Roland Corporation

Roland Corporation

Type	Public (K.K.)
Traded as	TYO: 7944
Industry	Electronics
Founded	Osaka, Japan (April 18, 1972)
Headquarters	Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
Key people	Ikutaro Kakehashi
Products	Musical instruments, Audio/Video, Electronics, Computer-related products
Number of employees	3,060 (2013)
Website	roland.com

Roland Corporation (ローランド株式会社, Rōrando Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005, Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Italy, Taiwan, Japan, and the USA. As of March 31, 2010, it employed 2,699 employees.^[1] It has existed in different forms since 1960, making it relatively old among still-operating manufacturers of musical electronics. Known for hundreds of popular synthesizers, drum machines, and other instruments, Roland has been one of the top names in professional music equipment since the late 1970s.

Origin of the Roland name

Kakehashi founded Ace Electronic Industries in 1960, a manufacturer of numerous combo organs, guitar amplifiers, and effects pedals. He was also contracted by Hammond to produce rhythm machines for the company's line of home organs. In 1973, Kakehashi cut ties with both companies to found Roland.

As with many Japanese start-ups of the period, the name Roland was selected for export purposes as Kakehashi was interested in a name that was easy to pronounce for his worldwide target markets. Rumour has long circulated that he named his company after the French epic poem La Chanson de Roland. In reality, the name Roland was found in a telephone directory. Kakehashi opted for it as he was satisfied with the simple two-syllable word and its soft consonants. The letter "R" was chosen because it was not used by many other music equipment companies, and would therefore stand out in trade show directories and industry listings. Kakehashi did not learn of "The Song Of Roland" until later.^[2]

Brands

Roland markets products under a number of brand names, each of which are used on products geared toward a different niche.^[3]

• The Roland brand is used on a wide range of products including synthesizers, digital pianos, electronic drum systems, dance/DJ gear, guitar synthesizers, amplifiers, and recording products.
• BOSS is a brand used for products geared toward guitar players and is used for guitar pedals, effects units, rhythm and accompaniment machines, and portable recording equipment.
• Edirol was a line of professional video-editing and video-presentation systems, as well as portable digital audio recorders. Edirol also had Desktop Media (DTM) products, more production-oriented, and included computer audio interfaces, mixers, and speakers. Following Roland's purchase of a controlling interest in Cakewalk Software, most of the division's products were rebranded as Cakewalk products or blended with the professional audio/RSS products to form Roland Systems Group.^[4]
• Roland Systems Group is a line of professional commercial audio and video products.
• Rodgers was founded in 1958 as an organ company and survives today as a subsidiary of Roland, still manufacturing high-quality electric, electronic, and pipe organs.
• Cakewalk music software company is a long-term partner of Roland’s. In January 2008, Roland announced the purchase of controlling interest in the company. In 2013, ownership of Cakewalk passed from Roland to Gibson Guitar Corporation.
• Roland DG produces computerized plotters, vinyl cutters, and printers for the production of commercial signwork and point-of-sale materials.

At one point, Roland acquired the then-defunct Rhodes name, and released a number of digital keyboards bearing the Rhodes brand, but it no longer owns the name. The late Harold Rhodes regained the right to the name in 2000. Rhodes was dissatisfied with Roland's treatment of the marque, and had plans to re-introduce his iconic electric piano, but died before he was able to bring it to market.^[5]

Timeline of noteworthy products

1972

• Roland AF100 Bee Baa: a fuzzbox with four knobs on the rear panel
• Roland AS1 Sustainer: the ancestor of today's compression/sustain pedals.
• Roland Rhythm 33 Rhythm 33: TR33 had the cut-out body shape that showed that it was intended for mounting underneath a piano or organ keyboard
• Roland Rhythm 55 Rhythm 55: The TR55 was more of a tabletop design
• Roland TR-77 Rhythm 77: Upscale version of the TR 55. TR-77 is known as an updated version of Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR-7L.^[6] It is also known as Hammond Rhythm Unit.

