WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD » ROLI Launches Seaboard RISE 2

ROLI Launches Seaboard RISE 2

31 Mar, 2022 MIDI CONTROLLERS

ROLI today launched the Seaboard RISE 2. If you thought that you had seen the last of ROLI and its Seaboard range of controllers, think again, as ROLI Seaboard RISE 2 is “easier to play, more durable and a more beautiful, expressive experience than ever before”

Launched in 2015, the Rise was a more affordable version of ROLI’s full-size Seaboard MPE controller, but has been off the market for two years.

The RISE 2, next generation of one of the original MPE controllers is here.

The most significant improvement over the original Rise might well be the Keywave2 silicone playing surface, which provides ‘frets’ that enable players to more accurately judge the position of their fingers on each key. This new surface is said to make the Rise 2 more playable than its predecessor, and easier for players of standard keyboards to get to grips with.

“Finally the Seaboard is accessible to all,” says renowned Seaboardist Marco Parisi. “The new precision frets on the Rise 2 address the biggest challenge Seaboardists have faced – playing in tune and modulating sounds without your fingers slipping off the keywaves. Any piano or keyboard player will now be able to translate their skills more quickly than ever before.”

Rise 2 also offers a new platinum blue anodised aluminium chassis, giving it a more contemporary look. Build quality is also said to have been improved, and you now get both standard MIDI and USB-C ports to ensure maximum compatibility with your software and hardware instruments.

Rise 2 is bundled with the Equator2 synth, Ableton Live Lite, the ROLI Studio production suite and a new version of ROLI Dashboard, which features 5D visualisers for customising your settings.

Features inherited from the original Rise include the Touch Fader controls, integrated battery and Bluetooth MIDI support for wireless operation.

What’s new with the Seaboard RISE 2:

A new Keywave2 playing surface, tested with piano and Seaboard players to be more intuitive and expressive, featuring precision frets which help players to feel the exact position of their fingers on each key.
A more powerful, comprehensive, and versatile suite of bundled software, including Equator2 synth (normally $249), featuring 1400+ presets. Ableton Live Lite and ROLI Studio are also included.
A burnished platinum blue aluminum chassis,
Expanded compatibility with other instruments with MIDI Port and USB-C.
A next generation version of ROLI Dashboard, featuring enhanced 5D visualizers to customize your settings.

The Seaboard is designed to give you 5 dimensions of gestural expression, per note. Most of these options are unavailable on more traditional keyboards:

Strike to sound a note at different velocities
Glide from side to side to bend pitch or create vibrato
Slide up and down to add brightness or texture to a sound
Press into the Keywaves to deepen sounds or simulate the effect of breath on a wind instrument
Lift off at varying speeds to effect a sound’s resonance

“Developing new instruments is a long process, and today is a major milestone in our journey with the Seaboard,” said Roland Lamb, CEO of Luminary ROLI (the company that Lamb founded after ROLI’s demise). “RISE 2 is easier to play, more durable and a more beautiful, expressive experience than ever before.

“It is also an experience transformed by over a decade of development in Equator2, the world’s leading dedicated MPE synth, plus the creation of a whole ecosystem of compatible software and workflow solutions across the industry.

“This launch marks the transition of MPE from a fledgling, peripheral project to an established and mature category, which is becoming increasingly central to how digital music is made. We deeply appreciate all the people around the world who believe in this vision and are excited for the Seaboard community to continue to grow and thrive.”

ROLI Seaboard Performance Demo: