Roland U.S.

Roland What’s New

02/03/12 - PowerOn Roland Users Group Magazine for iPad

We’re excited to announce the launch of PowerOn Roland Users Group Magazine, our new digital magazine for the iPad. Available from Apple’s App Store, this fun, interactive tablet-zine features the latest Roland news, artist interviews, gear how-tos, product spotlights, and more. Best of all, it’s free—subscribe and download the premiere issue right now! More info

01/19/12 - Breaking News from NAMM 2012

The annual NAMM show in Anaheim, CA, is always exciting. We’ll remember this one as the dawn of a new V-Guitar era with the debut of the G-5 VG Stratocaster® from Roland and Fender®, and the GK-Ready Stratocaster®. Guitarists will love the great-sounding GT-100 and the TU-10 clip-on tuner. For drummers, we’ve brought our killer SuperNATURAL® technology to the V-Drums® V-Pro® TD-30KV and TD-30K kits, and released the HD-3 V-Drums Lite, as well as DT-1 V-Drums Tutor software for PC and Mac. We’ve got gorgeous home pianos, the AT-900 Atelier organ, and the PK-6 Dynamic MIDI Pedal. And don’t miss the new CUBE™ monitors, the FR-1x and FR-1Xb V-Accordions®, or the awesome BK-5 Backing Keyboard. More info

11/11/11 - Comfortable in Your Own Skin

Roland is excited to announce our new partnership with StyleFlip, the leading source of custom skins for musical instruments. These high-quality covers help protect your gear without getting in the way, and they look so good. You can purchase designs from StyleFlip or even create your own skin using the new online Roland StyleFlip designer. More info

11/01/11 - When We Go Nuts, You Win

Apparently, we’ve lost our minds again with the new Big BOSS Giveaway Facebook event. Just fill in a form and you get the chance to win an autographed BOSS pedal from a bonafide BOSS guitar hero, plus a shot at $1000 in BOSS gear. Easy-peasy. We’re giving away a pedal every two weeks to the end of the year, so enter now! More info

10/28/11 - Roland AX Keytars: Artist Portal

Be sure to check out our new Pros Rock the AX page, where you can get exciting info about top touring artists who use Roland’s AX-Synth® and Lucina® AX-09 keytars. You’ll find videos, bios, artist web links, and much more—check back often, because we’re adding new content regularly. More info

10/22/11 - Amazing Loop Artists at the BOSS Loop Station U.S. Finals

BOSS recently completed the U.S. Finals for the Loop Station World Championship 2, where six top loop artists gave some outstanding performances while competing for gear and a spot at the international finals in 2012. Visit our contest landing page and check out highlight footage, performances, pix, and more. You can even watch an archive of the entire show, courtesy of Guitar TV! More info

10/14/11 - Z3TA+ 2 Presets Attack!!!

If you’re one of those smart people who own Cakewalk’s awesome Z3TA+ 2 waveshaping synth plug-in, you’ll want to enter Attack of the Presets, a new contest in which you get to show off your mad Z3TA+ 2 programming skills. Submit your best original preset along with an MP3 recording that shows it off for a chance to win a Roland GAIA® SH-01 Synth or Z3TA+ 2 Expansion Pack. More info

10/01/11 - Brian Culbertson Collaboration Contest

Download the studio stems for “It’s Time,” and create something amazing! Got some funk? Bring it! Got some jazz? Bring that too. Bring what you’ve got, and mix it up with Brian Culbertson. Brian has posted the original studio tracks to “It’s Time” from his twelfth CD, aptly titled “XII.” More info

09/23/11 - Owl Things Bright and Beautiful

To help celebrate the release of Owl City’s new CD, All Things Bright and Beautiful, we’re giving away one copy of the CD along with an Owl City hoodie each week for the next three weeks. We’ll ask a question each Friday at noon based on the Roland INSIDER Owl City interview. Answer the question correctly, and your name will be entered in a drawing. We’ll announce each week’s winner the following Thursday at noon. Good luck! More info

09/15/11 - It’s all About Your Connections

It’s fall, time for the annual CONNECT party, and we’ve got some very cool new products you’ll want to meet. Start with the SPD-SX Sampling Pad that brings together percussion and sampling in such a brilliant way you’ll wonder why it’s never been done before. The new RC-300 is an mind-boggling triple stereo mega-looper. We’ve got a new personal drum monitor, rosewood-look acoustic guitar amps, and new guitar pedals. For amazingly real recording, check out the R-26 portable recorder. And our new desktop/iPad audio processing software, R-MIX, introduces brand-new V-Mastering technology alongside our acclaimed VariPhrase tools. OK, go CONNECT. More info

08/15/11 - GR-55 Guitar Synth: Artist Patches, Sound Demos, and More!