1973

• Roland AD50 Double Beat: By virtue of combining wah, fuzz and a simple phaser, possibly the ancestor of all today's multi-effects pedals
• Roland AG5 Funny Cat: auto-wah
• Roland AW10 Wah Beat: wah pedal
• Roland EP10 Combo Piano: Japan's first fully electronic piano
• Roland EP20 Combo Piano: Japan's first fully electronic piano
• Roland RE100 Space Echo a machine to reproduce long announcements
• Roland RE200 Space Echo a machine to reproduce long announcements
• Roland SH3 Synthesizer: the earliest Japanese example of a 'classic' synthesizer. Infringing Bob Moogs filter patent.
• Roland SH-1000 Synthesizer: Japan's first commercial keyboard synthesizer.

1974

• Roland EP-30 Roland Piano: The world's first touch-sensitive electronic piano.
• Roland RE-101 Space Echo:
• Roland RE-201 Space Echo: The renowned space echo machine, one of the most popular tape delay-based echo machines ever produced.
• Roland SH-3A Synthesizer: Monophonic synthesizer with a new VCF and VCA
• Roland SH-2000 Synthesizer: a pressure-sensitive preset synth designed to compete directly with the ARP Pro Soloist

1975

• Roland AF60 Bee Gee:
• Roland AP2 Phase II:
• Roland AP7 Jet Phase: which offered four 'Jet' modes alongside two conventional phasing modes.
• Roland Revo 30 Revo Sound System: designed to imitate the sound of a Leslie rotary speaker system.
• Roland Revo 120 Revo Sound System:
• Roland Revo 250 Revo Sound System:
• Roland RS-101 Strings: the first appearance of what was soon become to Roland's trademark: its Ensemble effect.
• Roland SH-5 Synthesizer: a splendid synthesizer, packed with innovative features.
• Roland System-100 Synthesizer: Roland's first attempt at a modular synthesizer.
• Roland TR-66 Rhythm Arranger:
• Roland Jazz Chorus-60 JC-60 Guitar Amplifier:
• Roland Jazz Chorus-120 JC-120 Guitar Amplifier: A two channel, 120 watt amplifier equipped with two 12-inch (30 cm) speakers, built-in chorus and vibrato effects and a 3-band EQ per channel, renowned for its super-clean sound and durability, it has remained in production for over 35 years.

1976

• Roland DC-50 Digital Chorus: An analog chorus ensemble similar to Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble|Boss CE-1.^[6] Some collectors assume that it was also supplied as OEM product, Multivox CB-50.^[7]
• Roland RS202 String Ensemble:
• Roland Jazz Chorus-160 Guitar Amplifier:
• Roland System-100 Synthesizer:
• Roland System-700 Synthesizer: Roland's first professional-quality modular synthesizer.

1977

• Roland GA-series 20, 30, 40, 60, 120W guitar amps.
• Roland GB-series 30, 50W bass amps
• Roland JC60A and JC120A Jazz Chorus amps
• Roland DC10 analogue echo
• Roland RE301 chorus echo
• Roland GS500 guitar-synth system
• Roland MP700 Piano:
• Roland MPA100 amplifier: Amplifier for the MP700
• Roland VK-6 Organ: Analog organ
• Roland VK-9 Organ: Analog organ
• Roland MC-8 MicroComposer : A groundbreaking digital sequencer. Roland's first product to utilize a microprocessor.^[8]
• Roland GR-500 Guitar Synthesizer: Roland's first commercial guitar synthesizer.^[9]

1978

• Cube 40 guitar amplifier (40W).
• GA-series 50 guitar amplifier (50W).
• JC50, JC200 and JC200S Jazz Chorus amps
• RD125L Revo.
• RD155L Revo
• SB-series 200 bass amp (200W
• DC20 analogue echo
• DC30 analogue delay
• GE810 graphic EQ
• GE820 graphic EQ
• PH830 stereo phaser
• RV100 reverb
• RV800 reverb
• MP600 Combo piano
• MRS2 Promars monosynth
• RS09 Organ/Strings keyboard
• RS505 Paraphonic Strings
• SH1 monosynth
• SH7 monosynth
• SH09 monosynth
• CR68 Human Rhythm Player
• Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm: A user-programmable drum machine.
• Roland Jupiter-4 JP-4: Roland's first self-contained polyphonic synthesizer.
• Roland VK-09 Electronic Organ: Early attempt to clone Hammond

