ROLI Seaboard RISE 49 brings four octaves of MIDI control

The newest edition of the ROLI Seaboard RISE MINI controller rolls with a full four octaves of sound. This version of the machine has expanded the original in a big way just four months after the original's first release. With the RISE 25, it would appear that the creator's expectations have been surpassed to such a degree that a far larger version, the RISE 49, was required. Access our original review of the smaller edition to see what this machine is all about, then expand through the future.

According to Roland Lamb, founder and CEO of ROLI and inventor of the Seaboard, "The Seaboard is becoming not just an interface, but a new category of instruments that opens up an ever wider range of creative possibilities." Much like the legendary 808 was originally meant to be an accompanying piece of equipment, then turned central instrument of hip hop noise, the ROLI is well on its way to becoming its own unique instrument itself.

SEE our original (RISE 25) ROLI Seaboard RISE Review

Hardware Specifications

• 49 Keywaves

• 834 mm x 210 mm x 25 mm / 4.2 kg (32.8 in x 8.3 in x 0.9 in / 9.2 lbs)

• Continuous pedal input (1/4" jack)

• USB 2.0-B port (MIDI out and power)

• USB A port (for charging peripherals)

• 9–12V 2A DC port

• Internal rechargeable battery for up to 8 hours of wireless play

• MIDI compatibility over USB and Bluetooth

System Requirements

• OS X 10.8+ / Windows 7+ / iOS

• Intel Core i5 2.5GHz or faster

• 4 GB RAM minimum / 8 GB RAM recommended

• 2 GB available disk space for Equator installation

The RISE 49 will be coming packed with the Bitwing 8-Track digital audio workstation (DAW), compatible with Equator. Equator is ROLI's software synthesizer and sound engine. With Bitwing, ROLI suggests, users will be ready to create as much music in the Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE) dimension as they like.

The RISE 49 will cost you $1199 (£949, €1299), and will be available for preorder immediately if not soon. This device will be shipping in late February in North America, while Europe will see the device inside the first quarter of 2016.