Check out our all-new microsite for the amazing GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer, where you can grab free downloads of patches created by pro GR-55 users, plus explore sound demos, videos, interviews, and lots more. Bassist Gary Willis (Tribal Tech, Allan Holdsworth) is our first featured artist, and you can not only download his great patches to use in your own GR-55, but you can watch him play ’em as well! More info

08/01/11 - At the Intersection of Dreams and Reality

Roland’s new JUPITER-80 is an absolutely awesome synthesizer, and that’s why we’re doing everything we can to get you as excited about it as we are. We’ve got a JUPITER-80 microsite we’re packing with more and more sounds and videos, including tutorials featuring our own Scott Tibbs. Grab something to eat or drink and plan to stay a while. This is something special. More info

07/19/11 - Chat Live with Guitar Great Skunk Baxter on Facebook!

Attention BOSS U.S. fans on Facebook: don’t miss the opportunity to chat live with Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, session guitarist extraordinaire and past member of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers. He’ll be available on the BOSS U.S. Facebook page on Wednesday, July 27 starting at 12 p.m. PST, ready to answer your questions as they come. Check in on the morning of the chat for full details on how to participate. More info

07/01/11 - No-Interest Financing on All Roland and BOSS Products

Roland has teamed up with GE Money to create a very special offer for our customers. Now through December 31, 2011, qualified buyers will receive interest-free financing when purchasing Roland and BOSS products (if paid in full within 12 months). With this great opportunity, the time is right to pick up that Roland and BOSS gear you’ve had your eye on, or get the perfect gift for your favorite music maker. More info

06/01/11 - BOSS Loop Station World Championship 2

WANTED: The World’s Best BOSS Looper! Show us your best BOSS loop and earn a chance to perform at the international championship at Musikmesse 2012 in Frankfurt, Germany. More info

05/01/11 - Roland V-Drums Contest — 2011 National Championship

Don’t miss your chance to make history! Compete for valuable prizes and a chance to represent the U.S. in the 2012 V-Drums World Championship. More info

04/18/11 - Girl Scouts Rock! Powered by Roland

Roland U.S. and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) have joined forces to create Girl Scouts Rock! Powered by Roland, a series of interactive events designed to inspire and empower girls through music. The first was held on March 19, 2011, at The Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown L.A., with over 100 enthusiastic Girl Scout Cadettes and Juniors and their parents attending throughout the day. On hand to offer their support were Charlotte Caffey of the pioneering all-female band the Go-Go’s and rising young Disney star Shelby Spalione. More info

04/06/11 - Fresh as Spring

The Spring 2011 Musikmesse show in Frankfurt, Germany, saw the arrival of some great new Roland and BOSS products. The show’s highlight was undoubtedly the premiere of our stunning JUPITER-80, blazing a path to the future of synthesis. We unveiled the lightweight FP-4F Digital Piano and C-200 Classic Organ, as well as the beautiful dark-oak cabinetry of the C-330DA Classic Organ. The BOSS MICRO BR BR-80 is a portable, potent, and perfect little multitracker for recording on the go. And speaking of mobility, check out the BA-55 battery-powered amp and the QUAD-CAPTURE USB 2.0 audio interface that brings your life’s music to your laptop. More info

02/24/11 - V-Drums® Friend Jam — A Social Tool for Drummers

A new and exciting way to practice V-Drums is here! Interact with other V-Drummers around the world while improving your drumming skills with fun, play-along songs. V-Drums Friend Jam is the social networking tool for V-Drums you’ve been waiting for! Available as a free download for both PC and Mac. More info

01/13/11 - Steady Yourself — New Products at NAMM 2011

We’ve got great new Roland and BOSS products at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. Maybe the most jaw-dropping is the GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer, which melds synthesis and COSM® guitar modeling into something mind-blowingly new. How about the powerful RC-30 and RC-3 loopers, and our CUBE-XL BASS amps? We’ve continued to refine our acclaimed V-Drums®, and added mesh heads and a hot new kick pedal to our mid-line kits. The affordable SuperNATURAL® RD-300NX Digital Piano is perfect for working pianists, and the V-Piano® Grand is just plain awesome. Check out the “greatest hits” mix of features in the new ATELIER® Combo organ. And—yup—there’s more. More info

12/28/10 - Exclusive V-Drums® Lessons with Gregg Bissonette

To commemorate the 50th episode of V-Drums® Lessons, we are excited to bring you an exclusive series of lessons with world-renowned drum set artist Gregg Bissonette. A true master of drumming styles, Gregg augments each episode with the stories behind each style, making each lesson informative and extremely entertaining. More info

11/24/10 - BOSS Tone Radio 25 Now Online

We’ve just released the latest BOSS Tone Radio podcast, the milestone 25th edition of our popular podcast series that features discussions with the top guitarists in music today. This time around, host Paul Hanson talks with Nick Nolan, guitar shredder extraordinaire and music composer for the Emmy®-winning Curious George cartoon series. More info

11/04/10 - The Nation’s Top Drummer Revealed

The search is over—after three exciting months of auditions, competitions, and anticipation, “Go-Go Ray” Pollard from Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded the grand prize at the 2010 Roland U.S. V-Drums® Contest Finals. More info

