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Seaboard 2 Creator Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Quick Start Guide
Software Setup
FAQ
Technical Documentation

Introduction

To save an offline copy of this manual, click the Print icon above then choose 'Save as PDF' as the Destination.

To search this manual, press cmd+F (Mac) or ctrl+F (Windows).

Quick Start Guide

Download ROLI Connect

Visit roli.com/start to download ROLI Connect.

In ROLI Connect you can create an account, register your Seaboard 2 and download your included software.

Connect via USB

Connect your Seaboard 2 to a computer or mobile device via the USB-C port.

The USB-C port is also used for charging the battery.

Connect over Bluetooth

If you have a compatible computer or mobile device, your Seaboard 2 can play software instruments with MIDI over Bluetooth.

To play over Bluetooth, macOS 11+ (Big Sur onwards) is recommended.

For more information on how to connect the Seaboard 2 click here.

User Control Panel

To turn Seaboard 2 on:

Press the power button

To turn Seaboard 2 off:

Press and hold the power button

Mode Indicators

Selecting a mode:

When Seaboard 2 is on, press the power button to toggle between Expression mode and MIDI mode.
Seaboard 2 will automatically enter Bluetooth pairing mode when the device is on, and not connected to a host device via USB.

Expression mode:

The three Touch Faders adjust sensitivity to the Glide, Slide, and Press Dimensions of Touch.
- Lower values make the Seaboard behave more like a piano; higher values make the Seaboard more expressive.
Glide is indicated by — side-to-side movement

Slide is indicated by icon — forwards and backwards along a single key

Press is indicated by icon — continuous pressure

You know it’s in Expression mode if you can see these icons on top of the faders.

Set Slide or Press to 0%, to disable that Dimension of Touch
Set Glide to 0% to activate “Piano Mode”.
- In this mode, sideways movements will not bend pitch, and notes retrigger as you glide from note to note.
- Lower ribbon glides through “white keys” only
- Upper ribbon glides through all keys
Set Glide to 100% to enable “Semitone Legato”
- In this mode, if you play two adjacent notes, pitch glides smoothly from one note to the next.
- Strictly speaking, when two adjacent notes are played simultaneously, the pitch is bent to a position somewhere between the two notes, determined by how much pressure is exerted on each key. For example, if C# is played with greater pressure than C, the pitch will be bent to a position closer to C# than C.
To customize the sensitivity of the 5 Dimensions of Touch in more detail, including Strike and Lift, use ROLI Dashboard.

MIDI mode:

The three Touch Faders send MIDI CC messages, assignable using ROLI Dashboard, which can be used to control synth parameters in Equator2 or other instruments/effects.

In both Expression Mode and MIDI Mode, the XY touch pad controls the X and Y macro parameters in Equator2 and ROLI Studio Player. These macro parameters are preconfigured to change the synth preset in a creatively interesting way.

Playing Technique

Don’t press too hard into the Keywave surface when you play, especially when gliding between pitches. A lighter touch also gives more room to add expression using Press.

To glide from note to note, try using the top and bottom ribbons, rather than gliding over the Keywaves.

To slide smoothly up a single key, use the flat, palm-facing part of your finger instead of the tip — i.e. angle your finger parallel to the Keywave surface, rather than perpendicular to the surface.

Caring for your Seaboard 2

Your Seaboard’s silicone surface can gather dust over time. We recommend regularly cleaning the surface with a lint roller or unscented cleansing wipes that contain no harsh chemicals. Store your Seaboard 2 in a horizontal position and away from any sharp objects or pet's claws. For more information, visit the Care and Cleaning tips article.

The lithium-ion battery inside the Seaboard should be cared for. To avoid a risk of explosion or the leakage of flammable liquid or gas causing possible injury, do not:

Dispose of the battery in a fire or a hot oven, or mechanically crush or cut the battery.
Leave the battery in an extremely high-temperature surrounding environment.
Subject the battery to extremely low air pressure.

