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
"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails is built around a densely layered groove featuring the TR-606. The edgy track achieved great chart success for the band.
“Jam On It” by Newcleus is a true hip-hop classic. The track is dense with groove, creative production, and lyrical panache.
In the mid-'80s, there was little edgier in the mainstream than NYC’s notorious Beastie Boys, and "Paul Revere" was their origin story.
When that muted guitar lick comes in against those TR-707 rimshots, it feels too good not to dance. This is the tale of the INXS classic.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
From stints in the E Street Band to his current role in one of metal’s most revered acts, Weinberg understands the power of responsive drums.
For Neil Peart's birthday and in remembrance of his immeasurable contribution to drumming, we journey back to revisit the Time Machine.
Hybrid drumming blends acoustic and electronic elements. Will Hunt of Evanescence explains his approach to the style.
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.
This guide will teach you how hybrid drums can benefit your drumming by helping you enhance, layer, and expand your sound.
Our Contributors
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Arielle Silver is an LA-based singer-songwriter, literary writer, and yoga teacher. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best New Poets. Her latest album, A Thousand Tiny Torches, is out now.
Evan's work has appeared in a host of print and online publications, including Rolling Stone, Wired, The Fader, and Tenderly.
Born and raised in Istanbul and now living in New York, SIRMA is a singer, songwriter, and music producer who blends alternative pop with electronica. She is the creator of the Modern Pop Vocal Production course on Soundfly and has a degree from Berklee College of Music. Find out more at sirmamusic.com.
Christian is Director of Global Digital Marketing at Roland Corporation. If he had a professional memoir it would be titled, From Organic Chemistry to Organic Engagement. He lives in LA with his wife and daughter.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
The British duo shed light on their rural youth, work process, and how an intergalactic voyage informs its latest release, Feorm Falorx.
Devo's cult status remains indelible. Co-founder Gerald V. Casale reminisces about the band and its longstanding association with Roland.
Octave One’s Lenny Burden reveals the tools and techniques behind the duo’s tactile, electrifying live sets.
As co-writer and producer for British alt-rockers The 1975, George Daniel's association with Roland is integral to the band's sound.
Mndsgn has spent over a decade exploring inner truths as danceable moods. Find out why creating his latest was such a rare artistic pleasure.