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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“Axel F” is the inescapable theme song of the classic '80s romp Beverly Hills Cop. Learn about the oddball hit and its pioneering creator.
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.
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.
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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
“Caribbean Blue” by Enya is a tapestry of layered vocals over a bed of JUNO-60 pads. Its sounds evoke the pull of nature on the human psyche.
In the mid-'80s, there was little edgier in the mainstream than NYC’s notorious Beastie Boys, and "Paul Revere" was their origin story.
The track contains all the hallmarks of classic Prodigy: a blistering synth hook, heart-stopping guitars, and the smack of the Roland TR-707.
Returning from an infamous hiatus, James Murphy leads LCD Soundsystem through a dark labyrinth of dance-punk rhythms.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
Explore ground-breaking Roland drums—starting from the early days and looking to the future with D-Flux, the 50th anniversary concept model.
With Prismatic Sound Modeling, V-Drums have reached unprecedented realism and detail. Learn about the innovative modeling engine.
The V-Drums Acoustic Design (VAD) series combines the Roland technology drummers love with classic acoustic drum set styling.
There's an excitement to playing a drum set for the first time. As a father, Oli Raud gets to revisit that feeling with his children.
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
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When Daniel isn't giving tutorials or leading workshops, you can find him spinning at venues around Southern California.
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 .
Harold Heath is a former DJ and producer who writes about music for DJ Mag, Mixmag, Attack Magazine, and others.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Octave One’s Lenny Burden reveals the tools and techniques behind the duo’s tactile, electrifying live sets.
A legend of house music’s second wave, Roland instruments have been fundamental to Todd Terry’s genre-hopping career for the past 35 years.
Brooklyn trio Nation of Language demonstrates how its '80s-synth pop credentials are not just future past but future present.
AMÉMÉ reveals the ways his eclectic musical DNA helps him blur the lines between melodic techno, Afro, and deep house.
Rarelyalways opens up about his eclectic influences, the unpredictable ways inspiration strikes, and how he sometimes denies his identity.