Software Setup

Equator2

Seaboard 2 should automatically connect to Equator2.

In Equator2, there is a preference “Auto Connect to ROLI Hardware” which should be enabled by default (in “Audio & MIDI Settings”).

ROLI Studio Player

Seaboard 2 should automatically connect to ROLI Studio Player.

In ROLI Studio Player, there is a preference “Auto Connect to ROLI Hardware” which should be enabled by default (in “Audio & MIDI Settings”).

ROLI Studio Drums

Seaboard 2 should automatically connect to ROLI Studio Drums.

In ROLI Studio Drums, there is a preference “Auto Connect to ROLI Hardware” which should be enabled by default (in “Audio & MIDI Settings”).

To trigger the drum sounds:

Shift down an octave using either the “–” Octave Shift button on the Seaboard 2, or by setting “-1” in Pitch/Octave in ROLI Dashboard.
Play drum sounds using the 16 leftmost keys on the Keywave surface

ROLI Dashboard

Mac:

Connect to computer via USB or Bluetooth

Windows:

Connect to computer via USB

Ableton Live

Ableton Live 11 introduced MPE support as standard, so simply enable MPE for your connected MPE-ready device in Preferences > MIDI.

Some devices and plugins also require you to “Enable MPE Mode”.

If using Ableton Live with 3rd-party plugin synths, you might find it useful to use Ableton's "MPE Control" device https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/max-for-live-devices/#28-3-3-mpe-control

For more information about MPE in Ableton Live visit: https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019144999-MPE-in-Live-11

Other DAWs

3rd-party plugins

Some plugin instruments, such as Serum, require you to enable MPE within the plugin’s own preferences menu.

Other plugin instruments, such as Kontakt, have a more involved setup process that can change over time, as plugins and DAWs are updated.

Help documentation can be found on roli.com/support, and in the 3rd-party software’s user manual.

Still need help setting up?

FAQ

What is Seaboard 2?

Seaboard 2 is the next generation of the award-winning Seaboard RISE 49 keyboard controller, re-engineered for limitless exploration of sound.

What are the system requirements for Seaboard 2?

Recommended:

macOS 11+
Windows 10+

Compatible:

Mac OSX 10.14+ / Windows 10 (x64) or higher
Intel Core / AMD Ryzen / Apple Silicon (M1+)
Minimum 8GB RAM

Which computers and mobile devices are Bluetooth compatible with Seaboard 2?

Seaboard 2 is class compliant for MIDI over Bluetooth, and has the ability to communicate with any Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) compatible host device.

macOS 11+ (Big Sur onwards) is recommended.

Does ROLI software run natively on Apple Silicon?

The following ROLI software products run natively on Apple Silicon (M1 / M2):

Equator2
ROLI Studio
ROLI Dashboard
ROLI Hardware Driver

The following ROLI software products run on Apple Silicon (M1 / M2) computers via Apple’s automatic translation environment Rosetta 2:

ROLI Connect

Which hardware and software are Seaboard 2 preset switches compatible with?

The preset switches are compatible with the following software:

Equator2 standalone
Equator2 (AU version) in a DAW

The preset switches send standard program change MIDI messages, so you could manually map these to trigger changes in third-party software.

The preset switches are also compatible with some, but not all, hardware synths. For compatibility, check the hardware synth’s technical documentation.

What is the difference between Seaboard 2 and the original Seaboard RISE 49?

Seaboard 2 is the next generation of the award-winning Seaboard RISE 49 keyboard controller, re-engineered for limitless exploration of sound.

These are the most significant updates:

A new Keywave2 playing surface featuring a refined shape and precision frets — designed to be more intuitive and effortlessly expressive for piano and keyboard players than ever before.
A more powerful and versatile suite of included software, including the world's leading MPE synth Equator2 (worth $249), featuring 1400+ world-class presets. Ableton Live Lite and ROLI Studio are also included.
A head-turning, burnished Platinum Blue aluminum chassis, part of a premium build fine-tuned for maximum durability.
Expanded compatibility with other instruments and hardware with MIDI Port and USB-C.
A next-generation version of ROLI Dashboard, featuring enhanced 5D visualizers to customize your settings to perfection.

