Roli Blocks

[Cinebient]

But how is the tactile feedback on those blocks. Have they a hard surface or similar to the Rise?

Is there a grid structure or just LED lights that indicate the notes? Wonder how it compares to LinnStrument's surface.
Also, there is a $1 option:
http://aftertouchapp.com/

I have this app and already posted it in the mobile thread....but yes, this app is nice and offer deep settings for velocity curves of aftertouch etc...

Why make these things for iPhone and not iPad though? iPhone is too tiny.

Because iPads have no 3D touch (just via the pencil).
But my iPhone (the big one) is not that much smaller than a lightblock.
What is great on the touch screen is that you always know where you are because you have a visual feedback of how hard you press in those apps.
But you also can run any iPhone app on iPads but you will just get X and Y axis at the moment and a mono Z if you use the pencil.
They day Apple brings 3D touch to iPads i sell my mac

[Chick Sangria]

I guess one day we will get multitouch devices that can morph their surfaces to give us the best of both worlds but I dont know how old I will be by then

Our fingers won't support MPE any longer by then.

[Cinebient]

The app which drives those blocks get really some bad reviews and i can agree.
You have to agree to some very odd copyright things, register and whatever....
I don´t know what is going on with Roli but that was a very bad move in general....
I wouldn´t buy anything from them again if they doesn´t change that fast.
But i think they will go their route further....

[aMUSEd]

But how is the tactile feedback on those blocks. Have they a hard surface or similar to the Rise?

Is there a grid structure or just LED lights that indicate the notes? Wonder how it compares to LinnStrument's surface.
Also, there is a $1 option:
http://aftertouchapp.com/

I have this app and already posted it in the mobile thread....but yes, this app is nice and offer deep settings for velocity curves of aftertouch etc...

Why make these things for iPhone and not iPad though? iPhone is too tiny.

Because iPads have no 3D touch (just via the pencil).

I thought the iPad Pro had 3dtouch and the pencil?

[Cinebient]

But how is the tactile feedback on those blocks. Have they a hard surface or similar to the Rise?

Is there a grid structure or just LED lights that indicate the notes? Wonder how it compares to LinnStrument's surface.
Also, there is a $1 option:
http://aftertouchapp.com/

I have this app and already posted it in the mobile thread....but yes, this app is nice and offer deep settings for velocity curves of aftertouch etc...

Why make these things for iPhone and not iPad though? iPhone is too tiny.

Because iPads have no 3D touch (just via the pencil).

I thought the iPad Pro had 3dtouch and the pencil?

No, only the iPhone 6S and the new 7 of course.
You could use the Apple pencil as aftertouch but you can do that of course only with one voice then. But i think you could do the same with a windows 10 multi-touch device like the surface pro (but no REAL multi-touch optimized apps there).
But even the X, Y and additional sensors in iPads offer some great things for me which i can not do in any of all my expensive plug-ins.
I´m sure Apple will bring a new iPad Pro 12.9" in March 2017 with A10X chip which maybe will be as fast as my current i7 quadcore macbook pro and i really hope they add 3D touch.
I´m not sure if they would add 3D touch on iPads even when they could because it might not work well together with the pencil support which needs also a special hardware layer in the screen (because of that only the iPad Pro´s support it yet).
It also could be dangerous to hit such a thin and huge screen with high velocities
But there are so much innovative controller apps coming out and it will grow for sure more.
If i just could get all my plug-ins for iPad i would be happy. I really would like to "touch" that awesome Repro-1 synth since the GUI is on iOS level. Best thing is of course still to combine the best of both worlds. But i like the idea of having everything in one portable device without having to attach any additional hardware/device to control the tools.

[funktree]

It is quite amazing how poor a job Roli have done at explaining this so far. It should be the main differentiator between their hardware and using the screen of phone etc. I expect they are banking on people getting to feel for themselves in Apple stores once more stores have them on display.

An excellent point... there should be clear message to shell out $180 for controller. The question is if ROLI is going desperate to reach mainstream

[funktree]

The app which drives those blocks get really some bad reviews and i can agree.
You have to agree to some very odd copyright things, register and whatever....
I don´t know what is going on with Roli but that was a very bad move in general....
I wouldn´t buy anything from them again if they doesn´t change that fast.
But i think they will go their route further....

I agree as to copyright things go also forcing to create account with noise web site. .. And yes the noise app is buggy.
However, once you “overcome" these and hook up ROLI blocks you're there for brand new experience of an musical instrument. My experience after using it for a few days is almost the same as when i spent time with Novation Circuit last year around this time.. I knew a few weeks in that we were there for a new-gadget-type revolution. Looking on all the YT (youtube) guys with big boards, electron devices, volcas even modular ... all seem to get into the Novation Circuit fever.
Yes there is long way to go for Blocks and somehow I don’t think that ROLI has the right “shoulder size” to push this to main stream or to semi-pro world.

But there is a lot of potential. I do agree with following shortcomings:
- 5x5 scale mode is almost unusable b/c you have to be very precise where you hit the surface
- Sensitivity, we need to wait for another iteration as we did with Push2 where they fixed/redesigned the sensitivity of the surface (pads Push1 was not good with sensitivity) I tent to record some instruments on iPhone b/c the sensitivity of this lightpad is mediocre in some settings.
- Tracking (moving finger up or down) does not work good b/c you loose the original note if you don’t press hard enough (defeats one dimension if 5d)
- Missing edge or frame, I found myself flying off the surface while playing. This does not happen with any of the Korg XY controllers (Kaosscilator etc) b/c they have edges.
- No volume control per track ... really who da fk can make music like this? How the hell ROLI knows that I need THAT instrument on THIS level .. let’s call ROLI the institute for track volume !!!!!