10/20/10 - Win a BOSS Pedal Signed by Lincoln Brewster

If you’re a fan of gospel artist Lincoln Brewster, BOSS has got a contest you’ll really want to know about. We’re giving away a BOSS CE-5 Chorus Ensemble Compact Pedal and a copy of his Real Life CD, both personally signed by Lincoln. There’s nothing to buy. Just fill out a form for a chance to win! More info

10/18/10 - Roland Supports Powerful Voices

At Roland, we’re all about creating exciting new instruments, but there’s no instrument more thrilling, profound, or moving than the human voice. Roland is proud to be the sole musical instrument sponsor of the Most Powerful Voices gospel music contest, awarding the winning choir and artist with $5,000 worth of inspiring keyboard and recording gear. The contest is presented by GMC (formerly Gospel Music Channel) and the American Heart Association’s “Power to End Stroke” Campaign. More info

10/12/10 - Join Us for the BOSS Loop Station National Finals

The wait is over—after reviewing hundreds of submissions, we’ve chosen six finalists for the BOSS Loop Station National Finals. On October 23, 2010, these top BOSS loop artists will compete before a panel of celebrity judges at Musicians Institute in Hollywood for a grand prize of $3000 in BOSS and Roland gear and a spot at the Loop Station World Championship in January 2011. Admission is free and all ages are welcome, so come on down and cheer the finalists on! More info

10/08/10 - It’s All in the Sound

The new JUNO-Gi Mobile Synthesizer with Digital Recorder is so packed with features it’d be easy to forget what each Roland synth is about, first and foremost: Great sounds. We’ve posted a collection of short clips to give you a taste of what this latest member of the JUNO® family brings to the table. More info

10/01/10 - Show Us Your Guitar Synth Chops and Win Roland Gear

If you’re an innovative guitarist who’s adopted guitar synthesis, we’re inviting you to participate in our Guitar Synth Challenge. Simply upload a video of an original music performance featuring any Roland guitar synthesizer product (GR, GM, or GI series) to YouTube™ and fill out our online entry form. The grand prize winner will take home $3000.00 is in Roland and BOSS gear, while second and third place will earn $2000.00 and $1000.00 in gear respectively. The Challenge only runs through December 31, 2010, so enter right away! More info

10/01/10 - ’Tis the Season to Save with Our Latest Promo Offers

Visit our Current Promotions page to save money and get free stuff with lots of different Roland products this holiday season. We’ve got cash back offers on V-Drums®, free batteries with purchases of our battery-powered products, and more. Check ’em out and save! More info

09/17/10 - Roland U.S. Welcomes Cakewalk

The large new Cakewalk by Roland button on our Products page is a sign of something big: Roland is now distributing Cakewalk’s industry-leading products in the USA. That makes Roland your source for Cakewalk software—including SONAR and Rapture—and hardware, such as the growing family of new V-Studio products, not to mention Cakewalk's USB and FireWire interfaces, MIDI controller keyboards, and speakers. More info

09/01/10 - Roland CONNECT 2010 — The Art of Sound

Is there such a thing as a new tradition? How about September 1st’s exciting Roland CONNECT, the worldwide launch of the latest cutting-edge products from Roland and BOSS? It’s an even bigger bash than last year’s Roland CONNECT event, with a wide range of new keyboards, new amps, pedals, software, and an intriguing new audio interface. Things just keep getting better. More info

08/01/10 - Roland V-Drums® Contest Now Open

Roland is looking for the nation’s top drummer. Prizes include a custom REMO-wrapped TD-20SX V-Drums® Kit, OCTAPAD™ SPD-30, RMP-5, PM-30, and DW 9000 Hardware. National finals will be held in Las Vegas with a special performance by Blue Man Group…and more! More info

07/12/10 - Spanish Information Added to Select Product Pages

It’s exciting to live in the multi-cultural USA. Keep an eye out for the En Español links sprinkled throughout the product pages on the RolandUS.com website. Click to view an example. More info

06/10/10 - Roland and The GRAMMY® Museum Team Up for Traveling Exhibit

Roland and The GRAMMY Museum are proud to announce Instruments of Art, a one-of-a-kind traveling exhibit that features an interactive display of Roland’s state-of-the-art electronic instruments alongside never-before-displayed photographs of artist performances at the Museum. Open to the public and free of charge, Instruments of Art is currently on display at Westfield Topanga, one of Los Angeles’ most popular shopping destinations, through July 25, 2010. After that, the exhibit travels to other Westfield Mall locations throughout Southern California. More info

06/01/10 - Attention All Live Loopers: We Want You to Bring It On!

