Roland Articles

A Few Minutes with Talulah Ruby

Rod Brakes — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:20:59 +0000

Blending organic instrumentation and vocals with tasteful electronic textures, Talulah Ruby channels the elemental forces of earth, water, air, and fire in a dynamic, evolving interplay. Those primal energies run deep and are the foundation of her music-making, which she approaches as a living practice. Ruby’s work is patiently built and deeply felt. Wherever she goes, she inspires fellow artists and leaves her mark on the creative spaces around her.

Raised on the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, the London-based musician and concept artist is acutely focused on absorbing global cultures through sound while quietly building her own worlds—mainly outside public view. For years, she has been creating, testing, and collaborating within incubated circles in London, Paris, and the Canary Islands, though she recently stepped into the limelight as the lead vocalist on Maribou State’s international year-long tour. Along the way, Ruby has thoughtfully released singles into the world as “markers of emotional landscapes.”

Elemental Artistry

Talulah Ruby has spent years honing her signature sound in studios and late-night live rooms across London, patiently refining her musicianship alongside some of the city’s most respected players. We find her at home in Hackney, developing a self-produced and highly collaborative project that reflects years of sound collection and fieldwork.

Ruby has built a reputation for expansive performances that evoke a strong sense of frisson. Showcasing a collective approach that foregrounds improvisation, attentive listening, and shared musical language, she is known for her soulful vocal style and meticulous ear.

Her early recorded work, the Volcano Trilogy, introduced Ruby as a conceptual songwriter while delving into themes of environmentalism, introspection, and mental health awareness. She then established herself as a hands-on producer in her lockdown project, Hyperdrive, by skillfully melding electronic sounds with intimate, folk-inflected songwriting.

The Silhouettes Project’s “Venus” saw her contributing to a socially impactful project created in collaboration with fellow East-ender KeepVibesNear and London-based producer Sam Ellwood. Ruby’s practice became increasingly private as she turned toward sonic research within the London music scene. There, she further deepened her interest in collaborative engineering, writing, and producing.

"I'm a hybrid of a technophobe and a nerd."

Listen Deeper

Alongside music-making, Ruby practices Deep Listening. Inspired by post-war composer and electronic pioneer Pauline Oliveros, this meditative approach to sound encourages a heightened awareness of both perception and environment. Building on this, her Voice Modulation work non-judgmentally examines the central role of voice in society and culture, and its impact on our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Ruby’s last release, “Take a seat,” began as a spontaneous vocal freestyle, later joined by an organist responding in real time. Honoring her roots, she revisited the piece in Spanish as “Toma el asiento,” while recording her voice against the original organ part with no fixed tempo. It’s a method that creates an otherworldly dialogue between the two versions when played simultaneously.

Ruby shares about how gear—including a host of Roland and BOSS devices—sits at the heart of her creative process. These tools shape her sound and encourage experimentation, turning each session into a space for discovery and expression.

Hybrid Harmony

What do you enjoy most about using Roland gear?

With Roland gear, I feel the workflow has been well thought out by people who make music themselves. The functionality of everything feels tailored to a musician’s way of thinking. I guess it depends on how your brain works, but at least for me, I like the way Roland maps things out. It makes sense in my head.

I’m a hybrid of a technophobe and a nerd. I’m a complete mix of both. I know that feeling of being simultaneously overwhelmed and intimidated. But as soon as you commit to spending a little bit of time with Roland gear, you fall in love with it.

"With Roland gear, I feel the workflow has been well thought out by people who make music."

What are some of your favorite Roland devices?

I love the Roland VP-03 Vocoder. That was my first piece of electronic gear. It’s actually been out on long-term loan to a friend. We did a swap, and he gave me the Roland TR-8 [Rhythm Performer] drum machine.

We can always swap back, but I’ve not seen my VP-03 for a while. I want to try and get my hands back on it. It’s amazing. I love the Roland Boutique range. I know that you can get the [K-25m Keyboard Unit] to go with those devices, but I never did. I just got the VP-03 module and connected it using MIDI (although I do my best to avoid MIDI keyboards now). I love the VP-03—the tone of it

Vocal Vistas

How do you like to use the Roland SP-404MKII Creative Sampler and Effector?

Historically, I’ve leaned more towards the SP-404 for live use. Funnily enough, I was at a Dijon gig recently at the Brixton Academy, and I was blown away by his vocal processing.

Afterwards, I went up to the sound engineer, Taylor Meyer, and asked about his gear. He told me he’d just added a Roland 404 to the rig only two days before the London show. He was running a load of vocal effects with an SP-404. I think he was mainly using it for the high-pitched formant shift effects and occasional layered distortion.

[Sound engineer] Michael Njuguna has been using the Roland SP-404 front-of-house for Saya Gray’s live mix. Both of those shows rank as the most impressive creative mix approaches overall for me. Because I’m vocal-focused, the SP-404 takes centre stage.