How does the Keywave2 surface compare to the original Seaboard RISE 49 keywaves?

The shape of the new Keywave2 surface was perfected after years of rigorous testing and feedback from both Seaboard and piano players.

Wider keys with embossed ridges and honed edges make Seaboard 2 performances more nuanced, accurate and expressive than performances with any previous Seaboard. They also make Keywave2 a more intuitive playing surface for keyboard or piano players.

The Keywave2 surface retains the two horizontal ribbons above and below the keys from the original Seaboard RISE 49. These are the perfect surface for long slides between pitches.

What are the 5 Dimensions of Touch (5D Touch)?

The soft, responsive Keywave2 playing surface of Seaboard 2 allows performers to modulate sound through 5 natural playing gestures. These are:

Strike: Strike to sound a note at different velocities
Glide: Glide from side to side to bend pitch or create vibrato
Slide: Slide up and down to add brightness or texture to a sound
Press: Press into the Keywaves to deepen sounds or simulate the effect of breath on a wind instrument
Lift: Lift off at varying speeds to affect a sound's resonance

See how 5D Touch can transform your performances here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-Y9p1YbI8).

What is MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE)?

MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) is the underlying technology behind Seaboard 2, Equator2 and ROLI Studio. It allows electronic music makers to be more expressive in a way previously only possible with acoustic instruments.

How does MPE do this? When modulating pitch or tone with traditional MIDI, modulation is only applied to each note being played. But MPE makes it possible to modulate parameters independently across multiple notes, vastly expanding the expressive possibilities!

The original Seaboard catapulted MPE into the mainstream, and since then more and more leading music makers have adopted MPE. Learn more about MPE here (https://roli.com/mpe).

Is Seaboard 2 a MIDI controller?

Yes, Seaboard 2 is a MIDI controller. It has no onboard sound engine, so you will need to connect your Seaboard 2 to a computer or mobile device running a compatible software program (such as Equator2) to produce sound.

Is Seaboard 2 compatible with non-MPE hardware and software?

Yes! You can use Seaboard 2 just like a traditional MIDI keyboard when connected to standard MIDI hardware and software.

Even when paired with MPE software, you can adjust your settings in your included ROLI Dashboard software to minimize each expressive parameter and make the Seaboard behave as a standard piano-keyboard.

Is Seaboard 2 compatible with third-party DAWs, synths and software?

Yes. Since the launch of the first Seaboard RISE 49 in 2015, the number of music software companies adopting MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) has grown considerably.

Leading DAWs, including Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio and Cubase are now MPE and Seaboard 2 compatible. As are many popular synths, including Omnisphere, Reaktor, SWAM, Serum and BT Phobos. Learn more about MPE compatible software here (https://roli.com/mpe).

You can also use the Seaboard 2 with non-MPE compatible software. It will function just like a standard MIDI controller when performing non-MPE sounds.

Technical Documentation

Summary

4 Octave, Keywave2 design
3.5mm TRS MIDI Output
83.4cm x 20.1cm x 2.3cm / 5.5 kg
Sustain / Continuous foot pedal input (6.35mm TRS input)
USB-C port (Connection and Charging)
Rechargeable battery
Class compliant MIDI over USB and Bluetooth
Bundled with Equator2, ROLI Dashboard, ROLI Studio and Ableton Live Lite

Dimensions & Weight

49 Keywave playing surface

Width: 83.4cm

Depth: 21.0cm

Height: 2.3cm

Weight: 5.5kg

Connectivity & Ports

3.5mm TRS MIDI Output

Sustain / Continuous foot pedal input (6.35mm TRS)

USB-C port (Connection and Charging)

Class compliant MIDI over USB and Bluetooth

Battery

8 hour battery life

5 hour charge time

Capacity 2300 mAh

System Requirements