Related Post
l of wonky and not widely supported. I mean, yes, there are a number of MPE-compatible synths out there, but it’s still a fraction of what’s available for traditional MIDI controllers. That’s not to say they aren’t out there, or the situation isn’t improving, but you are still mostly limited to gear from companies like UVI, Bitwig, Moog, Spectrasonics and of course, Roli itself. That means that, while you can technically use the Seaboard Rise 2 with pretty much any softsynth, including those not explicitly designed for MPE, you’re not likely to get the full experience. And while there are technically MPE presets in many popular synths like Serum, Omnisphere and Zebra, it’s not like the manufacturer is guaranteeing they’ll work. But the good news is, the Seaboard does have traditional MIDI capabilities. If you’re not quite ready to fully embrace MPE, you don’t have to. However, the fact that you can is only one reason I ultimately don’t have a lot of reservations about recommending the Seaboard. A big part of it is simply this: I enjoy playing it. I’m still terrible with it, but I find it inspiring. And if nothing else, the idea of music being more accessible is something that brings me genuine joy. The Seaboard Rise 2 might not be for every musician, or even for most, but if it’s for you it can be amazing. Or at least an interesting novelty that engages your creativity in new ways.
