Roli Seaboard RISE

[Jace-BeOS]

I feel that while the hardware of the Roli is top notch, the software, as it is with most software synths, drivers, firmware a never-finishing job. They find new irks, quirks and gnarls to iron out, and then introduces new ones. Has always been this with any such instruments, or computer.

This is what keeps me from spending my rare and hard-to-acquire money on things like this...

[Pashkuli]

Their instrument is just a grid surface. All its functionality is 95% based on software.
You can buy grid surface (touch and pressure sensitive) for less cheaper, but all the software will cost money.

Sensel Morph is a similar product, way much cheaper, though they do not offer bigger sizes (just small format, iPad, Surface Pro like). You can program it to whatever you want with their... software. Is it buggy? Maybe... most likely than not.

old video with some of the basic hardware features, multi-touch, pressure sensitive... all you need is a software and fast controller (latency is an issue always with these)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7CprnZvM3k

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Their instrument is just a grid surface.

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

[Echoes in the Attic]

@Echoes in the attic :
- How is the Linnstrument pressure response compare to the Seaboard rise?
- same with the pitch glide , it is smooth or by step?

The linnstrument is a hard surface so it is a little more difficult to get the precision that you can get with a Seabord Rise, since the Rise has depth to it. The squishiness of it I think prevents accidentally pressing harder than you mean to when doing things like vibrato or just changing notes.
As for the pitch glide, I also find that more difficult to do smoothly on the linnstrument because of the surface. My finger gets just slightly stuck sometimes. It's not bad just takes some practice to get the right amount of pressure or else you might stop just shy of the target note. SO I find it easier to glide smoothly on the Rise.

The linnstrument has lots of benefits of it's own over the Seaboard Rise, but those two points above are two of the main advantages I think for the the Rise, along with the familiar keyboard layout, whih has advantages for keyboard players as well as ergonomically for chords. Of course the linnstrument has some advantages as well with the guitar type layout, as well as other things like the split, not needing software for settings, the compact size (the 128 version mostly, which is the right comparison as it's four octaves) and some other modes like channel per row etc.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I feel that while the hardware of the Roli is top notch, the software, as it is with most software synths, drivers, firmware a never-finishing job. They find new irks, quirks and gnarls to iron out, and then introduces new ones. Has always been this with any such instruments, or computer.

This is what keeps me from spending my rare and hard-to-acquire money on things like this...

I get that. When the cost is so high, any possibility of quirks and bugs can become deal-breakers. All I know is my Rise is the best musical instrument I've ever owned.

I'm no power-user in as far as the software is concerned, so my faultless experience might be different from those who really dig in deep.

Do you have any brick 'n' mortar music shops, nearby, where you might get a chance to sit down and actually play one?

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

@Echoes in the attic :
- How is the Linnstrument pressure response compare to the Seaboard rise?
- same with the pitch glide , it is smooth or by step?

The linnstrument is a hard surface so it is a little more difficult to get the precision that you can get with a Seabord Rise, since the Rise has depth to it. The squishiness of it I think prevents accidentally pressing harder than you mean to when doing things like vibrato or just changing notes.
As for the pitch glide, I also find that more difficult to do smoothly on the linnstrument because of the surface. My finger gets just slightly stuck sometimes. It's not bad just takes some practice to get the right amount of pressure or else you might stop just shy of the target note. SO I find it easier to glide smoothly on the Rise.

The linnstrument has lots of benefits of it's own over the Seaboard Rise, but those two points above are two of the main advantages I think for the the Rise, along with the familiar keyboard layout, whih has advantages for keyboard players as well as ergonomically for chords. Of course the linnstrument has some advantages as well with the guitar type layout, as well as other things like the split, not needing software for settings, the compact size (the 128 version mostly, which is the right comparison as it's four octaves) and some other modes like channel per row etc.

Never tried a Linnstrument. If cash were no problem, I definitely wouldn't mind trying one.

The biggest issue I think I would have, however, is that because of the kooky layout, the size of the 'keys', and the flat-ness, I think that it would require constantly looking down to have any accuracy in playing. The Roli has the larger relief, the squishiness, the larger target-zone, and the almost-familiar (All the 'black' keys running full length down and in-between the 'white', takes some getting used to) layout, and this makes it easier to play and judge relative positioning without constantly having to look down.

[Echoes in the Attic]

@Echoes in the attic :
- How is the Linnstrument pressure response compare to the Seaboard rise?
- same with the pitch glide , it is smooth or by step?

The linnstrument is a hard surface so it is a little more difficult to get the precision that you can get with a Seabord Rise, since the Rise has depth to it. The squishiness of it I think prevents accidentally pressing harder than you mean to when doing things like vibrato or just changing notes.
As for the pitch glide, I also find that more difficult to do smoothly on the linnstrument because of the surface. My finger gets just slightly stuck sometimes. It's not bad just takes some practice to get the right amount of pressure or else you might stop just shy of the target note. SO I find it easier to glide smoothly on the Rise.

The linnstrument has lots of benefits of it's own over the Seaboard Rise, but those two points above are two of the main advantages I think for the the Rise, along with the familiar keyboard layout, whih has advantages for keyboard players as well as ergonomically for chords. Of course the linnstrument has some advantages as well with the guitar type layout, as well as other things like the split, not needing software for settings, the compact size (the 128 version mostly, which is the right comparison as it's four octaves) and some other modes like channel per row etc.