1979

• SH1 monosynth
• Roland SH-2 Synthesizer: a super little dual-oscillator monosynth
• Roland System-100M Roland Studio System: Semiprofessional modular synthesizer, successor of System-100.
• Roland VP330 Vocoder Plus: The vocoder shapes its envelope and filters by any sound source fed into it
• Roland SDD-320 Dimension D: a rare outboard stereo chorus effects unit.

1980

• Roland CR-8000 CompuRhythm: The CR-78 used analog drum voices, which sounded very little like real percussion instruments, but they instead had their own distinctive sounds
• Roland VK-1 Combo Organ: Roland's first decent attempt to clone the Hammond B3.
• Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer: One of the most popular programmable analog drum machines; its distinctive analog sounds, such as its cowbell sound and its kick drum, have become pop-music clichés, heard on countless recordings.
• Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer:

1981

• Roland VK-09 Electronic Organ: Early attempt to clone Hammond
• Roland MC-4 MicroComposer: A popular digital sequencer and the successor to the MC-8.
• Roland TB-303 Computer Controlled Bass Line: The Bass Line is a synthesizer with built-in sequencer manufactured from late 1981 to 1984. It had a defining role in the development of contemporary electronic music, particularly in acid house.
• Roland TR-606 Drumatix: A programmable analog drum machine designed to be used with the TB-303.
• Roland Jupiter-8 JP-8: Roland claims this synthesizer put them in the forefront of professional synthesizers. A successful 8-voice programmable analog synthesizer after the hugely successful Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Oberheim's products.
• Roland SDE2000 Digital Delay: Roland's first digital effects unit.

1982

• Roland Juno-6 Polyphonic Synthesizer: Roland's first synthesizer with digitally controlled oscillators.
• Roland Juno-60 Programmable Polyphonic Synthesizer:Roland's first synthesizer with digitally controlled oscillators with memory
• Roland G-505 – G-202: The 3rd generation of Roland electric guitar synthesizer controllers. These Strat-style guitars came with the matching GR-700 and PG-200 pedal boards, which also work as a regular guitar effector as well as a MIDI synthesizer bank.
• Roland SH-101 Keytar: synthesizer designed to be worn hung around the neck with a strap, with an optional modulation attachment that protruded like the neck of a guitar.

1983

• Roland JX-3P Programmable Preset Polyphonic Synthesizer: First Roland synthesizer to support MIDI.
• Roland Jupiter-6 JP-6: 6-voice programmable analog synthesiser. Roland's second synthesizer to support MIDI.
• Roland PG-200: Synthesizer programmer for the JX-3P, MKS-30 and GR-700.
• Roland DXY 100R X-Y Plotter : Plotter
• Roland MC-202 MicroComposer: is a monophonic analog synthesizer/sequencer. It is similar to the TB-303 and SH-101 synthesizers, featuring 1 voltage-controlled oscillator with simultaneous saw and square/pulse-width waveforms.
• Roland MSQ-700 Digital Keyboard Recorder: The world's first MIDI-compatible sequencer.
• Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer: An extremely popular drum machine during the early 1990s, the sounds of which (particularly the kick drum and open hi-hat) are still essential components of modern electronic dance music. The world's first MIDI-equipped drum machine and Roland's first to use digital sample playback combined with analog sound synthesis.
• Roland CMU-800R Compu music: Compu Music controlled by Apple II or C64.
• Roland CMU810 Compu Synth: Monosynth

