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
See All »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
See All »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.
The "Superstition" groove reminds us that, alongside his songwriting and musicianship, Wonder is one of the greatest drummers around.
SOUND BEHIND THE SONG
Using the TR-808, vocoder, and modular synthesis, the enigmatic duo created a modern dance classic.
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.
The TR-808 pattern at the center of “Hangin' on a String” elevates the moody groove.
“Heliosphan” relies on the drums to act as a driving force. Even when the track borders on chaos, the TR-909 maintains perfect time.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
The V-Drums Acoustic Design (VAD) series combines the Roland technology drummers love with classic acoustic drum set styling.
Josh Dun’s groove on the Grammy-winning “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots is infectious. Explore the beat and get its unique tone on V-Drums.
For a top-of-the-line electronic drum kit, look no further than the TD-50X series. Every element combines for a superb drumming experience.
With so many electronic drum kits to choose from, what’s the best intermediate choice? Roland’s TD-27 series provides the solution.
To play drums, you need gear, time, and patience. Explore the specific pieces required to help garner new skills and joy from drumming.
Our Contributors
See All »Darren is Percussion Product Manager for Roland Canada. He loves motorcycles, loud drums, and the great outdoors.
An LA-based booking agent with This Is Who We Are Now, Emily organizes Record Club Los Angeles, Presence, and many other events. Her work appears in L.A. Record and Razorcake .
Matthew Presley is a Product Manager for Zenbeats and Roland Cloud. He lives in Austin, Texas where he plays with his band Bali Yaaah.
Hannah Lockwood is an audio engineer/electronic music producer from Sydney. Her live sets are a collision of noise and harmony centered on modular synthesis. Hannah co-founded the Deep Seeded collective, showcasing the local live electronic artists and DJs actively breaking the boundaries of contemporary music.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Kamaal Williams’ music is a genre-defying feast for ears. He speaks about his percussive approach to piano and his love of Roland gear.
Devo's cult status remains indelible. Co-founder Gerald V. Casale reminisces about the band and its longstanding association with Roland.
Salim Merchant has an awe-inspiring career creating music for film. He took the time to talk about his new album Bhoomi 2020 and more.
Keyboard virtuoso Kyle Hollingsworth of The String Cheese Incident talks gear history, love of live performance, and songwriting craft.
Mndsgn has spent over a decade exploring inner truths as danceable moods. Find out why creating his latest was such a rare artistic pleasure.