As of June 1, 2010, the first stage of the BOSS Loop Station World Championship is now under way! If you’re a guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, beatboxer, or any kind of looping musician, we invite you to show off your BOSS looping skills and earn a chance to compete at the Loop Station National Finals in October 2010. You could win thousands in amazing BOSS gear and a spot at the world championship event, but you have to enter to win. Don’t delay—the submission deadline is August 31, 2010. Get your loop on and show us what you’ve got! More info

05/25/10 - Milestone: 200 Songs Analyzed in “The Pedals That Make the Tone”

“The Pedals That Make the Tone,” our ongoing collaboration with Guitar World magazine, has been a huge hit with tone-hungry guitarists everywhere. Over nearly three years, resident BOSS shredder Paul Hanson has dissected, studied, and reassembled the guitar tones in 200 classic songs, a milestone he’s reached with this month’s selections. Check ’em out now as Paul gets started on the next 200! More info

05/14/10 - Registration Now Open for the 2010 V-Accordion® Festival

Attention all accordion enthusiasts! Enter now for your chance to perform at the U.S. National V-Accordion Festival, taking place at Roland U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles on September 18, 2010. The Senior Division champion will win a Roland FR-7x V-Accordion and a trip to Rome, Italy, to compete for the world title and 5,000 euros at the International V-Accordion Festival in October 2010. Don't delay—the cutoff is July 15, 2010, so fill out and return the entry form today! More info

05/03/10 - Opportunity Knocks

We like to do everything we can to get our technology into musicians’ hands, where it can do the world some good. We’re always pleased when we can put together special deals that make our products even more affordable. If you’re interested in an HD-1, JUNO-G, JUNO-STAGE®, TD-4SX, or TD-9SX, we’ve got some new offers you won’t want to miss. More info

04/23/10 - Free “FG Connects Live” Update for Fantom-G

Roland is proud to announce availability of the new FG Connects Live update. Made exclusively for the Fantom-G Series Workstations, this free download emphasizes the powerful live performance potential of the Fantom-G, adding new patches, live sets, rhythm patterns, and more. More info

04/20/10 - Cookin’ Up Some Disco Biscuits on BOSS Tone Radio

In this month’s BOSS Tone Radio podcast, host Paul Hanson talks music, tone, and technology with Jon Gutwillig, lead guitarist for the trance-fusion jam band Disco Biscuits. More info

04/15/10 - Paul Mirkovich Talks V-Combo

Keyboardist Paul Mirkovich has long been one of the go-to guys for TV shows—such as RockStar INXS on CBS—that count on having a band that absolutely smokes. He’s also an in-demand player, vocalist, and musical director for an astounding array of top acts. Paul recently sat down with us for an interview in which he talks about the joys of Roland’s new V-Combo VR-700 Stage Keyboard. More info

04/12/10 - An Impressive Display of SuperNATURAL® Piano Technology

Concert artist and piano virtuoso Yana Reznik puts Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano technology to the ultimate test in this new video, performing Rachmaninoff’s “Moment Musical” on the HP-307. We’re more than impressed, and we know you will be, too! To fully appreciate her stunning performance and the HP-307’s amazing sound, make sure you listen through quality headphones or full-range speakers. More info

04/08/10 - Spotlight on Learning

Even in these days of school-budget cutbacks, we continue to believe that music education is an important part of learning. This is why we’ve recently posted so many articles in the Spotlight section of the Roland Music Education site. There’s lots of good reading there, including info on ways in which today’s innovative educators are using technology to help musicians learn and grow. More info

04/05/10 - Experience Roland and BOSS

Maybe you’ve noticed that we’ve added a new EXPERIENCE button to the navigation bar at the top of our web pages. Click it—you’ll be whisked to a world of interactive product demos, things to watch and hear, and links to special product microsites. Have a look around. It’s a great way to learn about Roland/BOSS products. More info

03/31/10 - Imagine: Rockin’ Roland Battle of the Bands

We’re so excited—and honored—to be partnering with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus for two new contests. One’s in the Washington, D.C. area, and one’s in New England. If you’re in a middle school or high school in either of these areas, you can enter your band for the chance to win one very slick collection of Roland gear. You’ll find details after the jump. It’s all part of helping to support and promote the future of music. More info

03/23/10 - New Roland & BOSS Products at Musikmesse

Have you heard about the great new Roland and BOSS products we’ve unveiled at Frankfurt Musikmesse 2010? The powerful GAIA SH-01 virtual analog synth and ultra-light Lucina AX-09 synthesizer are compact, battery-powered, and built for fun. For a new standard in portable multitrack recorders, there’s the BOSS BR-800, with cutting-edge effects like the vocal tools from our VE-20. Mobile recording gets more affordable with the R-05, while the CD-2i is our easiest SD/CD recorder yet. The bellows in our two new V-Accordions® make them a delight to play. And we’re thrilled to present a new line of pianos based on Roland’s amazing SuperNATURAL® piano technology. Whew! Click below for details. More info

03/01/10 - Roland Artists & Educators Alliance

Roland is pleased to announce the new Roland Artist & Educators Alliance. Nothing tells the Roland story like the fantastic players and teachers who use our products, and we’re looking for Roland customers with enthusiasm and insights to share. If you think you may want to participate in this new program, here are the details. More info

02/19/10 - The New SP-404SX: Oh, It’s Been Brung

If you think you know what an SP-Series sampler can do, think again: The new SP-404SX is really something to hear. Kicking it up more than a notch from the SP-404, the SP-404SX has a big, fat, crisp, and clear sound that will knock your sox off. Is it the new 16-bit linear sampling, the new DSP effects? All. Of. It. Crank up your speakers and go have a listen. And don’t forget to read up on the SP-404SX's other hot new features while you’re there. More info

