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Weird Al Yankovic Accordion Jam

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How I Use the V-Accordion

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al Yankovic

There are few artists in the world who’ve had songs and albums at the top of the Billboard charts over a span of three decades. Among those elite few is perhaps the most famous parodist in pop music history, “Weird Al” Yankovic. Since the beginning of MTV in the ‘80s, Al has been there with his hilarious and spot-on parodies of popular songs. Those songs along with a polka-laden library of original songs have gained him legions of die-hard fans around the world. An accordion player first and foremost, Al uses Roland’s FR-7 V-Accordion. More

Richard Vission Talks INTEGRA-7

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INTEGRA-7, the Best Sound Modules All in One

Electronic dance music DJ and producer Richard Vission discusses his use of the INTEGRA-7 in his remixes and original music productions.

Richard Vission has been a preeminent house DJ and producer in Los Angeles since the late ’80s. His musical career started when DJ culture was first taking flight in Los Angeles, becoming known for a freewheeling mixing style that cycled through dozens of records per hour. He took the same frenzied sound into his production career, scoring big in 1992 with the sports-anthem classic “Jump” as a member of The Movement. More

On the Road with Netsky LIVE!

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Michael Schack talks V-Drums and SPD-SX

Netsky Live at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles CA.

Netsky Live at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

A celebrity in his native Belgium and growing in popularity worldwide, Boris Daenan—better known as Netsky—has received numerous awards and accolades for his new-school brand of drum and bass. In 2009, Hospital Records signed him to an exclusive deal, and his first release with the influential UK label was the highly successful single “Memory Lane,” followed soon after by the chart-topping debut album “Netsky.” In 2012, sensing that he could take his show to another level, the DJ and producer put his turntables aside and unveiled Netsky LIVE!, an EDM stage show featuring a complete band. More

The Making of “Egypt, Egypt”

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Dublab & Red Bull Present Key Tracks

Key Tracks: Egyptian Lover “Egypt, Egypt” from Red Bull Music Academy on Vimeo.

In January, the Red Bull Music Academy debuted their Key Tracks series with dublab, an LA based non-profit public broadcasting Internet radio station. We were pleased to learn that the series opened with Electro legend Egyptian Lover who happened to make his monster 1984 track “Egypt, Egypt“ on a Roland TR-808 drum machine and a JUPITER-8 synth. In this video, the Egyptian Lover takes us back a couple of decades by recreating his original tune and talking about his inspiration for the song. Check it out!

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Bass Guitarist Rudy Sarzo in Our Studio!

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From Randy Rhoads to Rudy Sarzo, This CUBE-40 Amp Has a History

Most guitarists know that Randy Rhoads used stack amps on stage. However, he also used a very special combo amp. What was it? Bassist Rudy Sarzo revealed that amp on the set during an in-depth interview with Gary Lenaire at the Roland Studio in Los Angeles.

Watch the full interview on our Livestream channel

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Jude Gold

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Full-Contact Guitar

Published by Jude Gold

Jude Gold is a true Renaissance man in the world of guitar. He splits his time between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a session player and sideman for many artists, including Jefferson Starship, Brendon Small, Miguel Migs, JGB, Eddie Money, and more. He’s also a noted guitar journalist with Guitar Player magazine, with hundreds of interviews and articles to his credit. To top it all off, Jude is a devoted educator who served as the Director of the Guitar Program at the esteemed Musicians Institute for four years and is currently an instructor there. More

Billy Duffy

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The Cult of Tone

Billy Duffy of the Cult on BOSS User's Group

Led by guitarist Billy Duffy and vocalist Ian Astbury, British post-punk band The Cult is still going strong after nearly 30 years. Formed in 1983 and strongly influenced by classic rockers from the ’60s and ’70s, the group unleashed a hard-edged sound with shades of psychedelia that presented a strong contrast to the drum machine-driven synth pop that led the UK music scene at the time. Powered by Duffy’s melodic riffage and Astbury’s bluesy wail, the essential ’80s albums Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple saw the group evolve in an increasingly heavier direction, a tradition carried on today with their latest release, Choice of Weapon. More

Herman Li of DragonForce

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A Master Shredder Hones His Chops with eBand

Herman Li of DragonForce

Featuring shred-masters Herman Li and Sam Totman, the British power metal band DragonForce delivers a high-adrenaline, twin-guitar onslaught that takes no prisoners. Riffing together with incredible precision at dizzying speeds, the virtuoso duo were recently recognized for their skills by axe fans around the globe, earning the Number 11 spot in a Guitar World readers’ poll that chose “The 50 Fastest Guitarists of All Time.” More

Team Pitbull

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Roland Delivers the Hit Sounds of Mr. Worldwide

Pitbull's band, the agents with Roland gearMiami-based rapper Pitbull is riding high, enjoying worldwide mega-success with his 2011 release Planet Pit and his latest release Global Warming. The CD showcases the sharp-dressed Cuban-American entertainer’s engaging charisma and features collaborations with a who’s who of today’s hottest music artists, including T-Pain, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, and many others. Planet Pit is was smash around the globe, spawning four hit singles in the U.S. alone, including the chart-topping “Give Me Everything” with R&B sensation Ne-Yo. Pitbull recently turned in a guest spot of his own, appearing on Jennifer Lopez’s hit “On the Floor.” More

Digital Guitar Amp Roundtable

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GA-112 and GA-212

Michael “Nomad” Ripoll (session, studio, and touring guitarist), Ritchie Fliegler (amp historian, author, and former Marshall and Fender product designer), and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers) share their thoughts on Roland’s GA-212 and GA-112 digital guitar amplifiers. More

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