crazy…
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Is this something like a mini linnstrument?
I like this! Noise is a fantastic app.
I used to own a Roli 25 and it was a lot of fun. Sold it as I needed more keys and not flush enough for a 49! Anyway, this is something I always wanted Roli to do.
Gonna keep an eye on this. Already got me thinking of a “pro” version using equator and looping…
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dude i have no clue what it is… but i like the blinky lights
looks more like something in the casual/toy music category ala Pocket Operators, etc.
Cool gadget. Looks like fun
Here’s the product page about it… I’m keeping an eye on this. I’m trying to return to my iPad for a while to explore some synths instead of endlessly buying new hardware while I try to figure out what I want to do next, musically.
I’m not sure I entirely get it. The center piece is ‘Lightpad’ which is a big illuminated touch surface… But then, so is the iPad! I guess it adds pressure sensitivity which the iPad doesn’t have, but it’s locked to the Roli Noise app.
Would be great if this thing came with the Equator plugin.
Was going to buy a Rise just to get my hands on that plugin. Really like the look and sound of it.
right ok - it says it has “5D touch”… or to quote them:
The Lightpad Block gives you five ways to shape sound through touch. Strike the surface to sound a note, as you would on a piano key or a drum. Glide your fingers from side to side to bend the pitch, as violinists do. Slide up and down to modulate the sound. Press into the surface to deepen sounds, like a saxophone player does by breathing more. Lift off the surface at different speeds to change a sound’s resonance.
basically velocity and aftertouch and also reverse velocity, as you “lift” (which is a bit odd but i get it, i was sorta playing my keyboard this way a few days ago)… the rest is already doable on the ipad
however, it standardizes the UI a bit (allowing you to build muscle memory), has some kind of color trail feedback so you learn “gestures” that produce melodies (rather than traditional keys or strings fingerings)… and then you can combine more of them together to have more interfaces or drum pads etc.
great stuff for someone just starting out, but yeh - this old dog wont be learning these tricks
the only other bonus to having a hardware controller for an ipad app (that i can think of) would be having it offload some of the processing to the hardware, so the app can use all the ipad or iphone CPU time to just generate sound
the other thing is that it mentions MIDI over bluetooth in the NOISE app… now if it can use the app to somehow make the lightpad send out an actual standard MIDI output and control anything via MIDI… that would make it far more interesting to me, and I could be down with that… theoretically it would be a nice little portable MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) controller with fancy light fx… this doesnt seem to be implemented but i suppose it could come in an update
the other thing is that modular systems like this can theoretically keep adding different kinds of devices as they develop them… but it usually never works out like that, except in eurorack world
i will admit i like how all the new kids on the block are prioritizing interface and capability for expression rather than sound engines… its definitely where the innovation is needed, and electronic music should definitely move on from the traditional keyboard/guitar model IMHO…
my problem is, i just cant let go of the analog POWAH… that raw synth JUICE… once these new interfaces get attached to some serious synth hardware, its on… i know theres continuum and the other roli and all that, its great, bring it on, keep going, etc.
It seems expensive and it doesn’t seem clear if it works with lots of other apps , I hope it does
I have no problem using a cheaper grid controller via a wire.
I use my linnstrument on noise too. Really cool app that takes advantage of MPE. Shout outs to roger linn for making a 128 note linnstrument for portability.
I like the concept of the Roli lightpad blocks, but I have never tried one. I almost bought one when they launched, but then I saw some comments about them being stiff and unpleasant to play on.
Now that a Seaboard block is out my interest is renewed. I doubt I’d like the Noise iOS app, but the thought of a small, wireless seaboard/lightblock combo controller for my MainStage MPE synths is very appealing. Anyone have experience with them?
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No firsthand experience but I have heard that large latency can be pretty annoying, even when wired. Probs best to try before u buy
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Not sure if people have seen this, but Roli just released a seaboard block. Never tried blocks or Seaboard, but could be cool as a controller.
I have ordered one. Not sure how long until it starts shipping, but looking forward to it.
I’m not sure if it will even work as a hardware controller without a computer or iOS device, though. Perhaps it will work as a basic MPE controller if I connect it to the USB Host port on an iConnect Midi4+, but I haven’t seen any info on if that is possible. To use it with the Analog Four I would have to change cc74 to cc01 and set a four channel range. Probably not possible without the software running as I don’t think you can save settings to the blocks. Perhaps Noise/Dashboard can be used for settings via bluetooth while the midi port outputs the actual midi data?
I’ll experiment when it arrives and report back. 
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cool, looks very portable and is way cheaper than the Rise
yeah, I love the fact that these are modular. Heck, you could carry a four octave MIDI keyboard (or even longer?) with you anywhere, just snap em together after transportation and go
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Always been interested in one of these to enliven tactile iPad noodling.
Al last they seem to have enhanced the squishiness. Still not sure how easily they will work with other apps than Noise.
I just want to buy it since its practically my name, Roly. LOL
Just got a secondhand 1st gen Lightpad Block for cheap, mostly to see how it works with Max.
I had low expectations, but it looks really versatile, even to the point of being able to send images and video to the LEDs on the block (obviously it scales to 15x15 and looks a bit washed out but hey! it works). I’m getting back into developing the nanoloop clone sequencer I started in puredata last year (starting from scratch though, rather than trying to port it from pd) so this actually looks like it’ll be very useful. I’m already considering buying another one 
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