For Immediate Release

Rebecca Eaddy
Marketing Communications Manager
Roland Corporation U.S.
(323) 890-3718
Rebecca.Eaddy@RolandUS.com

Roland Corporation US Announces New Drum and Percussion Division

Los Angeles, California, October 28, 2005—Roland is proud to announce the formation of a new Drum and Percussion division dedicated to the focused sale and marketing of drum and percussion products in the United States. The recent divisional launch is yet another in a series of strategic moves made by the company, and further demonstrates Roland's commitment to increased market dominance in the year 2005.

Thirty years ago, Roland burst onto the music-products scene with the first programmable drum machine, created by Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi. Since then, the company has released an incomparable line of award-winning digital products and patented technologies that secured Roland's position as not only the number one electronic drum company in the world, but one of the largest drum companies in the world.

“We’ve never thought of electronic percussion as a fad,” relates Division Manager Steve Fisher. “Roland was virtually founded on electronic percussion, and has been dedicated to making drum & percussion products since the company’s inception. Over the last three decades, our innovations such as multi-layer mesh V-Pads™, the V-Cymbal®, V-Hi-Hat®, and COSM® technology have given drummers and percussionists creative tools for a wide variety of musical applications that work with their natural playing techniques. The success of our product line alone demonstrates that the Roland R&D staff is second to none.”

Professional percussionists and drummers have been supportive of Roland’s digital technology from the start. The list of top-tier musicians using Roland gear is vast, and includes heavyweights that range from the pop/jazz fusion of Omar Hakim to the artistry of Neil Peart to the soulfulness of Bashiri Johnson. With the help of Johnny Rabb, Gregg Bissonette, Cindy Blackman, Luis Conte, Richie Garcia, Pat Mastelotto, Bobby Hewitt, and many others, Roland has ignited a digital revolution in the drum and percussion community.

Of the future of Roland products Fisher says, “We will continue to move forward with dynamic products and programs that are geared to raise a greater awareness of our products worldwide. There’s a huge potential with electronic percussion, and the technology, while 30 years in the making, is still very new. Unlike the product categories of guitars and keyboards that have had their electronic counterparts to the acoustic version for years, the electronic drum set [the Roland V-Pro™ Series] has only become a fully functioning counterpart to the acoustic drum set in the past few years. We feel that we’re in the same position with electronic drums that electric-guitar companies were in during the 1960s.”

Roland is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of electronic musical instruments, professional audio equipment, multimedia products, and music accessories. For more information, contact 323-890-3718.

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