I will conclude above with following;
The fun-factor, new-way of expression and novel approach to workflow wins hands down. The buggy app, warm iPhone 6S that only last for 2-3 hours, Device disconnect when changing project is not enough to return this gizmo back to apple store. I will probably pick the second control block (live block) to get the workflow properly setup.

Here are some goodies:
- you’re not limited to 16 notes per bar with the builtin sequencer
- four tracks are plenty since there are 16 drums
- each block of sequence is 2 bars long
- unlimited number of projects to save
- out of 100 5D instruments 30 of them are extremely expressive to play.
- noise is trying to fix some imperfection in recording behind the scenes

Hit me with questions check my YT I have a few videos with blocks there

[igoramos]

I think its worth saying that without a doubt, since I bought my Roli RISE about 2 weeks ago, I've never experienced such great customer service. Its immediate, friendly and completely thorough. I can't imagine it being better really. That is one main reason I decided to take a chance on the Lightpad Block (haven't received it yet).

I usually get a response within minutes from email or immediately when I chat online. To me this accounts for a lot with this company...

[funktree]

Igoramos, I hope you will notice some of the same symptoms/issues I noticed and there will be one more voice with issues. So ROLI will update the gizmo and the app to take this cool product to the finish line (not there yet)

[igoramos]

Igoramos, I hope you will note some of the same symptoms I noticed and there will be one more voice for them to take this cool product to the finish line (not there yet)

Please remind me what symptoms?

[igoramos]

Igoramos, I hope you will note some of the same symptoms I noticed and there will be one more voice for them to take this cool product to the finish line (not there yet)

Please remind me what symptoms?

oops, sorry funktree! I thought I was in a different thread. yeh, sure I will respond back and compare my experience!

[funktree]

see my post above:
light block:
sensitivity
mis-triggering when using the slide
detuned-notes when using scale mode

noise app:
volume for each track,
immediate mute/selection in the song mode (in song mode if you pressed wrong section, you cannot un-do selection until the bar completes)
device disconnects when you change a project light block disconnects or it takes long time to reconnect.
other crashes and resource hog. (Do I need to buy iPhone 7 to run this ??? )
I could continue but these are the most annoying ones.

[igoramos]

see my post above:
light block:
sensitivity
mis-triggering when using the slide
detuned-notes when using scale mode

noise app:
volume for each track,
immediate mute/selection in the song mode (in song mode if you pressed wrong section, you cannot un-do selection until the bar completes)
device disconnects when you change a project light block disconnects or it takes long time to reconnect.
other crashes and resource hog. (Do I need to buy iPhone 7 to run this ??? )
I could continue but these are the most annoying ones.

I just now received the Lightpad Block and have been messing with it for an hour or so.
I probably will never use it with the noise app so I'll just comment on the block itself.

I agree about the sensitivity with the 5X5 grid mode. Hopefully this can be addressed in firmware?

Sensitivity seems workable to me and not much of a hindrance but I do agree that it would be good if the tracking was improved as you have to hold the note too hard for it to be continuous.

Yes, I'm experiencing mis-triggering in the slide dimension!

Yeh, see what you mean about the edge. Good point, but I think I can get used to it.

As far as volume control, I'm not concerned for that personally cause I will be using it mostly for lead melodies and will adjust the pressure with my fingers. I do see what you are saying and think it would be useful though to have this option.

First impression is that its very well built. I love the feel of it overall. And for me, using it with Equator and a couple other synths, I get a similar feeling of it enhancing expressiveness like the Roli does for me. So I plan on using it only to control my desktop synths and and very satisfied with it for that. It seems like a viable "MPE" 1 octave controller for me. I haven't spent hardly any time with the app. That way of creating music is not for me so no comments there.

[igoramos]

oops

[SteveElbows]

First impression is that its very well built. I love the feel of it overall. And for me, using it with Equator and a couple other synths, I get a similar feeling of it enhancing expressiveness like the Roli does for me. So I plan on using it only to control my desktop synths and and very satisfied with it for that. It seems like a viable "MPE" 1 octave controller for me. I haven't spent hardly any time with the app. That way of creating music is not for me so no comments there.

I managed to get 2 lightpad blocks since I last posted here. Like you, I am mostly using it as an MPE controller although I do plan to develop my own app(s) for it when I find more time.

I'm curious as to why you describe it as a 1 octave controller - using the 4x4 mode? 5x5 gives 2 octaves and I am very happy to report that when a 2nd lightpad is connected it will give an additional 2 octaves - either higher or lower octaves depending on whether it is connected to the left or the right of the first block that is connected to the computer (via usb or bluetooth).

Looking at a thread on the JUCE developers forum it does appear that they realise the present MPE mode lacks config options and they seem to be working out a plan for redoing this mode in future.

I'd like to join in the conversation about mistriggering on slide and sensitivity of 5x5 mode but I dont think I'm completely clear as to the detail. eg I havent noticed any slide problems as long as sufficient pressure is applied - is this pressure the issue or something else?