Seaboard RISE, a new low-cost music-making device, has launched. According to its creators the technology could help musicians and amateurs-alike create soaring melodies, shredding synths and whimsical tunes with the touch of a finger.
The touch sensitive Seaboard RISE is a re-imagining of the traditional keyboard -- instead of keys it has a pressure-sensitive surface. The keyboard, which costs £599, is the brainchild of ROLI, a Dalston-based technology start-up. It is available for preorder online now and will be shipped from October. ROLI said the keyboard was the first "truly accessible" next-gen music controller.
The RISE is a descendent of the Seaboard GRAND, which has been used by the likes of Jamie xx, Jamie Cullum and Allah-Rakha Rahman*.* "Growing up with South Indian classical music, I was sometimes frustrated with the keyboard because of its rigid pitching, which was great for harmonies and western classical compositions but limited for expressing microtonal nuances in solos and tunes. The Seaboard is an instrument that opens it all up," said Rahman, who, who composed the music for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaireand 127 Hours.
Hans Zimmer described it as "very human" with the capability of being more expressive than other keyboards. "The Seaboard shows us how to get beyond the boundaries of the keyboard, a technology that was invented hundreds of years ago," said the Oscar- and Grammy-award-winning composer.
Disclaimer: David Rowan, WIRED editor, is an early investor in ROLI and had no involvement in the commissioning and writing of this story.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