1984

• Roland MKB-1000 and MKB-300: The world's first dedicated MIDI controller keyboards.
• Roland MPU-401: Interface for connecting MIDI-equipped devices to a computer.
• Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter: Rack-mounted 8-voice analog synthesizer, commonly used with the MPG-80 programmer unit.
• Roland Juno-106 Programmable Polyphonic Synthesizer: Very popular programmable (128 patch memory locations), digitally controlled 6-voice analog synthesizer, with MIDI and the ability to transmit button and slider information through SysEx.
• Roland TR-707 and Roland TR-727 Drum Machine: The TR-727 was essentially the same as the TR-707, except it had Latin-style sounds. The TR-707 was used extensively in the early days of house music and is still used in non-Western pop music around the world. The TR-727 is still used extensively in polyrhythmic non-Western pop music.
• Roland JX-8P Polyphonic Synthesizer: One of Roland's last true analog synths, the JX-8P was Roland's replacement for the Jupiter 8 but featured a sleek, low profile appearance to compete with the popular digital Yamaha DX-7.
• Roland G-707 Guitar Controller and GR-700 Guitar Synthesizer:

1985

• Roland Alpha Juno: Two analog polyphonic synthesizers, the Alpha Juno 1 (JU-1) and the Alpha Juno 2 (JU-2), notable for their 'Alpha Dial' that simplified the user interface.
• Roland Octapad (Pad-8): A set of visually distinctive electronic drum triggers.

1986

• Roland Super JX Polyphonic Synthesizer JX-10: Roland's last true analog synth, the JX-10 was ostensibly the circuitry of two JX-8Ps in a single synth. However, subtle differences in sonic architecture and electronic components give the JX-10 a slightly different sound than the 8P. Also produced in rack-mounting form as the MKS-70.
• Roland RD-1000 Digital Piano: Roland's first digital piano to feature their SA Synthesis technology. Featured an 88-note weighted, wooden keyboard with three-band EQ, chorus and tremolo. One notable user of this is Elton John from 1988 to 1993. Also produced in rack-mounting form as the MKS-20.
• Roland HS-80: Same as the Roland Alpha Juno 2 (JU-2), but with built-in speakers. Branded as "Synth Plus 80."^[10][11]
• Roland S-10 Digital Sampling Keyboard: Basic 12-bit sampler and keyboard combo. Sounds were stored on QuickDisks and it was capable of sampling up to 6 seconds of sound. It also had rudimentary analog filtering and ADSR.
• Roland MKS-100 Digital Sampler: Rack Mounted version of the Roland-S10 sampler.
• Roland MC-500 Sequenzer: stand-alone sequencer and midi recorders. There's 4-track recording in real or step time and 16 midi channel multitimbrality, a dedicated rhythm track, a built-in 3½-inch DS/DD Floppy disk drive with 100,000 note capacity and a large LCD screen.

1987

• Roland D-50 Linear Synthesizer: One of the popular digital synthesizers in late 1980s; Roland's first all-digital synthesizer implementing its Linear Arithmetic synthesis (a form of sample-based synthesis combined with subtractive synthesis). The D-50's descendants include the D-5, D-10, D-110 (rack unit), and D-20 synthesizers.
• Roland MT-32 Sound Module: Also using Linear Arithmetic synthesis, it was supported by many PC games in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a high-quality music option until support shifted to General MIDI sound cards.

1988

• Roland U-110 PCM Sound Module: Roland's first "rompler", the U-110 was a rack module based on Roland's large sample library and contained good representations of acoustic instruments. Designed to compete with E-mu's Proteus line, the U-110's successor U-220 found its way into many professional studio racks of the day.
• Roland E-20 Synthesizer: Roland's first entry into the auto-accompaniment keyboard market, going head to head with Yamaha and Casio. The E-20's descendants include the E-70, E-86, G-800, G-1000, G-70 and the current E-80.
• Roland MC-500mkII Sequenzer: Successor to the Roland MC-500, with Turbo software. Now with 8 tracks of recording, 100,000 note capacity, real-time track muting and more. Storages on 3½-inch DS/DD Floppy disk drive.

1989

• Roland R-8 Human Rhythm Composer: A drum machine with velocity-sensitive pads.
• Roland W-30 Music Workstation: A sampling workstation keyboard (DAW).
• Roland D-70 Synthesizer: 76-key synth. Successor to the U-20. This synth combines the U-20 ROM with advanced D-50-like filters.
• Roland Octapad II (Pad-80): Successor to the Pad-8.

