ROLI today 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.
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.
Seaboard BLOCK M is available to pre-order for $349. The Seaboard Block M will ship from March 2024.
Lode is a brilliantly simple free synth for Ableton Live and Push 3 that sounds a lot like the Roland TB-303. Get those squelchy acid basslines on your Push 3 for free, thanks to Fors.
Developed by Fors, Lode is a monophonic bass synthesizer inspired by “vintage pieces; instruments that were greater than the sum of their parts and full of charm”. By this we can only assume Fors means the Roland TB-303, perhaps the most famous monophonic bass synthesizer (take that, SH-101 stans) and one that shares a certain squelchy character with the sounds you’ll hear in Lode’s demo video, embedded above.
Lode is equipped with “analogue-inspired” oscillators, a resonant 24db lowpass filter and two envelopes, a filter sweep envelope and exponential decay envelope. In addition to these, there’s controls for wave shape, detuning, and a sub oscillator. Lode’s total of eight adjustable parameters have been designed to fit neatly on the screen of the Ableton Push, and the synth is compatible with the new standalone Push 3.
Eight parameters may not sound like much, but that’s exactly what we love about this cute little synth plugin. Lode delivers a punchy, versatile sound without bogging us down in too many tone-sculpting possibilities. Coming from Fors, it’s no surprise that the plugin’s a winner – this Swedish developer has impressed us with severalexcellentM4L devices in the past, both free and paid-for.
As Lode is a Max for Live device, you’ll only be able to use it with Ableton Live Suite, or if you’ve purchased the Max for Live add-on for Ableton Live Standard. Max for Live is a platform which lets Ableton users build their own instruments and effects, and is based on the Max development environment and programming language.
Zeppelin Design Labs has introduced the Noisette, a DIY Optical Theremin kit that they say “generates crazy sounds – from spooky and creepy to atmospheric and spacey”.
The pitch and volume of the Noisette are controlled by two light sensors, while the master volume and wave shape are controlled by two potentiometers.
The Noisette kit was designed with STEM students in mind, as a stepping stone into the world of DIY audio electronics. The 30-page manual has over 100 assembly photographs and comes complete with schematics, circuit descriptions, and a brief history of how the original Theremin was developed.
Features:
2 Optical sensors to control pitch and volume
Master volume control knob
Wave Shape Select: Square, sine, or anything in between
On-board speaker
Audio output jack for either headphones or auxiliary line out
Can be powered with either a 9-volt battery or an external 9-volt power adapter
Only 18 parts that need to be assembled to the circuit board; only takes a few hours to complete
Suitable for kids as young as 8 years old, with adult supervision
