ROLI has released a beta version of its Blocks Dashboard application, which enables owners of its Blocks controllers to use them with desktop music software rather than just iOS apps.
With Dashboard, the Lightpad, Live and Loop Blocks become open-ended MIDI control surfaces that can be configured as you like. You could turn the Lightpad into a bank of LED-illuminated faders, for example, or use it to adjust parameters or as a drum pad.
The Blocks platform is modular, so you can add more of the devices as and when the need arises and your budget allows. Dashboard currently offers support for the following products:
- Apple: Logic Pro, GarageBand
- Ableton: Live
- Native Instruments: Kontakt, Massive
- Steinberg: Cubase
- Bitwig: Studio
- ROLI: Equator
- Spectrasonics: Omnisphere
- FXpansion: Strobe2, Synth Squad
- SampleModeling: Swam
- Cycling '74: Max MSP
You can watch more videos of Blocks being used with various DAWs on the ROLI website. The Blocks Dashboard app is free to all Blocks owners. The Lightpad Block costs £170/$179, while the Live and Loop Blocks are available for £70/$79 each.
