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
The TR-606 was born of experimentation. It gave free rein to a generation of bold musicians like Autechre to create tracks like "Autriche."
The spiraling of the TR-909 on "Hunter" weaves a web of percussion. Immediately, the track draws the listener into a world of intrigue.
Using the TR-808, vocoder, and modular synthesis, the enigmatic duo created a modern dance classic.
Talk about '80s music, and a-ha's era-defining hit single “Take On Me” comes to mind. Get the story of this classic and the JUNO-60's role.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
Hybrid drumming blends acoustic and electronic elements. Anika Nilles explains her approach to the style on tour with Jeff Beck and beyond.
To play drums, you need gear, time, and patience. Explore the specific pieces required to help garner new skills and joy from drumming.
Playing backing tracks and samples live is one of the most common new experiences a drummer encounters. Tools like the SPD::ONE WAV PAD offer solutions.
For Neil Peart's birthday and in remembrance of his immeasurable contribution to drumming, we journey back to revisit the Time Machine.
During 2020, many of us turned to creative pursuits while at home. For Simon Gottliffe, his positive escape came from drumming.
Our Contributors
See All »Heywood is a lifelong Californian who now splits time between Los Angeles and the high desert. He is co-founder of the record label Chain Letter Collective and founded Chain Letter Press as a publishing home for both his creative output and copywriting. He lives with his spouse and their dog, Scully.
Kaori is a music teacher and ex-Roland designer of digital pianos and auto-accompaniment systems.
Kristin Michael Robinson is a freelance music journalist, musician, entrepreneur, publicist, and graduate of USC's Thornton School of Music. Her work appears in Variety, Ones to Watch, Lady Gunn, and The Noise.
Mark is Roland Keys & Production Product Manager at Roland Corporation Australia. He has written and produced music for Universal Music recording artists, TV, theater, live shows, and theme parks, as well as being a successful recording artist himself.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Miss Tahloulah May respects hip-hop heritage while pursuing her vision. She discusses beatmaking, crate digging, and the SP-404.
As co-writer and producer for British alt-rockers The 1975, George Daniel's association with Roland is integral to the band's sound.
Keyboard virtuoso Kyle Hollingsworth of The String Cheese Incident talks gear history, love of live performance, and songwriting craft.
The British duo shed light on their rural youth, work process, and how an intergalactic voyage informs its latest release, Feorm Falorx.
Daktyl is turning heads with his distinctive beats. The self-proclaimed gearhead discusses his influences, sample arsenal, and collabs.