Here at ANR we didn’t have a chance to take the ROLI Seabord Rise for a proper spin yet (I’m looking at you, ever growing to-do list!), but we’re glad to see that the UK company is on a roll lately.
Today they announce the release of NOISE, an app – now available for free download on the App Store (requires iOS 9) – that claims to realize the expressive musicmaking potential of the (latest) iPhone.
We’ve often mentioned in our reviews that the glass surface of phones and tablets is not exactly the most exciting interface for a music maker. Well, this may change with NOISE, which turns the iPhone screen into a continuous sonic surface that responds to the subtlest gestures.
Taking advantage of the new 3D Touch technology of the iPhone 6s, the surface lets musicmakes to shape sound through Strike, Press, Glide, Slide, and Lift, five parameters already familiar to the owners of a Seaboard RISE.
What is it?
*NOISE features 25 keywaves, includes 25 sounds, and has five faders for finetuning the touchresponsiveness of the surface
*It’s a portable sound engine for the Seaboard RISE and other MIDI controllers, powered by Equator (Roli’s full-fledged synth)
*Connection: NOISE uses MIDI over Bluetooth
*Expression: NOISE is one of the first apps to enable Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE) through its MPE Mode, so the NOISE mobile sound engine works with any MPEcompatible controller. ROLI’s sound designers have crafted the app’s 25 preset sounds, which include Breath Flute and Extreme Loop Synth, especially for MPE expressivity. Additional sounds can be purchased in-app.
*Compatibility: while it works with all models of iPhone from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 6s, NOISE has been optimized to take full advantage of 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s.
2015 has been a great year for mobile and on the go musicians. Apps like NOISE, thanks to their expressive features, may make it even more exciting (and at the same time make ROLI’s Seaboard Rise even more appealing). Now, dear Apple, just bring the 3D Touch technology to our iPads as well, we’re waiting!
Let us know your thoughts about NOISE. We’ll have more on ROLI soon, stay tuned.
Where to buy?
Support ANR buying the ROLI Seabord Rise controller through one of our partners. That’s the best way to attract good karma!