1990

• 1990 – Roland HP-3700 Digital Piano: Roland digital piano.
• 1990 – Roland MC-50 Sequencer: is dedicated sequencer similar to the popular Roland MC-500 series. It featured 40,000 note capacity, up to 8 songs, 8 phrase tracks, a 3½-inch DS/DD Floppy disk drive, separate rhythm track and temp tracks, 32 channel MIDI and FSK sync.

1991

• 1991 – Roland SC-55 Sound Canvas: The world's first General MIDI synthesizer.
• 1991 – Roland JD-800 Programmable Synthesizer: Digital synthesizer with analog style interface.

1992

• Roland M160 MkII line mixer.
• RolandMA7 & MA20 micro monitors.

DIGITAL RECORDERS

• Roland DM80 multitrack disk recorder system.

HOME/ACCOMPANIMENT PRODUCTS

• Roland RA90 real-time arranger.

GUITAR SYNTHS

• Roland GR1.

MASTER KEYBOARDS

• Roland A30 Midi keyboard controller:
• Roland AX1 keyboard controller.
• Roland PC150 keyboard controller.
• Roland PC200 MkII keyboard controller.

PIANOS

• Roland EP9.
• Roland HP2900G.
• Roland HP3800.
• Roland HP5700.
• Roland HP7700 Micro Grand.
• Roland KR650 Intelligent Piano.

RHYTHM PRODUCTS

• Roland FD7 hi-hat control pedal.
• Roland KD7 kick trigger unit.
• Roland MDS7 drum stand.
• Roland PD7 drum pad.
• Roland R70 Human Rhythm Composer.
• Roland R8 MkII Human Rhythm Composer.
• Roland TD7 sound module.

SAMPLERS

• Roland SP700 sample player.

SEQUENCERS

• Roland MC50 MkII Micro Composer.
• Roland MT200 music player.

SOUND CANVASES

• Roland SC7 GM module:
• Roland SC33 Sound Canvas:
• Roland SC155 Sound Canvas:
• Roland SCC1 GS/GM soundcard:

SYNTHS & HI-TECH

• Roland CM300 GS sound module:
• Roland CM500 GS/LA Sound Module:
• Roland JV30 16 Part Multitimbral Synthesizer:
• Roland JW50 Music workstation:
• Roland JV-80 Multi Timbral Synthesizer: A sort of simplified and more user-friendly D-70; spawned a whole family of synthesizers based on its architecture and sample set. The JV-80 also came in a 1U rack spaced unit aptly named, the JV-880 sound module.
• Roland SR-JV80 Sample Wave ROM Expansion Boards: Both the JV-80 and JV-880 could also be expanded with Roland's proprietary SR-JV80 series expansion boards. These expansion boards at the time of their release could add up to an extra 8mb of wave sample ROM, thus increasing the number of patches (sounds) that could be played and accessed. Later, during the next eight years, the SR-JV80 expansion boards would also be integrated and adapted to the JV, XP and XV line of Roland keyboards and sound modules. Interestingly enough after more than 20 years, since their release date, the SR-JV80 expansion boards continue to be considered a valued sound source in various contemporary music styles among song writers and musicians, due to the high quality of the sample wave ROM that was used at the time. Roland produced the SR-JV80 series Expansion Boards for specific types of music genres, which included, but not limited to: R&B, Soul, Rap, Country, Rock, Vintage Rock, Instrumental and Orchestra (classical instruments). In addition the SR-JV80 series expansion boards have been used in many movies, TV shows, plays and popular music during the last two decades - It is widely known that Star Wars composer and former Boston Pops conductor John Williams used various Roland JV products with the SR-JV80 expansions boards; Also, the late film composer Jerry Goldsmith who composed five Star Trek movie scores, The Mummy and Air Force One among others, had a JV-1080 with various SR-JV80 boards. The SR-JV80 expansion boards sample wave ROMs were done so well, that Roland decided to continue to use them in the SRX line of expansion boards well into 21st century.^[12]

• Roland DJ-70: A DJ sampling music workstation and synthesizer keyboard that featured the first scratch wheel pad. Storages on 3½-inch DS/DD Floppy disk drive.

