# Slim Contemporary Keyboards The Seaboard Grand by Roli Modernizes the Musical Instrument By Meghan Young | Published 2013-12-23 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/seaboard-grand References: [trendland](http://trendland.com/the-seaboard-grand-redefines-how-we-interact-with-instruments/) & [weareroli](https://www.weareroli.com/) The Seaboard Grand is on course to changing the way people interact with musical instruments. It is essentially a [keyboard piano](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lumo-x700) that boasts a soft continuous surface in place of the instrument's typical black and white keys. The undulating surface may seem very abstract, but Trenland notes: "The Seaboard [Grand]’s [polyphonic pitch bend, vibrato](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harmoni) and per-note dynamic changes are all available at your fingertips, marrying the intuitiveness of a traditional instrument with the versatility of digital technology." Designed by Roli, a London-based company founded in 2009 by Roland Lamb, the Seaboard Grand has a contemporary aesthetic that is slim and compact, something that many musicians will appreciate. It comes as no surprise considering that Roli is known for creating [hardware and software products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electronic-musical-instrument) and services that encourages better interactions between people and technology. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.8/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 76% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Soft Surface Musical Instruments:** There is an opportunity for musical instrument manufacturers to create new soft surface products that offer more intuitive and versatile playing experience. - **Intuitive Digital Instrument Interfaces:** Companies should consider developing digital instrument interfaces that leverage the benefits of both technology and traditional musical instruments for a modern musical playing experience. - **Compact Contemporary Keyboard Pianos:** There is a growing demand for compact, slim, and modern keyboard pianos that offer a unique playing experience for both professional and amateur musicians. ### Where This Applies - **Musical Instrument Manufacturing:** Manufacturers should consider investing in research and development of soft surface musical instruments that are intuitive to play and offer versatility. - **Music Education:** Educators can leverage the benefits of new digital instrument interfaces to enhance the music learning experience for students of all levels. - **Digital Music Production:** Digital music producers can explore the possibilities of integrating soft surface musical instruments and intuitive digital instrument interfaces into their production workflows to create unique and innovative music. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital Motion-Sensing Pianos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roli-piano.md) - [Touchscreen Grand Pianos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/porochista.md) - [Hexagonal Music Composition Keyboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/music-composition-keyboard.md) - [Hand-Sensing Musical Instruments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roli-airwave.md) - [AI-Powered Piano Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roli-piano-system.md) - [Collaboration Piano Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/concept-model-piano.md) - [Ultra-Modern MIDI Instruments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/midi-device.md) - [Radical Majestic Instrument Structures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ravenchord.md) - [Digital HD Display Pianos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mozart-console-piano.md)