Each Seaboard has a dedicated hardware controller to shift between presets quickly and easily. Below, we'll examine each of them and assess aspects of their functionality in different environments.


The Seaboard Block's Preset Switches

To change presets with the Seaboard Block, hold the Mode button (on the Seaboard Block's left side) and press the lower or upper Octave Switch button.


The RISE's Preset Switch

The two buttons on the Preset Switch of the Seaboard RISE are select presets within Equator or third-party hardware and software synthesizers. 


The Preset Switch sends a standard MIDI program change message that ranges in value from 0 to 127. When used with Equator this will scroll through the presets in the currently loaded playlist. Simultaneously pressing and releasing the two buttons activates Bluetooth pairing, enabling the RISE to connect to compatible Bluetooth-enabled devices.


RISE preset switch


The GRAND's SoundDial

The SoundDial is a multipurpose dial located at the center of the Seaboard GRAND above the keywave surface. The SoundDial has 3 different functionalities:

  • Indicating the GRAND's loading state
    • Fully lit circulating SoundDial LED pattern: loading...
      The Seaboard may not be operated during this state


SoundDial – loading


  • Switching banks and octaves:
    • Single beam SoundDial LED pattern: sound bank
      Press center button once to switch sound banks – the SoundDial has 4 sound banks, each containing 12 presets, totaling 48 onboard presets.
    • Dispersed beam SoundDial LED pattern: octave shift
      Keep center button pressed until LED pattern changes, then rotate the SoundDial's rim to shift octaves. Press button once again to restore regular functionality.


SoundDial – change octave


  • Changing presets
    • Focused beam SoundDial LED pattern: switch presets/ready to play!
      Rotate the SoundDial's rim to switch between the GRAND's onboard presets. There are 12 presets distributed in clock position across the circumference of the SoundDial rim.
    • The SoundDial will also send MIDI program change messages from 0–47 to connected software or hardware synthesizers, allowing you to select presets.

SoundDial – select preset


Equator's Playlists Feature

Equator's Playlists feature is a great way to organize your favorite presets in a way that makes them quickly and easily accessible on a compatible computer.

  • Go into Equator's Preset Browser – to do this, you can either:
    • click on the preset name at the top center of Equator's window (as below); or
    • go to Equator's ☰ menu on the top right corner and select 'Browse...'
  • Click on the 'Playlists' button to present the Playlists panel
  • Click on the '+' icon to create a new playlist
  • Name the playlist and drag and drop presets onto the playlist's preset slots in the desired order
  • Use your SoundDial/Preset Switch to navigate quickly between your favorite presets!
    Equator ➝ Playlists
  • Click on the 'backspace' icon to delete the playlist and the 'pencil' icon to edit the playlist name



'No preset...' in Equator

Equator organizes presets into playlists.


If a Seaboard's preset switch is used to navigate a playlist with fewer presets than its value range – i.e., fewer than 48 for the GRAND's SoundDial and fewer than 127 for the RISE or Seaboard Block's Preset Switches – you may reach a preset position value with no available preset.


You'll see the following message displayed:

 
Equator ➝ 'No preset...' warning

How to resolve the 'No preset...' message with ROLI Dashboard

  • Connect your Seaboard to a compatible computer with the Equator and ROLI Dashboard downloaded and installed and switch it on
  • Launch ROLI Dashboard and navigate to the ☰ menu in the upper right corner of your window
  • Click on the blue 'Reset' button next to 'My Seaboard' – this will perform a hardware reset on your Seaboard, which will return all hardware controllers to their original values, including the SoundDial/Preset Switch

If you don't have access to ROLI Dashboard:

  • RISE: Reset the Preset Switch manually by clicking on the left-hand arrow until it is blacked out – this will run the preset switch down to value 0 – its lowest value.
  • GRAND: Reset the SoundDial by twisting the rim until both the preset and bank LED indicators are at the top of the SoundDial's rim.
  • Seaboard Block: With the Mode button depressed, press the left Octave Switch button until the first preset has been reached.

How to avoid the 'No preset...' message

We recommend you make your own playlists (see above) and populate them with your favorite presets to make preset switching quicker and more efficient.


What about third-party software (DAWs, other soft synths, etc.)?

All Seaboards use MPE, the industry standard for multidimensional controllers. See this list of MPE-compatible synthesizers.

Many of these software synthesizers can effectively interpret the SoundDial's and Preset Switch's program change messages.