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Roli Lightpad Block Manual

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Lightpad Block Creator Manual
1 Introduction - Lightpad Block
Welcome to the Creator Manual for the Lightpad Block. We think of the people who buy and use
ROLI's products as creators more than customers. Our products are designed to extend the joy of
music creation to everyone — and thereby empower people as the creators they are. Everyone
who buys and uses BLOCKS is investing in this vision of creativity and therefore is also a co-
creator of ROLI.
BLOCKS is the most accessible and versatile music creation system ever made. It is a modular
music studio that lets anyone make music whether they're a professional musician or a total
beginner. Each individual Block is powerful and intuitive, offering unique capabilities that let
people make music in simple but far-reaching ways. The Blocks connect together to create
customizable kits that suit any budget, skill level, and musical style. With a click of magnetic
connectors, music-makers can build their own instruments as they go.
You're starting with the Lightpad Block, the center of the BLOCKS system. You may already be
shaping music on its tactile, glowing surface. This comprehensive Creator Manual explains the
details of your Lightpad Block to ensure that you get the most out of it.
We have included a short list of terms specific to BLOCKS at the beginning of this manual. We
will refer to these terms throughout this Creator Manual.

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Summary of Contents for Roli Lightpad Block

  • Page 1 Lightpad Block Creator Manual 1 Introduction - Lightpad Block Welcome to the Creator Manual for the Lightpad Block. We think of the people who buy and use ROLI’s products as creators more than customers. Our products are designed to extend the joy of music creation to everyone —...
  • Page 2 Based on Equator – ROLI’s custom-built, multi-dimensional sound engine and software synthesizer – Equator Player is a Windows and MacOS app included with the Lightpad Block and Seaboard Block. Equator Player takes advantage of the Seaboard Block’s 5 dimensions of...
  • Page 3 The keywave surface corresponds to a keyboard. Lightpad Block A Master Block and the central Block in the BLOCKS system. The Lightpad Block features an illuminated tactile surface that enables creators to shape sound through Five Dimensions of Touch: Strike, Glide, Slide, Press, and Lift. When paired with NOISE it builds sequencing, looping, finger drumming and expressive control
...
  • Page 4 The app’s expressive power can be expanded with BLOCKS. It is at the heart of the BLOCKS system. A square that corresponds to a note in the grid layout of the Lightpad Block and NOISE. Seaboard Block...
  • Page 5 Plug the included USB “C” cable into the Lightpad Block and plug the other end of the cable into a USB 3 charger or a computer with a USB 3 port. The Lightpad Block requires 5 watts of power to run and charge the battery efficiently. Adding more Blocks via the DNA connectors will increase the demand for power so we recommend using a higher output charger such as an iPad charger (10-12 watts) or a higher output USB 3 charger.

  • Page 6: What's In The Box

    This configuration will charge one Lightpad Block and one Live Block or Loop Block, but not all three unless they are powered off. Note: Please do not use an iPhone charger to charge BLOCKS as it is not a compatible charger.
  • Page 7 MIDI-over-Bluetooth BLOCKS supports MIDI-over-Bluetooth and connects to any compatible MIDI-over-Bluetooth enabled iOS or OSX device and app. The Lightpad Block must be in pairing mode to do this. 3.5 Product Registration and Setup Registering on NOISE.fm makes it possible to store and retrieve your projects and other NOISE app data in the cloud.
  • Page 8 Turn on the Lightpad Block by pressing the power button.  The Lightpad Block will power up in Bluetooth pairing mode as long as it is not connected by cable to a computer. This is indicated by a blue light on the power button and an expanding blue ring displayed on the Lightpad Surface.
  • Page 9 4.1 Learning How to Play the Lightpad Block Once connected to NOISE, you can play the Lightpad Block and hear NOISE responding to 5D Touch. The surface of the Lightpad Block mirrors the NOISE display and can be used to play NOISE.

  • Page 10: Playing Techniques

    Your initial point of contact with the surface, no matter where this point is, becomes the basis for sound modulation on the Y axis above and below that point. Lift: The release velocity or speed of liftoff from the Lightpad Block. Many presets in NOISE respond to Lift.
  • Page 11 Lightpad Block. The lowest pitch and root note of the scale is on the bottom left pad. The notes ascend in pitch, row by row from bottom left to top right. The root note in the first and second octaves are indicated in white on the bottom left pad, direct centre pad, and top right pad.
  • Page 12 When set to OFF, the ‘Hide notes’ toggle will darken all of the notes that are not part of the selected scale with the exception of when “Chromatic” is the selected scale. Hidden notes are still playable on the Lightpad Block and NOISE.
  • Page 13 Octave determines the range of pitches played by the arpeggiator from 1 to 4 octaves. 5.3 Multi Instruments Multi Instruments, which are indicated by an icon containing a 2X2 grid of small squares (can be any colour) contain multiple sounds arranged across the individual pads of the Lightpad Block.
  • Page 14 Multi Instruments are made up of 4 or 16 individual sounds which are indicated by the number of illuminated pads. Multi Instruments can be made up of individual drum sounds, samples, synthesis elements or a combination of both and respond to 5D Touch. 5.3.1 Drum Kits vs Groove Kits There are two types of Multi Instruments: Drum Kits and Groove Kits.
  • Page 15 Play/Pause Press Play/Pause to begin or stop playback of all selected loops. Click Press Click to control the tempo of the project and to turn the Click “ON” or “OFF”. When it is set to “ON” it will play whenever the Play/Pause icon is touched. If you turn it “OFF” you will still hear the click for the 1 bar count-in during recording.

  • Page 16: Creating A New Project

    Now press the Arp Button. Turn it “ON”, set Pattern to “Up”, Gate to 80%, Time to 1/16, and Octave to “2”. Press “X” to exit. Now when you play one of the pads on the Lightpad Block you will hear a steady and instant bass line.
  • Page 17 Swipe back down to Song View and touch the left-most loop slot in the 2nd row from the top on the Lightpad Block (Instrument 2). This slot is now record enabled. Touch it again to return to Instrument View. Press the Record Button and begin recording after the 1 bar count-in. Strike and hold a note for 1 bar before changing to a new note.
  • Page 18 The power button is located on the front panel of the Lightpad Block. Press this button to turn it on, press and hold for approximately 3 seconds to turn the Lightpad Block off. While on, pressing this button repeatedly toggles between Bluetooth pairing mode on and off.
  • Page 19 Included in package Lightpad, USB-C to USB-A Cable, Quickstart Guide, Warranty Information Cleaning the Lightpad Block Basic care and attention will protect your Lightpad Block and help it stay in optimal condition. Keep it away from direct sunlight, sharp objects or edges, corrosive solvents, liquids, and especially oils –...