ROLI BLOCKS MPE Controllers
I’m always on the lookout for the studio of the future. What image that conjures up in my mind is forever changing, but it always centres around one goal; achieving more complex tasks, easier, and with more musicality. MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) fits squarely into that mould. Or should that be ‘fits cubely’?
What is MPE? Think of it like breaking down the barriers between notes. You can slide between any pitch, or modulate a sound by pressure or movement, all without lifting a finger to grab a mod or pitch wheel, knob or joystick.
We’ve already covered ROLI’s Seaboards, which look like keyboards but feel like a gel shoe insole. Awkward to play on at first — like learning how to walk again — but with four extra dimensions of touch to spur you on through the learning curve, you’ll be gliding around the keys in no time.
The core of ROLI’s Blocks is the Lightpad. It’s square, with a tough plastic body and a
