Museum, artist incubator, distro, and record store—Submerge and Underground Resistance represents the interconnected Detroit music community.
These inspiring female producers have left their marks on the music industry and continue to carve space for newcomers.
A group of eclectic Icelandic artists offer unique perspectives on electronic music performance, their home country, and more.
FEATURES
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Jane Weaver's latest album is a self-contained universe. The artist discusses shaking up her studio process, cinema, and the groove.
Social media can reinvigorate vintage hits and help them reach broad new audiences. Here are some classic songs that got a second spin.
The prolific player shares her thoughts on touring with RAYE, finding success in the music industry, and her Roland gear.
The brainchild of housemates recording late-night jams onto cassette, Night Tapes explains the process behind their atmospheric dream pop.
From Africa to the United Kingdom, eclectic dance star Junior Simba shares his passion for infusing ethnic sounds into his songcraft.
LISTENING GUIDE
Here's a place to start exploring the massive catalog of Madlib, one of the finest producers to ever touch a beat pad.
Many artists and releases played a pivotal role in shaping the L.A. Beat Scene. Here's a variety of key sounds from a unique musical moment.
Before hip-hop was the world's most dominant musical genre, several groundbreaking women blazed a fiery trail for others to follow.
A string of artists and labels shaped trance across the '90s and early aughts. Here's a selection of tracks from the genre’s golden age.
For the uninitiated, we provide a roadmap to the formidable discography of rap’s foremost supervillain: MF DOOM.
Learn
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The “Purple Rain” drum parts by Bobby Z. provide a classic example of how to play a power ballad for maximum emotional impact.
The JD-800 dominated the '90s with massive textures and a front panel that pushed limits. Learn to create immense layers with the instrument.
The drumming on the eternally funky “Let’s Groove” demonstrates how powerful disco rhythms can make listeners get up and move.
Josh Manuel discusses hybrid drumming and how he uses Roland electronic gear to enhance his performances with Kane Brown.
Explore the history and sound of the Roots' beloved track, “Mellow My Man," and learn to play some of drummer Questlove's iconic patterns.
SOUND BEHIND THE SONG
Sometimes, a song’s intro transports us back to a specific time. Learn how the CR-78 formed the playful rhythmic bed for "Heart of Glass."
“Acid Tracks” spread like wildfire from Chicago across the globe. Learn how the TB-303 gave birth to a smiling generation of clubbers.
Starkly beautiful, “Can You Feel It” is an iconic piece of 20th-century dance music. Mr. Fingers created it solely on the JUNO-60 and TR-909.
Detroit’s enigmatic duo Drexciya submerged themselves in Afrofuturist myth. "Rublicks Cube" is a transcendent TR-606 classic.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
Chris Wood does more behind the kit than just playing drums. Learn how his hybrid kit informs Bastille’s uplifting, layered sound.
To play drums, you need gear, time, and patience. Explore the specific pieces required to help garner new skills and joy from drumming.
With Prismatic Sound Modeling, V-Drums have reached unprecedented realism and detail. Learn about the innovative modeling engine.
The TD-17 series is the perfect introduction to an electronic kit. Get top-tier sounds and tools to make every drummer better, faster.
Hybrid drumming blends acoustic and electronic elements. Anika Nilles explains her approach to the style on tour with Jeff Beck and beyond.
Our Contributors
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Darren is Percussion Product Manager for Roland Canada. He loves motorcycles, loud drums, and the great outdoors.
Gino Sorcinelli is the writer, creator, and editor of Micro-Chop, a Substack newsletter that dissects beatmaking, DJing, music production, rapping, and sampling. His articles have appeared on Ableton, HipHopDX, Okayplayer, Passion of the Weiss, Red Bull Music Academy, and Reverb.
Born and raised in Istanbul and now living in New York, SIRMA is a singer, songwriter, and music producer who blends alternative pop with electronica. She is the creator of the Modern Pop Vocal Production course on Soundfly and has a degree from Berklee College of Music. Find out more at sirmamusic.com.
Based in Bath, United Kingdom Stuart is a veteran music tech journalist for outlets like Music Radar, Total Guitar, and more. In addition to his many publication credits, he was the editor of Rhythm.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Few names are more synonymous with New York house than Roger Sanchez. The legendary DJ talks about process, philosophy, and Roland Cloud.
Kamaal Williams’ music is a genre-defying feast for ears. He speaks about his percussive approach to piano and his love of Roland gear.
Toronto-based Jeremy Ledbetter is a musical globetrotter. He speaks about music, travel, and why now is the perfect time to take a breath.
Experimental duo H31R strives to break through genre boundaries. The pair shares insight into their influences, gear, and creative process.
One of his generation's most significant synthwave artists, Com Truise looks back at the beginning of his journey and shares what lies ahead.