Roli: Equator 2 is here !

[aMUSEd]

Easy hack - just copy the 'Note Grid' Script from inside the Dashboard application into the User Lightfoot scripts folder - rename it to say "Songmaker Mode' and edit it in a text editor to change the Loop block check from 'True' to 'False'.

The nice thing about this script is it still gives me access to all the note functions using the hardware mode switch as normal, but also access to the Songmaker Mode containing all the Rise functions with a touchable mode switch between XY, Macros and at the bottom.

[Echoes in the Attic]

By the way - about the block buttons on the side. I have two lightpad m blocks. One of them the button is very easy to press, has a bit of a click. On the other, it's nearly impossible to trigger the button sitting on the desk. It's super stiff, I need to pick it up and dig in really hard with my thumb and there's no click.

[aMUSEd]

By the way - about the block buttons on the side. I have two lightpad m blocks. One of them the button is very easy to press, has a bit of a click. On the other, it's nearly impossible to trigger the button sitting on the desk. It's super stiff, I need to pick it up and dig in really hard with my thumb and there's no click.

Yep same here - hence my request for a mode switch on the touch panel but now I've made my own

[BONES]

There should be a 'Songmaker kit mode' that automatically comes on if you have the Loop, Lightpad and Seaboard blocks all connected

Hmmmm... If that's true, I never noticed it and I had the whole thing together for months when I first bought it. I'll give it a go tonight and see if it appears. My Touch Block arrived today so it's probably something I wouldn't use anyway, but it would be nice to try it out.

[BONES]

It's like magic! All I did was connect all three up and turn 'em on and, viola!, the extra mode was just there. That means that I can't ever have turned on the Loop Block until the other day.

[trackbout]

Bummer, hopefully they figure out a way to continue development on Equator 2, or sell it to someone who will. Such a great synth despite their numerous missteps.

https://www.musictech.net/news/industry ... boot-lumi/

ROLI files for bankruptcy and will reboot as beginner-focused company Luminary

ROLI, best known for its MPE controllers such as the Seaboard and Blocks, has filed for bankruptcy. The company will be relaunching as a new entity, Luminary, that puts greater focus on its beginner-friendly LUMI keyboard.

READ MORE: Review: ROLI LUMI Keys Studio Edition
The London-based music startup, which was backed by Pharrell and Grimes, was struggling financially: it reported pre-tax losses of £34.1 million from an income of £11.4 million in the 18 months leading to the end of June 2019.

Roland Lamb, ROLI’s founder and CEO, told Business Insider that its financial woes were largely due to the company targeting a niche market as well as difficulties of operating during the pandemic.

“Ultimately what happened was the pro-focused products we initially developed, although successful within their marketplace, the marketplace wasn’t big enough given our venture trajectory,” Lamb told Insider. “We had our eyes set on hypergrowth and that proved to be difficult.”

The new company, Luminary, will pivot away from innovative controllers for pros. Instead, it will focus on the LUMI keyboard and app, which teaches beginners to read and play music.

The LUMI keyboard is sold at $299, with an annual subscription fee of $79 for additional songs and lessons. In our review, we said it was “probably as close as you’ll get to piano tuition without an in-person tutor”.

Luminary will also not be producing the ROLI Seaboard just yet, but it plans to re-introduce the squishy controller in the future.

70 ROLI employees will shift to the new business, which has already raised £5 million in initial funding.

MusicTech has reached out to ROLI for comment.

[BONES]

Yeah, it look to me like corporate restructuring to unload their debt. All their employees are being retained so I don't see why any of their products would be discontinued. Most of their hardware has been out of stock all year anyway.

[trackbout]

Agreed, the only bit that concerns me is the characterization of the new company as beginner vs. pro focused, which Equator 2 is not. But it wouldn't make any sense to sunset it as it's already more or less complete, and definitely the highest margin product they have to sell.

[ehdyn]

Really a shame.. I love Equator, Cypher, Strobe, Seaboard, etc.. and use them extensively. Bummed about this as I wanted a bigger Seaboard and I'm worried they wont release one in 2022 as they claim.. seems like a weak statement on that.

[BONES]

Bigger than what? If you've got a Seaboard Block, you can just keep adding them and make it as big as you like.

[Ploki]

Bigger than what? If you've got a Seaboard Block, you can just keep adding them and make it as big as you like.

Have both and it’s not the same

[Echoes in the Attic]

Bigger than what? If you've got a Seaboard Block, you can just keep adding them and make it as big as you like.

Ha, except that there is only one note per row that actually let you pitch glide to 2 notes in either direction. The middle note. And putting more together doesn't let you pitch glide between blocks.

[Tj Shredder]

And if you want to get close to the size of a LinnStrument you could have gotten already 2 LinnStruments for the same price and don‘t have to worry about a device from a bankrupt company…
I have a broken Seaboard Block and a 1st generation Block. The Seaboard can work partially in Max, and the Block gets rare uses as a sort of 5D trackpad… If I need a small MPE note controller, a Sensel fits better…

[Dearvolt]

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

This might be useful: https://roli.com/stories/roli-reforms-a ... ed-to-know (https://roli.com/stories/roli-reforms-as-luminary-what-you-need-to-know)

[BONES]

Bigger than what? If you've got a Seaboard Block, you can just keep adding them and make it as big as you like.

Have both and it’s not the same

Both? Both what? 2 x Roli Seaboard Blocks = 1 x 4 octave Seaboard. 3 x Seaboard Blocks = 6 octave Seaboard. 4 x Seaboard Blocks = 8 octave Seaboard. It's all seamless.

Ha, except that there is only one note per row that actually let you pitch glide to 2 notes in either direction. The middle note. And putting more together doesn't let you pitch glide between blocks.

Really? That's your bullshit excuse? Tune your Seaboards so that you can go the two full octaves in whichever direction you need to. Then tune the other one to go 2 octaves the other way. That's why the spec is +/- 48 semitones. Otherwise, there are always the Rise Grand and Rise Grand 88 that no-one was interested in.

And if you want to get close to the size of a LinnStrument you could have gotten already 2 LinnStruments for the same price and don‘t have to worry about a device from a bankrupt company…
I have a broken Seaboard Block and a 1st generation Block. The Seaboard can work partially in Max, and the Block gets rare uses as a sort of 5D trackpad… If I need a small MPE note controller, a Sensel fits better…

What f**king drugs are you on? The cheapest Linnstrument is twice the price of a Seaboard Block and I could buy 10 Lightpad Blocks for the price of one Linnstrument. In fact, the 5 Blocks I have - Seaboard, 2 x Lightpads, Touch and Loop Block - all up cost me less than the cheapest Linnstrument.

Roli is a company of 70 employees, Roger Linn Instruments is just one man who outsources everything. Even a bankrupt Roli is more reliable than Roger Linn.