02/16/10 - Guitarists, Don’t Cut This Class

If you haven’t yet caught onto Effects 101, we’ve got four brand-new video-shaped reasons you should. We understand there’s a dazzling array of BOSS® stompboxes, and you’ve got to know what they do—how else are you going to ID the ones you need? Effects 101 is a free video class in guitar effects taught by our own master guitarist, Johnny DeMarco. And if you’re already wise to Effects 101, you’ll want to check out the four new videos we’ve just posted. More info

02/09/10 - Browse the Online ME-25 Sound Library

To help spread the word about the great sounds in our new ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects, we’ve set up a place where you can hear for yourself exactly what this potent effects processor can do. The effects are all here, including the sounds that ship in the ME-25 and a bunch of even newer ones that ME-25 owners can download for free. A very cool way to get up to speed on the ME-25. More info

02/05/10 - Free Jam Tracks for Rocking with eBand

eTracks for eBand are backing tracks for use with the eBand JS-8 Audio Player with Guitar Effects. Created monthly by our staff of shredders here at BOSS, eTracks allow you to grow your library of eBand jam tracks so you can continually challenge your skills and keep your chops fresh. More info

02/01/10 - Brian Culbertson Plays the Praises of the V-Piano®

Composer, arranger, and keyboardist Brian Culbertson invites us into his home studio for a look around and a chance to see where his V-Piano fits in the big picture. A clue: it's smack-dab in the middle of his control room. You won’t want to miss this video interview that ranges from his thoughts on the look and feel of the V-Piano to the awesome possibilities it embodies. “Love it,” he says. Who can blame him? More info

01/22/10 - Most Powerful Voices Choir Contest

Are you a member of a choir or know someone who is? This is your chance to share your voice and talent with the world. Roland Corporation U.S. is proud to be the sole musical instrument sponsor of the Most Powerful Voices choir contest, presented by the Gospel Music Channel and the American Heart Association’s Power to End Stroke Campaign. More info

01/14/10 - Roland Turns Up the Heat at NAMM

Roland turned up the heat at the NAMM Show in Anaheim last week, when we announced our 2010 lineup of new products. For the home, there are sparkling new digital pianos. For the stage, we've got new battery-powered keyboards and acoustic-guitar amps, the hot V-Combo organ and oh-so-useful VP-7 Vocal Processor. The killer ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects stompbox and the TU-3 Chromatic Tuner are also not to be missed. Let's not forget the exciting SuperNATURAL® piano upgrade for RD-700GX owners, either. New percussion gear? How about the new TD-12KX V-Stage® kit, and the reborn classic, the OCTAPAD™ SPD-30? Click "More info" for all the details about these and other new products for 2010. More info

12/16/09 - The Big BOSS Giveaway — One More Chance to Win!

The Big BOSS Giveaway has been a huge success, and we’ve already given away three pedals signed by famous BOSS guitar heroes and $3,000 in great BOSS gear! It’s coming down to the wire, and there’s only one more chance left: between now and December 31, 2009, identify the BOSS distortion or overdrive pedal used in the current riff and earn a chance to win an autographed pedal and BOSS products worth $1,000. As a bonus, you’ll also be entered for a chance to win the grand prize of four autographed BOSS pedals and $1,000 in BOSS gear. What are you waiting for? Listen and win! More info

12/09/09 - Peter Erskine and V-Drums®: Partners in Music Education

A true legend in the jazz world, Peter Erskine is a Grammy® Award-winning drummer, composer and producer. He’s also a renowned music educator, serving as Professor of Jazz Studies at USC’s Thornton School of Music. There, he’s developed curriculum for the popular Drum Set Proficiency course, which is taught in a drum lab powered by multiple Roland V-Drums sets. Recently, Roland Insider caught up with Peter to discuss his pursuits in music education and the role V-Drums plays with them. More info

11/10/09 - Odd Times Call for V-Drums®

Anyone who thinks V-Drums are good only for rock, pop, dance and other straight-ahead forms of music may want to consider coloring outside the lines a bit more. The fact is that V-Drums are great for any kind of music, regardless of the meter. As part of our online V-Drums Lessons, we’ve just posted two new videos from Johnny Rabb that discuss playing sevens and fives, as in septuplets and quintuplets. It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to help you get the most from your V-Drums. More info

11/02/09 - R-09HR. Version Two. Now. For Free.

We’ve recently released a major software upgrade for the R-09HR and we want to make sure you don’t miss it. This free operating system update adds the ability to split files, glue them together (digitally speaking, of course), and installs a metronome and two tuners in your R-09HR, making it even more handy than ever. If you don’t have the update yet, download it now, along with our new ReleaseNote booklet that explains all the new R-09HR tools at your fingertips. More info

10/26/09 - @Roland_US Is Alive On Twitter!!!

