Short answer

The built-in instruments of Logic and MainStage (such as Sculpture, EXS24, ES2, etc.) are mono-timbral. However, some of them can be put into MIDI mono mode which makes them instantly compatible with the Seaboard RISE and GRAND's MPE mode!


Which instruments have MIDI Mono Mode?

EFM1, ES2, EXS24, Retro Synth, Sculpture, Alchemy, and Vintage Clav.


In ROLI Dashboard, set Channel Mode to MPE. Then in Logic, go to the instrument's bottom menu, select MIDI Mono Mode, and check that the pitch bend range equals the setting you have in ROLI Dashboard.


What about the other Logic instruments?

Logic's other built-in instruments do not have MIDI Mono Mode, which means that they are best used when ROLI Dashboard is set to Single Channel Mode. In this mode, Glide, Press and Slide would not be polyphonic.

For an in-depth look, take the video course "Creating with the Seaboard RISE and Logic Pro X."

Detailed answer

MIDI Mono Mode is the quickest and easiest way of using Logic's built-in instruments with the Seaboard.


Step 1: ROLI Dashboard Settings

Ensure that ROLI Dashboard's MIDI Settings are set as shown below.

We have selected:

  • MIDI Mode: MPE
  • MPE Zone: Lower
  • No. MIDI Channels: 15
  • Pitch Bend Range: 48


Step 2: Create Logic Instrument track

  • Create an instrument track in Logic and load any of the following instruments: EFM1, ES2, EXS24, Retro Synth, Sculpture, and Vintage Clav.
  • Open the Instrument window by double-clicking it from the Inspector.
  • Click the small triangle at the bottom-left of the instrument's window.
  • Select:
    • MIDI Mono Mode: On (with common base channel 1)
    • Mono Mode Pitch Range: 48semi

Logic MIDI Mono Mode Settings Sculptire

Step 3: Refining your patch

Now that MIDI Mono Mode is active, your instrument will be multi-timbral so polyphonic expression of Glide is possible. Next you will want to refine your instrument patch so that it responds to each dimension of touch.

Each instrument in Logic has different capabilities so take a look at Logic's help section on modulating instrument parameters by:

Step 4: Recording

Now you can play and record as normal.


Step 5: Editing

The Seaboard transmits each new note on a unique channel so that channel-wide messages like pitch bend can be applied on a polyphonic basis.


Strike (velocity) and Lift (release velocity) are recorded as single values per note and can be edited at the note in Logic's piano roll. The other dimensions of touch are continuous and are edited in Logic's MIDI-Draw.


Below is an example of how to edit the Glide dimension (recorded as pitch bend), which you will use to perform vibratos on the playing surface.

  1. Record some MIDI to the instrument track. In this example we have a single note which Glides up, down, and then performs a vibrato.
  2. Double-click the region you want to edit to open the Piano Roll.
  3. Click the MIDI-Draw button.
    Logic X MIDI Draw button highlighted
  4. In the MIDI-Draw track which just opened, click on the drop-down menu under Controller.  A list of options will appear, including a section in bold. These are controllers which have been used on this particular track.
    Logic X select controller in MIDI draw
  5. Select Pitch Bend.
  6. Now you will see the Pitch Bend data for that note.
  7. Edit as normal.

Use the same process to edit Press (aftertouch) by selecting Aftertouch, or 'Other' for CC74 (Slide) in Step 3.