Never tried a Linnstrument. If cash were no problem, I definitely wouldn't mind trying one.

The biggest issue I think I would have, however, is that because of the kooky layout, the size of the 'keys', and the flat-ness, I think that it would require constantly looking down to have any accuracy in playing. The Roli has the larger relief, the squishiness, the larger target-zone, and the almost-familiar (All the 'black' keys running full length down and in-between the 'white', takes some getting used to) layout, and this makes it easier to play and judge relative positioning without constantly having to look down.

Yeah it's true, however I think looking at both devices is pretty much necessary for any chord changes where you hand position changes, or runs over a large distance of notes. You don't have the ability to feel the keys beforehand and be micro-sloppy like on a normal keyboard.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

@Echoes in the attic :
- How is the Linnstrument pressure response compare to the Seaboard rise?
- same with the pitch glide , it is smooth or by step?

The linnstrument is a hard surface so it is a little more difficult to get the precision that you can get with a Seabord Rise, since the Rise has depth to it. The squishiness of it I think prevents accidentally pressing harder than you mean to when doing things like vibrato or just changing notes.
As for the pitch glide, I also find that more difficult to do smoothly on the linnstrument because of the surface. My finger gets just slightly stuck sometimes. It's not bad just takes some practice to get the right amount of pressure or else you might stop just shy of the target note. SO I find it easier to glide smoothly on the Rise.

The linnstrument has lots of benefits of it's own over the Seaboard Rise, but those two points above are two of the main advantages I think for the the Rise, along with the familiar keyboard layout, whih has advantages for keyboard players as well as ergonomically for chords. Of course the linnstrument has some advantages as well with the guitar type layout, as well as other things like the split, not needing software for settings, the compact size (the 128 version mostly, which is the right comparison as it's four octaves) and some other modes like channel per row etc.

Never tried a Linnstrument. If cash were no problem, I definitely wouldn't mind trying one.

The biggest issue I think I would have, however, is that because of the kooky layout, the size of the 'keys', and the flat-ness, I think that it would require constantly looking down to have any accuracy in playing. The Roli has the larger relief, the squishiness, the larger target-zone, and the almost-familiar (All the 'black' keys running full length down and in-between the 'white', takes some getting used to) layout, and this makes it easier to play and judge relative positioning without constantly having to look down.

Yeah it's true, however I think looking at both devices is pretty much necessary for any chord changes where you hand position changes, or runs over a large distance of notes. You don't have the ability to feel the keys beforehand and be micro-sloppy like on a normal keyboard.

Of course. That's why I was careful to mention "relative positioning"

[Whywhy]

Thanks @Echoes in the attic !

[Pashkuli]

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

*sigh*
As I said... It is just a grid surface. Please, watch this video of the kids destroying it.
Especially from 7:18 to 7~26 min.

https://youtu.be/PHjItOUJWT4?t=438

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

*sigh*
As I said... It is just a grid surface. Please, watch this video of the kids destroying it.
Especially from 7:18 to 7~26 min.

https://youtu.be/PHjItOUJWT4?t=438

Actually, my emphasis was perfectly placed. Of course, I know there is a grid underneath. But what makes these Roli 'boards so special is everything between the grid and the player's hands. That silicone squishy goodness is instrumental (Pun intended) in helping the player eek out subtleties in expression, in a way that tapping on a flat grid cannot.

[Echoes in the Attic]

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

*sigh*
As I said... It is just a grid surface. Please, watch this video of the kids destroying it.
Especially from 7:18 to 7~26 min.

https://youtu.be/PHjItOUJWT4?t=438

Yes and Piano midi controllers are just on/off switches. You can destroy those as well and find little switches if you're unsure about that. Also guitars are just wood. You can smash them apart and see the wood break apart. Also software instruments are just little bits of 0's and 1's stored on some storage drive. You can smash your SSD or hard drive into bits and see where it's stored.

[Ploki]

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

*sigh*
As I said... It is just a grid surface. Please, watch this video of the kids destroying it.
Especially from 7:18 to 7~26 min.

https://youtu.be/PHjItOUJWT4?t=438

Yes and Piano midi controllers are just on/off switches. You can destroy those as well and find little switches if you're unsure about that. Also guitars are just wood. You can smash them apart and see the wood break apart. Also software instruments are just little bits of 0's and 1's stored on some storage drive. You can smash your SSD or hard drive into bits and see where it's stored.

lol i love this.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

It really isn't JUST a grid surface.

*sigh*
As I said... It is just a grid surface. Please, watch this video of the kids destroying it.
Especially from 7:18 to 7~26 min.

https://youtu.be/PHjItOUJWT4?t=438

Yes and Piano midi controllers are just on/off switches. You can destroy those as well and find little switches if you're unsure about that. Also guitars are just wood. You can smash them apart and see the wood break apart. Also software instruments are just little bits of 0's and 1's stored on some storage drive. You can smash your SSD or hard drive into bits and see where it's stored.

lol i love this.

Actually, the midi controller analogy works, but the guitar one doesn't.

In the case of the argument Pashkuli is making about the Roli keyboards, you can remove all of the silicone keyboard and the grid underneath will not only still be functional, but would still offer all of the 5D expression. In the case of a guitar, you wouldn't need to go any further than cutting the strings for it to no longer playable as a guitar

[Echoes in the Attic]

Ok but the software analogy with the hard drive is still cool right?