ROLI has introduced the Seaboard Block M, an updated and refined version of the Seaboard Block expressive MIDI controller.
Seaboard Block M is equipped with ROLI’s 5D Touch technology, offering intuitive sound shaping through gestures such as Strike, Press, Glide, Slide, and Lift.
ROLI says that the upgraded Seaboard Block M offers enhanced consistency and expressive control through the latest firmware, enabling users to personalize their velocity curve via the ROLI Dashboard. The new MIDI output also allows for integration and direct connection to hardware synthesizers.
Here’s what’s new with the ROLI Seaboard Block M:
- New MIDI out
- Advanced customization of keywave response, offering more nuanced MPE control.
- Improved velocity response curve.
- ‘Refined’ durable design
- Switch between your saved Equator2 or ROLI Studio presets by holding the side button and pressing the octave left and right buttons.
Seaboard Block M integrates with most leading DAWs — including Ableton Live 11+, Logic Pro, and Cubase, fully harnessing the instrument’s MPE capabilities. It also can connect directly to hardware instruments through a new MIDI Out port, and to additional devices via USB-C.
Using ‘DNA’ connectors, you can also connect the Seaboard Block M to other ROLI products to create larger controllers. Other features include 10+ hours of battery life, and 15-meter Bluetooth range.
Pricing and Availability
Seaboard Block M is available to pre-order for $349.95 USD / £299.95 GBP / €349.95 EURO. The Seaboard Block M will ship from March 2024.
if the midi output can be configured/customized to let you decide what movements send what CCs and bend/exp1/pressure contols, this could definitely be a nice tool. It is still a lot more expensive than the Qunexus for similar controls and less features as a controller tho.
I don’t know about the Qunexus, but I had a lot of trouble with the K-Board.
Seaboard seems better designed for gliding, since it’s a single surface with “waves” for the keys. In fact you can play on narrow strips above or below those waves and it’s like an unquantized touchstrip.
Stand alone or bust. Just port equator to STM32F4, add an OWL mk3 board to this, up the price 100 and voila: stand alone.
i have the first version of this and i love it, it’s the best bang for buck to have the options of expression this allows, but it’s small enough that it doesn’t get in the way and i can just reach for it when i am wanting to play in specific things. i use a normal midi keyboard for most everything else but i think this is their strongest product for those wanting this kind of expression only on occasion.
As a very happy (recent) Roli customer playing Lumi Keys every day through the iPad synths, I wonder if the new/renewed controller offers me anything (yet?) for the iPad? It looks and sounds very cool, but for a hundred bucks more than another Lumi, I’d need it to “play nice” alongside the Lumi, and not just on the PC. I believe many Roli-interested folks are put off by the lack of iOS comapatibility. Any advice?
What do you mean exactly with “lack of ios compatibility”? Hardware and/or software? I was hoping to get one just for controlling GeoShred on the iPad. Do you know if that specitfic case would work, say with the camera kit adapter?
I quit using their Lightpad M because of their tedious ecosystem. It’s horrible. I hope their new customers will be saved from this. It offers nothing but roadblocks. Just a simple app (mobile and desktop) to quickly change some settings is all it needs.
Roli. Midi 2.0 feature for original seaboard block please.