ROLI Airwave and Seaboard 2: Sam Gutman’s Top 10 Sounds Unleashed

The video opens with Sam Gutman introducing himself at ROLI Studios in London, setting the stage for a focused exploration of his favorite Airwave sounds on the Seaboard 2. Gutman, known for his work with Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Fugees, brings both credibility and a playful energy to the walkthrough. He promises not just a list of presets, but a demonstration of how these sounds can be transformed through expressive performance.

From the outset, it’s clear that this isn’t a dry factory preset rundown. Gutman’s approach is hands-on, immediately diving into the unique character of each patch and teasing a special “secret sound” for those who stick around. The video’s structure is tight—each sound gets its moment, but the focus is on how the Airwave and Seaboard 2 combination expands the boundaries of expressive digital synthesis.

ROLI’s Air Dimensions interface is the architectural heart of this workflow, and Gutman wastes no time demonstrating its depth. Each sound is mapped to a set of air gestures—air raise, air tilt, air slide, air glide, and air flex—each controlling a different sonic parameter. For instance, in the Airemin patch, air raise adjusts volume, air tilt introduces vibrato, and sliding or gliding gestures unleash harmonic complexity.

The Choral Morph patch showcases the layering potential: air raise brings up the choir’s volume, air tilt morphs between syllables, and air flex adds a synth layer. This multi-dimensional mapping means that even a single note can become a dynamic, evolving event, responding to nuanced performance gestures in real time.

Gutman’s demonstrations make it clear that these controls are not just surface-level effects—they’re deeply integrated into the sound engine, allowing for organic transitions and hybrid textures. The interface invites players to experiment, making each patch a starting point for personal expression rather than a static preset.

Gutman doesn’t just play through presets—he actively deconstructs and reshapes them, demonstrating how the Air Dimensions interface can turn a static sound into a dynamic performance tool. For example, with CERN Hum, air raise scans through a wavetable, air glide filters harmonics, and air flex introduces tremolo, allowing for real-time timbral shifts that would otherwise require deep menu diving or external controllers.

The Bouncy Marimba patch starts as a straightforward mallet sound, but when Gutman engages air raise, air glide, and air tilt, it gains a rhythmic complexity that transforms it into something much more percussive and animated. Oceanic Bellies, meanwhile, uses air gestures to reveal granular textures hidden beneath a bell-like exterior, demonstrating the depth of modulation possible with this system.

Throughout, Gutman’s workflow is fluid—he moves seamlessly between patches and gestures, showing how the Seaboard 2 and Airwave can be played as a single, expressive instrument. This hands-on approach highlights the potential for live performance and spontaneous composition, rather than just studio sound design.

The video’s finale is a standout: Gutman unveils a custom patch inspired by jazz educator Barry Harris’s approach to harmonizing the major scale. Here, each key is mapped to a complex chord—alternating major sixths and diminished chords—allowing for sophisticated voicings that would be cumbersome on a traditional keyboard.

By leveraging the Seaboard’s flexible mapping and Airwave’s gesture controls, Gutman demonstrates how digital architecture can break free from conventional limitations. This patch isn’t just a technical exercise; it’s a proof-of-concept for how expressive controllers and smart mapping can open up new creative possibilities for both jazz and electronic musicians.