ROLI and UK distributor Sound Technology Ltd are pleased to announce that ROLI BLOCKS, the most accessible and scalable music creation system ever made, is now available from MI stores nationwide.
Lightpad Blocks connected to the Live Block and Loop Block (click for hi-res version)
ROLI BLOCKS is a modular music studio that opens up the world of music-making to everyone. Each individual Block offers unique capabilities that let people create music in simple but far-reaching ways. The Blocks connect together to create customisable kits that suit any budget, skill level, and musical style. With a click of magnetic connectors, music-makers can now build their instruments as they go.
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Renowned artists including Grimes, Steve Aoki, and RZA are already making music on BLOCKS and creating signature soundpacks for BLOCKS musicians. Grimes — a composer, producer, and global superstar whose sound is redefining pop music — said, “ROLI BLOCKS will democratise music production. It's so intuitive and versatile. I'm always on the go, and BLOCKS is the most powerful mobile production tool I've ever used.”
There are three Blocks available. The Lightpad Block features a tactile, glowing surface that lets people shape music through presses, glides, and other natural gestures. The Live Block and Loop Block have controls that make it even easier to perform and produce in real time. BLOCKS is powered by NOISE, a free music app for iPhone and iPad that is now available at the App Store. NOISE connects to BLOCKS wirelessly over Bluetooth, becoming the system’s sound engine as well as a standalone app.
Roland Lamb, founder and CEO of ROLI, and inventor of BLOCKS, said, “Many areas of life have been transformed by the digital. Music, though, remains a universal language that everyone understands, but only a few can speak. BLOCKS will change that, and enable people around the world to experience the joy of music-making for the first time.”
In addition, a new BLOCKS Dashboard application enables easy integration with a wide range of popular software programs including Logic, Ableton, Cubase, Omnisphere, and Kontakt. The bundled application will be available to all BLOCKS creators in March.
BLOCKS Dashboard will make the Lightpad Block a versatile controller for a range of OS X and Windows programs. It will allow musicians to easily configure their workflow by uploading preprogrammed scripts and editing the parameters of those scripts. Fader Mode, a new display mode on the Lightpad Block’s LED-illuminated, touch-sensitive surface, makes it even easier to control parameters at the touch of a finger.
As part of ROLI’s mission to make BLOCKS the most open-source, hackable music hardware system, BLOCKS Dashboard also enables programmers to write their own scripts and design their own applications for BLOCKS.
Pricing and Availability
- ROLI Lightpad Block - £169.96 RRP inc VAT - Available now
- ROLI Live Block - £69.95 RRP inc VAT - Available now
- ROLI Loop Block - £69.95 RRP inc VAT - Available now
- ROLI BLOCKS Dashboard - Free download - Available March
music anywhere with BLOCKS (click for hi-res version)
The Lightpad Block and NOISE on iPad (click for hi-res version)
The Lightpad Block (click for hi-res version)
The Lightpad Block connected to the Loop Block (click for hi-res version)
ROLI is exclusively distributed in the UK and ROI by Sound Technology Ltd. For more information please call 01462 480000 or visit www.soundtech.co.uk/music-retail/roli
ENDS
