ROLI Support

In this article, we'll walk through setting up the Lightpad Block and Seaboard Block to control your virtual instruments in Logic Pro X, including Equator and Logic's own instruments.

This video shows you how to use Seaboards with Logic's own instruments:

Step 1: ROLI Dashboard Settings

First, launch ROLI Dashboard and connect your Lightpad or Seaboard Block. Next, make sure it's highlighted in BLOCKS Dashboard's visualizer.

Lightpad Block

With your Lightpad Block selected, choose the Note Grid app to load it onto your Block. Click "Edit" to edit the app's settings.

Underneath "Mode," select "MPE." This will set the Lightpad Block to a 5x5 note grid with full 5D expression.

If you'd like you may use the "Pitch," "Play mode," and "5D Touch" options to control the number of pads your Lightpad Block displays, what key and scale it's in, and the responsiveness of the five dimensions of touch. (You can also scroll through modes via the Lightpad Block's Mode button, and you can adjust the dimensions of touch with an attached Touch Block.)

If you make changes, just make sure the following "MIDI Settings" are selected:

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

Seaboard Block

If you're using a Seaboard Block, click "Edit," and make sure that the MIDI Settings in ROLI Dashboard are set as shown below.

We have selected:

• MIDI Mode: MPE
• MPE Zone: Lower
• No. MIDI Channels: 15
• Pitch bend range: 48 semitones

If you'd like you may use the "Pitch," "Play mode," and "5D Touch" options to transpose or change the Seaboard Block's range and control the responsiveness of the five dimensions of touch. (You can also adjust the dimensions of touch with an attached Touch Block.)

For more information about loading programs and the capabilities of ROLI Dashboard, see "Using ROLI Dashboard."

If you are using a Logic Instrument:

Step 2a: Create an Instrument Track

Open your Logic project. Go to:

Track ➝  New Software Instrument Track

Select a Logic Pro instrument capable of using MIDI mono mode.

Which instruments have MIDI Mono Mode?

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

Step 3a: Logic instrument settings

1. Open the Logic built-in instrument plugin from your instrument track.
2. Go to the instrument’s bottom menu and select MIDI Mono Mode.
3. Check that the pitch bend range equals what you have set in BLOCKS Dashboard.

In addition to using Logic's internal instruments, we can use Equator. If you'd like to use Equator, follow steps 2b and 3b; otherwise skip to step 4.

If you are using Equator:

Step 2b: Create an Instrument Track with Equator

Open your Logic project. Go to:

Track ➝  New Software Instrument Track

Select Equator as your instrument plugin.

Step 3b: Equator’s MIDI/MPE Settings

By default, Equator's MIDI/ MPE Settings will already match those that we select for ROLI Dashboard in step one. But since a mismatch of settings in Dashboard and Equator can cause silent notes or incorrect pitching, it's worth double-checking them now.

1. Open the Equator plugin from your instrument track in Logic Pro X.
2. Click on menu (☰) in the top right and select MIDI/MPE Settings.
3. Ensure that Equator’s MIDI Settings match the ones we set in ROLI Dashboard in Step 1 (by default they should already be correct). Now that Equator is listening for MIDI on the same channels that the Seaboard is sending it, there will be no missing notes.

Step 4: Record

Now that you have created your instrument track and loaded an instrument using MIDI Mono mode, just record and playback as normal.

Step 5: Editing

The Lightpad and Seaboard Blocks transmit 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 controllers 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.
   
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.
   
5. Select Pitch Bend.
6. Now you will see the Pitch Bend data for that note.
7. Edit as normal.