearance cleaner and more professional.

In addition to the Livid Block hardware changes, a new app is available for Block users, Livid Step Standalone:

The standalone application lets you send each of 8 sequences to any MIDI port & channel, and has an interface for sending program and bank changes. This could be used in conjunction with a VST or other plugin host. (I’ve been testing with the OS X AU general midi synth. Nothing like a crappy GM synth to make your day!)

Thirty-two presets let you store combinations of sequences, program changes, etc… pretty much all settings.

The standalone app eliminates the need for Max For Live.