1993

• 1993 – Roland MC-50mkII: Successor to the Roland MC-50. Equipped with slightly advanced features for editing and general use. 40,000-note internal capacity, with the built-in disk drive, you can store approximately 150,000 events on a 3½-inch DS/DD Floppy disk drive.
• 1993 – Roland JD-990 Super JD: A rack-mount version of the JD-800 synthesizer with expanded capabilities.
• 1993 – Roland JV-90 Expandable Synthesizer: A JV-80 with 76-note keyboard, expandable to 56 voices.
• 1993 – Roland JV-1000 Music Workstation: A JV-90 with a built in MC-50mkII so as to be a fully-fledged workstation.

1994

• 1994 – Roland RD-500: The RD-500 is a professional digital piano with 88 weighted keys, 121 high quality sounds and built-in digital effects.
• 1994 – Roland MS-1: 16 bit AD/DA conversion, First portable digital stereo phrase sampler, with R-DAC (Roland Digital Audio Coding).
• 1994 – Roland S-760 Digital Sampler: 16 bits Digital sampler with resonant filters.
• 1994 – Roland JV-1080 Super JV 64 Voice Sound Module: Roland's 64-voice Super JV synthesizer module, it used the JV sample set with the JD series filters and a fast RISC processor for very smooth envelopes. Used on more recordings than any other module in history, the JV-1080 boasts a full range of acclaimed Roland sounds, as well as four expansion slots.
• 1994 – Roland AT-70 Organ: The first Roland's home organ, "Music Atelier" and its little brother AT-50.

1995

• 1995 – Roland XP-50 Music Workstation, 64 Voice, 4x Expansion : Basically a JV-1080 with a MRC-Pro sequencer.
• 1995 – Roland VG-8: The world's first guitar modeling system.

1996

• 1996 – Roland VS-880 Digital Studio Workstation: Roland's first digital studio workstation providing recording, mixing and CD-mastering.
• 1996 – Roland DJ-70mkII: Successor to the Roland DJ-70, with more powerful features, including a DJ sampling music workstation, which featured a scratch wheel pad. It is essentially an Roland S-760 sampler with a keyboard. Storages on 3.5" DS/DD floppy disk drive.
• 1996 – Roland MC-303 Roland's first non-keyboard drum machine, sample-based synthesizer, and sequencer combination bearing the now-generic term Groovebox. Featuring a full 8-track sequencer.
• 1996 – Roland XP-80 Music Workstation, 64 Voice, 4x Expansion: JV2080 with a MRC Pro Sequencer . 64-voice music workstation. 4x expansion instead of the 8x the JV2080 has. This is the pinnacle of the JV Series in Keyboard version.
• 1996 – Roland AT-90: The highest model of Roland's home organ "Music Atelier" and smallest brother AT-30.

1997

• 1997 – Roland VK-7 Organ: Groundbreaking Hammond organ clone, which introduced the "Virtual ToneWheel" physical modeling technology.
• 1997 – Roland JP-8000 Analog Synthesizer: Roland's first virtual analog synthesizer. It's technology was more similar to conventional PCM synthesis, such as in a JD-800, rather than the virtual analog synths of today that digitally model the behavior of analog oscillators.
• 1997 – Roland V-Drums: Digital drums incorporating silent mesh drum heads that realistically reproduce both the natural feel and sound of acoustic drums.
• 1997 – Roland JV-2080 64 Voice Synthesizer Module, 3x Effects, 8x Expansion: Updated Super JV module This is the pinnacle of the JV Series in module version.
• 1997 – Roland AT-80 Organ: Top-class home organ in Roland's home organ.

1998

• 1998 – SP-808: Table-top sampler, multi-track recorder, and effects processor.
• 1998 – Roland MC-505: Successor to the MC-303 with a more powerful synthesizer and sequencer.
• 1998 – Roland JX-305: Similar to the MC-505, but with 61 keys.
• 1998 – Roland EG-101: "Groove Keyboard."