For the latest instrument and gear news, what could be easier than following the Roland US Tweet? Just set your Twitter client to @Roland_US and we’ll keep you in the loop. Be sure to get hooked up before January 14th, when news from the 2010 NAMM convention begins to break. (Hint: We’ve always got a bunch of new and exciting products at NAMM.) More info

10/23/09 - Effects 101

So much of getting a great guitar sound has to do with the effects you use and how you use them. We’re pleased to announce Effects 101—our new online effects seminar—which explains some of the science behind the art. Shredder extraordinaire Johnny DeMarco walks you through the basics and then some, helping you chase down those killer guitar sounds you’ve always wondered how to get. More info

10/22/09 - Free Sinevibes Patches for the Fantom-G, JUNO-STAGE, and JUNO-G

Sinevibes is one of the world’s leading sound library developers. How lucky are we that they’ve been kind enough to hand us new patch collections for the Fantom-G, JUNO-STAGE, and JUNO-G synths. This is a no-brainer: If you’ve got one of these synths, go grab these great new free patches now. More info

10/15/09 - Hand-Drum V-Drums® Lessons

As part of our V-Drums Lessons series, we’ve just posted three new online classes for players of the HandSonic® 10, arguably the world’s best hand-percussion instrument. Teaching these free lessons is well-known session percussionist Brad Dutz, who shares tabla, djembe and conga techniques, patterns, and more. Consider it an opportunity for your fingers and hands to go grab some new musical tricks. More info

10/13/09 - Roland’s First Webinar

On October 13, we tried something new. Something we think you’ll like. Our own Corey Fournier, broadcasting from our in-house studio, presented a live, online introduction to the RD-700GX digital stage piano. We’ve posted a video of the webinar for you to see how it all went. We’re pleased, and hope to present more of these sessions in the future. Of course, you can’t participate in this first webinar’s live chat since it’s just a recording now—you’ll have to wait until next time. More info

10/02/09 - David Benoit on the V-Piano®

Being such an outstanding instrument, it’s no surprise that more and more of the world’s best players are falling in love with Roland’s V-Piano. And acclaimed keyboardist David Benoit certainly belongs in that exclusive club. We’ve just posted a new interview with him in which he shares his excitement about this groundbreaking new instrument. More info

10/01/09 - When Tim Bogert Talks, We Listen

Bassist Tim Bogert is one the all-time rock legends for sure, best known for his work in Vanilla Fudge and Beck, Bogert & Appice. The man knows bottom—what can we say? Bogert spoke with Paul Hanson recently about music, what he’s been up to lately, and more. Come listen in. More info

09/24/09 - New VP-770 Videos

There are moments in which technology borders on magic, and that’s just what it feels like when you hear the things you can do with your voice and a Roland VP-770 Vocal and Ensemble Keyboard. We’re pleased to announce a series of new videos in which Adrian Scott shows you around the VP-770 and provides a glimpse into its nearly magical musical abilities. More info

09/17/09 - “One in a Million” Gallery

We’re halfway through our “One in a Million” contest, commemorating over one million CUBE amplifiers sold since their introduction. So far, we’ve received a ton of photos from creative CUBE owners, and we’ve posted a gallery of staff favorites. Check ’em out, and upload your own photo for a chance to win one of every CUBE amp we make! More info

09/14/09 - Free Speech, Free Gear

Express yourself and earn a chance to win great Roland gear! Simply complete a brief survey, telling us about yourself and your experience at the RolandUS.com website. For your time, you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of our exciting products, including the grand prize of a Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite electronic drum set, Roland JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard, or BOSS GT-Pro Guitar Effects Processor. This is a limited-time offer, so enter now to win! More info

09/10/09 - Impressed Artists Share Their Impressions

Roland V-Drums are played by lots of great drummers and percussionists, and it’s fun to hear why in their own words. We’ve just posted the TD-20SX Artists Impressions video, which contains clips of Omar Hakim, Gregg Bissonette, and Thomas Lang explaining why they love the refinements in the new TD-20SX V-Drums kits. You’ll find the video on the TD-20SX: V-Pro® Series web page. More info

09/01/09 - Roland CONNECTion

Throughout the year, Roland participates in various trade shows at which we announce our latest products. This September, we did something new: We introduced our new products at a worldwide Roland CONNECT online event. Roland CONNECT allowed us to roll out our latest gear across the entire globe at once, something you just can’t do at an old-school, physical convention hall. Check out the Roland CONNECT web page for the details on all of this exciting new gear. Whether you’re a pro, hobbyist, or something in-between, you don’t want to miss this first-of-its-kind event. More info

08/17/09 - Marty Friedman on BOSS Tone Radio

Our latest BOSS Tone Radio podcast features former Megadeth shredder Marty Friedman, where he discusses his career, gear, and playing techniques, as well as his newfound fame as a TV personality in Japan. More info

08/14/09 - This Is How They JUNO

We’re excited to announce the winners of our “How Do You JUNO?” contest. We got some great videos, and a whopping number of votes were cast: 50,411 in all! Big fun for everyone. The grand prize winner, with 16,456 votes, is Norberto Olivarria of Riverside, CA, who gets a JUNO-STAGE and two SRX sound expansion boards. Second place—and a JUNO-STAGE—goes to Erick Tejkowski of Fairview Heights, IL, who got 14,944 votes. Our third place winner, Mark St. John of Peekskill, NY, with 12116 votes, also gets a JUNO-STAGE. Congratulations to our winners, and thanks to everyone who participated. More info

08/01/09 - New Gear. New Inspiration.

On September 1, 2009, Roland will launch a new and innovative lineup of musical products via a unique web exhibition called Roland CONNECT. This virtual event will reveal Roland’s exciting new Fall lineup of products, covering a wide range of musical genres and product categories. Join the countdown now! More info

07/15/09 - “One in a Million” CUBE Amplifier Contest

Roland has sold over one million CUBE amplifiers since their introduction. To us, each CUBE owner is “One in a Million.” To commemorate this, we are hosting a “One in a Million” CUBE amplifier photo contest. Upload a picture of how and where you use your CUBE amplifier, and you could win one of every CUBE amplifier we make! More info

07/10/09 - Advantage: V-Drums

Everyone knows there’s nothing else on earth like Roland V-Drums. Those who have them love them. Those who don’t, want them. We’ve created a new V-Drums Experience page where you can learn about the amazing V-Drums technology. And that’s just to start. Keep an eye on the V-Drums Experience page over the coming weeks—there’s more great stuff to come. More info

07/01/09 - The Best Gets Even Better

We’re pleased to announce the Version 1.30 operating system update for our flagship synths, the Fantom-G6, G7, and G8. This update adds lots of great new functionality, as well as a huge amount of new and inspiring content for your Fantom-G music. More info

06/15/09 - Surf’s Up with the FRV-1 Fender Reverb

The latest Legend Series pedal from BOSS is a hot one: the FRV-1, a stompbox rendition of the classic ’63 Fender Reverb. Take a listen as guitar ace Steve Trovato puts this new Fender-approved pedal through its paces and demonstrates how vintage spring reverb tone is so integral to surf, country, rockabilly, and blues guitar styles. More info

06/11/09 - London International Music Show

This week at the London International Music Show, Roland took the wraps off three remarkable products. Boasting over 1,000 of the latest and greatest Roland sounds, the JUNO-Di truly sets the mobile performing musician free, weighing in at under 12 lbs and capable of running on battery power anywhere. The new FRV-1 Fender® Reverb compact pedal brings the timeless sound of a 1963 Fender Spring Reverb to the new-millenium guitarist’s rig. And the DP-990R is a sophisticated, deluxe piano with an amazing sound, Ivory-Feel touch, and a Polished Ebony finish that makes it a beautiful addition to any room. More info

06/03/09 - BOSS Tone Radio 17 Visits with Jeff “Skunk” Baxter

The latest BOSS Tone Radio podcast checks in with legendary guitarist and longtime BOSS and Roland gear fan Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. In this interview, he talks about some of the classic guitar solos he recorded as a member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, and discusses his playing philosophy, guitar synths, and much more. More info

06/01/09 - Free HD-1 Starter Book Lessons for Beginners

It’s hard to imagine a better electronic drum set for beginners than Roland’s HD-1. But fine, you’ve got an HD-1, but now, how do you play the drums? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Tommy Igoe’s new HD-1 Starter Book video lessons will get you up and drumming, covering everything the aspiring percussionist needs to know to start banging out beats. More info

05/28/09 - The Tone Index

The Pedals That Make the Tone—our popular monthly collaboration with Guitar World magazine—has been going strong for over two years now. To date, resident shredder Paul Hanson has shown how to recreate well over 125 classic guitar tones with BOSS pedals. To make it easier for you to find Paul’s descriptions and sound clips for the entire series, we’ve put together a Tone Index with links to every example. Check ’em out and rock on! More info

05/07/09 - RD-700GX Lessons

The RD-700GX is a beautiful-sounding instrument, and we’re pleased to announce a set of free online instructional videos that can help you get the most from your RD-700GX. In the RD-700GX Lesson videos, you’ll learn how to design the perfect piano sound, take full advantage of the RD-700GX organ—with virtual drawbars!—play rhythms, split and layer the keyboard, and more. More info

04/30/09 - Roland U.S. V-Accordion Festival and Contest

Do you love the accordion? Then join us at the Roland U.S. V-Accordion Festival in Los Angeles on September 25, 2008. In conjunction with the festival, a contest will be held to determine the finest Junior and Senior accordionists in the U.S. Finalists will perform at the festival, with the first-place winners in each division receiving a V-Accordion! In addition, the top Senior Division accordionist will win a trip to Rome, Italy to perform at the International Accordion Festival on November 21, 2009. Visit the V-Accordion Festival home page for details. More info

04/27/09 - Rock On with the Pedals That Make the Tone

Check out the latest installment of our popular monthly collaboration with Guitar World magazine, where resident guitar guru Paul Hanson shows you how to recreate the guitar tones of the masters with BOSS pedals. This month's entry includes pedal settings and tone descriptions for some classic rock favorites and low-tuned modern metal slammers. More info

04/05/09 - New V-Piano Videos

If you’re not excited yet about Roland’s revolutionary V-Piano, it’s time to find out what you’ve been missing. This is one amazing instrument. Head on over to our V-Piano page for a trailer to whet your appetite for the collection of short videos you'll find there that explain why we’re so totally knocked out by the V-Piano. More info

04/02/09 - Roland Arrives on Facebook

Have you got a Facebook page? So do we. By becoming a fan of Roland on Facebook, you’ll get all the latest news, as well as tips, videos, and more. We’ll keep you in the loop on special events and special deals, too. Come join the fun. More info

03/31/09 - How Do You JUNO?