1999

• 1999 – Roland AT-90R Organ: Successor models. AT-60R, AT-80R, and AT-30R.

2000

• 2000 - Roland XV-3080 Sound Module: Essentially a Super JV module updated to 128-voices, and taking SRX expansion boards.
• 2000 - Roland XV-88 Keyboard: Essentially a XV-3080 module with an 88-key keyboard and 4 expansion slots
• 2000 - Roland XV-5080 Sound Module: True next generation synthesizer module and basis for the Fantom series of workstations. New high bit-depth samples, 128-voices, takes SRX expansion boards, and capable of loading sampler data.
• 2000 – Handsonic HPD-15: First electronic percussion pressure-sensitive multi-pad. Playable with hands and/or fingers (without sticks). Divided in 15 zones, with 2 ribbons controllers, 1 internal sequencer and 1 infra-red sensor named D-Beam.
• 2000 - Roland VG-88: Successor to the VG-8. Guitar synth with GK 13-pin input that models many guitars, amps, speakers and effects.

2001

• 2001 – Roland AX-7 Keytar: Successor to the AX-1. A keytar noted for its aesthetics and design.
• 2001 – Roland AT-90S: Successor models. AT-80S, AT-60S, AT-20S and AT-10S.

2002

• 2002 – Roland MC-909: Successor to the MC Groovebox series and also the flagship to all MC Groovebox series machines, featuring a full 16-track sequencer, SRX board upgrading, Built-in larger LCD Display Screen and built-in sampling. Supports 1 SRX Expansion card.
• 2002 – Roland AT-15: Baby of the "Music Atelier" home organ product range. And AT-5.

2003

• 2003 – Roland V-Synth Synthesizer: 24-voice analog modeling synthesizer.

2004 AMPS, MIXERS & SPEAKERS

• CM30: Cube monitor.
• Cube 60: guitar combo.
• CB100: bass combo.
• DM10 and DM20: digital monitors.
• DM2100 2.1: monitor system.
• DS5 DS7 & DS8: digital monitors.
• Micro Cube: guitar amp.

DIGITAL ACCORDIONS FR5 & FR7 DIGITAL RECORDERS & MIXERS

• MV8000 v2 update and MV8 VGA expansion option.
• VS2000CD digital recording studio.
• VS2480DVD digital recording studio.
• VS8F3 plug-in effects expansion board.

EDIROL PRODUCTS

• DV7DL Pro and DV7DL video-editing systems.
• FA101 Firewire audio interface.
• LVS400 video mixer.
• P1 photo presenter.
• PCR1 USB MIDI controller/audio interface.
• UA1000 USB2 audio interface.
• UR80 control surface.
• V1 video mixer.
• VMC1 video optimiser & video media converter.

GUITAR SYNTHS

• GK3 divided pickup.
• GK3B divided bass pickup
• GR20 guitar synth.

HOME/ARRANGER KEYBOARDS

• EXR3/EXR5/EXR7 interactive arranger keyboards.

ORGANS

• Atelier AT45, AT60SL, AT80SL & AT90SL.

PIANOS

• DP900.
• F50.
• FP2.
• HP101/HP103/HP107 digital pianos.
• HPi7 digital piano.

RHYTHM PRODUCTS

• CY8 trigger pad.
• FD8 hi-hat pedal.
• KD8 trigger pad.
• PD8 trigger pad.
• PD105 and PD125 V-Pads.
• TD3 V-Drum module.
• TD3 V-Drum kit.
• TD6V V-Drum module.
• TD6KV V-Tour Series kit.
• TD20 V-Drum sound module.
• TD20K V-Pro Series kit.
• VH12 hi-hat.

SYNTHS & HI-TECH

• Fantom X6/X7/X8 keyboard workstations.
• Fantom XR synth module.
• Juno D synth keyboard.
• SP606 Groovesampler.
• VC1 D50 card for V-Synth.
• Roland Fantom-X Synthesizer: Music workstation and professional synthesizer expandable to 1 gigabyte of sounds.

• Roland AT-90SL Atelier: Successor models. AT-80SL, and AT-60SL.

2005

• 2005 – Roland Micro Cube Amplifier: Roland's first portable amplifier. Allowed for AC adapter or battery use. Seven input effects, delay, and reverb options.
• 2005 – Roland Fantom-Xa: Entry-level Fantom-X. The A stands for access.

2006

• 2006 – Roland MC-808: The latest MC-series, featuring a full 16-track sequencer and 512 MB more memory, and double the polyphony of the MC-909. First MC Groovebox series with motorized faders and built-in sampling, no velocity-sensitive pads, no SRX board as an add-on as seen on MC-909.
• 2006 – Roland SH-201: Roland's first affordable analog modeling synthesizer.
• 2006 – Roland Juno-G: Entry-level workstation based on the Fantom-X.

2007

• 2007 – Roland MV-8800: Successor to the MV-8000. Production station with 24-bit sampling capabilities. Has new built-in color LCD display.
• 2007 - Roland VG-99: Successor to the VG-8 and VG-88. Guitar synth with GK 13-pin input, multiple channels and innovative hands free controls that models a huge number of guitars, amps, speakers and effects.

2008

• 2008 – Roland Fantom-G: Music workstation with onboard graphical MIDI sequencer.
• 2008 – Roland Juno Stage & Juno-Di: Entry-level workstations based on the Fantom-G and the successors of the Juno-G

2009

• 2009 – Roland AX-Synth Keytar: A keytar, successor for the AX-7. The most notable change is the addition of an internal synthesizer.
• 2009 – Roland AT-900 Organ: Roland introduces the AT-900, AT-800 and AT-900C, the next generation of Atelier organ consoles, successors to the AT-90S and AT-90SL. The full line of Music Atelier: AT-500, AT-300, AT-100, and AT-75 were introduced later on.
• 2009 – Roland V-Piano: the first digital piano to rely solely on physical modeling technology.

2010

• 2010 - Roland MPX-90: desktop metal printer strikes metallic surfaces with a precision diamond-tipped stylus
• 2010 - Roland Juno-Gi : The older brother of the Juno-Di
• 2010 - Roland SH-01 Gaia : Analog modeling synthesizer

2011

• 2011 – Roland Jupiter-80: Flagship performance synthesizer, combining Roland's SuperNatural acoustic modeling technology with a virtual analog engine.
• 2011 – Roland ATELIER Combo AT-350C: A Combo version of the "Music Atelier" home organ product range. Can be coupled with any of Roland's MIDI pedal keyboards to make it a complete organ.

2012

• 2012 - Roland Jupiter-50 Synthesizer: A reduced JP-80 with three parts instead of four and a smaller non-touch screen.
• 2012 - Roland Integra-7 Sound Module: A sound module which contains sounds based on their new SuperNatural technology an all of the sounds of the XV-5080 sound module.

2014

• 2014 - Roland FA06/FA08: The new & affordable Fantom music workstation with sounds derived from Integra-7 sound module.
• 2014 - Roland Aira's TR-8: Rhythm Performer, based on the drum-sounds of the TR-808 and TR-909.
• 2014 - Roland Aira's TB-3: Touch Baseline, based on the bass-sounds of the TB-303.
• 2014 - Roland Aira's VT-3: Voice Transformer.
• 2014 - Roland Aira's System-1: Plug-Out Synthesizer, based on the System 100, System 100M, and the now almost mythical System 700.

As of May 23rd 2015, SubBass Academy of Electronic Music will be hosting the world's first Roland certified Aira Academy.^[13] David Barnard, Roland's education consultant said he was delighted to welcome SubBass as the world’s first AIRA Academy and looks forward to developing a range of courses that balance technical knowledge with musical know-how. ^[14]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roland Corporation.

• Roland Global Portal
• Audio demos on synthmania.com
• Sound On Sound Magazine – The History of Roland (five parts: 1972 - 2004)
• Roland Piano Sound Sources (HP-series)
• Roland UK Website
• Roland Romania Website
• Roland Central Europe Website
• Roland Systems Group UK
• info on Roland system 100M, servicing, mods, etc.
• The Aira serie, which has been launched in 2014

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