The world is watching—get your music out there, promote yourself, and show us how you JUNO! Upload a short YouTube video that shows a creative way you use your Roland JUNO keyboard. Perform your own music, talk about your favorite sounds and features, or do whatever inspires you. More info

03/19/09 - Brand-New Free Fantom-G Toolkit

If you’re a Fantom-G owner, you’ll want to download the free FG Connects project we’ve prepared for you. The project contains over 600 newly created rhythms and 14 new rhythm sets, as well as tons of new chord memories, RPS phrases, and arpeggio-phrase edits. Think of the FG Connects project as a set of sparkling new tools for your already-potent Fantom-G. More info

03/17/09 - Tommy Igoe’s Groove Essentials 2.0 Bonus Lessons

Tommy Igoe is one of the world’s top drummers, recording and performing with artists such as Stanley Jordan, Art Garfunkel, Lauryn Hill, Dave Grusin, Patti Austin, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and David Wilcox. In addition to his work on Broadway with The Lion King, he’s also recently embarked on a promising solo career. Somehow, he’s found time to develop a line of acclaimed educational DVDs, and we’re thrilled that he’s now sharing some excerpts from his Groove Essentials DVD with us. You won’t want to miss these latest additions to our free V-Drums Lessons series. More info

03/05/09 - Hear the New BOSS ME-70 in Action!

Packed with an army of great BOSS guitar effects, the ME-70 blends stompbox simplicity with the convenience of an all-in-one multi-effects unit. Check out our new audio demos to hear the amazing array of sweet guitar tones the ME-70 is capable of producing! More info

02/25/09 - New V-Drums Lessons

Back in January, we announced V-Drums lessons, online training videos to help V-Drummers expand their skills with the help of our killer clinicians and artists. We’ve just added more lessons, ranging from the technical—in the mood for paradiddles, anyone?—to the practical, with a lesson like the one on how to lock your kick to a bass guitar part. More info

02/18/09 - Keith Wyatt on BOSS Tone Radio

Edition 16 of BOSS Tone Radio visits Keith Wyatt, a member of the LA-based band the Blasters. Keith is a master guitarist who’s authored over 20 best-selling instructional DVDs, and he’s currently the Vice President of Programs at the prestigious Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Listen in as he discusses teaching, touring, and his favorite BOSS tone tools. More info

02/08/09 - SuperStore, Even More

Roland’s continuing to add products to the online Roland SuperStore. New this month are V-Drum pads, EDIROL by Roland cables, V-Accordion accessories, and more. More info

02/05/09 - Free MICROtracks for the BOSS MICRO BR

Want to improve your guitar soloing chops? Then check out MICROtracks! Created by resident BOSS guitar gurus Paul Hanson and Rob Marcello, these MP3 files are full audio tracks for loading into your BOSS MICRO BR. Designed to help you boost your soloing skills, MICROtracks cover a wide range of music styles and come with an instruction sheet that gives you chord and scale info and playing tips. Best of all, they’re free, so download ’em now and start rippin’ it up right away! More info

01/25/09 - New Michael Schack TD-4S Videos

We’re excited about the new TD-4S V-Compact Series kit, and we’re pleased to have a set of enjoyable new videos in which internationally acclaimed drummer Michael Schack lets you look over his shoulder as he shows off the capabilities of these hot new drum sets. More info

01/14/09 - 2009: An Exciting Year at Roland

It’s time for the 2009 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California, and, as usual, Roland’s announced a staggering batch of new instruments and equipment. We’ve got everybody covered. To start with, there’s the groundbreaking V-Piano. How about a return to the front of the stage for the keyboardist with the shoulder-strapped AX-Synth? There’s a hot new TD-4 module for drummers, new amps, new effect pedals for guitarists and bassists, a fresh home keyboard lineup, V-Accordions, new ARX sounds, and tons of handy new accessories, and more. Roland’s firing on all cylinders, even in these tough times. And we know you’re not surprised. More info

01/11/09 - Free Online V-Drums Lessons

At Roland, we’re about more than just selling products—our relationship with musicians goes way beyond that. As part of that commitment we’re happy to announce the brand-new V-Drums Lessons, a unique web page of free drum and percussion lessons for beginning to advanced players. These exclusive video lessons are hosted by our talented team of V-Drums clinicians and artists. They can be viewed in your browser, or downloaded if you prefer. You can even subscribe to them in iTunes. We don’t want you to just buy V-Drums—we want you to have an absolutely great time playing them. More info