That was an eye-opener for me because I primarily think of using the 404 as a drum machine first, and effects units second. When I think about mixing, I always imagine those things as kind of separate, but the 404 is really versatile; you’ve got all these banks of sounds that you can do a whole live set with, but you can also use it for all your effects. I think it’s becoming my favorite piece of gear for performing live.

"The SP-404MKII is really versatile... I think it's becoming my favorite piece of gear for performing live."

Time and Space

What’s your most recent discovery in the Roland world?

I’ve been loving using the Roland [SRE-555] Chorus Echo recently—the rackmount unit. I’ve just fallen in love with that as of last week. I’d never used it before. My collaborator has a studio and has given me full access to it because I lost my laptop, and, with it, two years’ worth of work.

I’m desperate to rebuild and re-record, and he has given me access because he’s having a baby. It’s a really small studio space, but it’s got a bunch of nice outboard gear and a couple of hardware units I haven’t had physical access to before.

Do you prefer hardware to software?

I’m not really a plug-in person, and I don’t use many. I love the Roland Space Echo. I’ve always loved Space Echo. It’s kind of what got me into DJing vinyl. In Jumbi—a venue in South London—they have a Space Echo hooked up to the turntable. It’s a vinyl-based listening bar, but it was happening before the current listening bar buzz.

"I've always loved Space Echo. It's kind of what got me into DJing vinyl."

Jumbi was set up to honor Bass culture and Afro-Caribbean hospitality. They have different resident chefs doing the food, and local selectors come and play. But their whole thing is that they only have one turntable; you can’t spin two records, which felt way easier for me.

It takes it from being a DJ to a record selector. And because they have one turntable, they’ve built in a Roland [RE-150] Space Echo so that you can seamlessly transition. It’s so cool.

I also ran an SM58 through the Space Echo, so that, if need be, I could take my sweet time finding the next record—I’d just ad-lib vocal sounds. It’s a slightly unusual entry point, but learning on the job like that was what got me into Space Echo delay.

Tactile Tech

How does singing through hardware effects change the way you perform compared to using software?

As a vocalist, it makes a massive difference to me whether I’m using hardware or software. If you’re singing with hardware, your voice is interacting with it in real time. Often, when I’m recording, there are two versions of the same performance. I like to record with two mics: one clean, one wet. It’s about committing to singing a certain way and committing to a sound.

When I’m using, say, the Roland Chorus Echo, I will naturally change my vocal performance. Maybe I’ll move my larynx up as the sound of the effect changes, for example.

There are so many ways you can perform—different vocal techniques. I think it’s good practice for singers to work with hardware as they’re practicing. All too often, effects are only added after a vocal performance, but they can be an extension of your voice as you sing. The hardware can pull you into it, and vice versa.

"I think it’s good practice for singers to work with hardware as they're practicing."

Vocal Alchemy

Are you familiar with the BOSS Vocal Performer pedals?

I started on a BOSS VE-20 Vocal Performer when I was 14. I still have it somewhere. I really liked the harmonizer and chorus effects. I enjoyed using the looper, too. I remember doing a Little Dragon cover on it. That was my entry point to looping. I used it a lot for looping, but I’d also use it for effects. If I were doing a live show, I’d use the harmony, chorus, and reverb.

It’s maybe not so common for singers to practice using effects as it is for, say, a guitarist. But it can really open up things creatively. As a producer, it’s fun to work with effects and to have dry takes. I mean, you can do both. It’s exciting. It’s creative. I’m interested in all these things.

The world of vocal effects is huge. I love learning about bits of gear that I could potentially try out and find what sounds right with my voice. I guess that’s why it’s good to have access to plug-ins, because at least you can get an idea before investing in the hardware. You could easily use the Roland SP-404 as a vocal effects unit—the possibilities are endless.

Mixing and Fixing

What does the Maribou State rig look like?

I was invited on a tour with Maribou State, and we used a big mix of gear. It’s the craziest setup (at least I think so) We’ve got about half a dozen analog synths, a Space Echo, a couple of SP-404s, and a unit in the middle of the stage we use for percussion. Then there’s bass, congas, guitar, drums, vocals—like a full band rig on top of the synth setup. And it’s all analog, so the settings are color-coded by hand.

Our engineers are incredible, and it’s given me a deep respect for techs and roadies like Sara Ferrero, because it’s so complicated. Sara is amazing. She likes posting videos on Instagram about how she fixes things. Almost anything can go wrong, like a wiring issue, or even something as random as a guitar pick that has fallen into a gap and is interfering with a connection.

"I appreciate something that's been played by a human... But then I also really appreciate when something feels industrial or non-human."

Hard to Beat

You mentioned the Roland TR-8 Rhythm Performer; what do you especially like about that drum machine?

I love the TR-8 and those classic 808 and 909 sounds. I find sequencing difficult. It takes me a while to get my head around, but once I’ve gotten used to it, I’ve found it really fun to play around with. I just love the sound of the TR-8—it’s incredible.

I really, really enjoy using real kit for groove, along with drum machines for all the hi-hat stuff. I like that kind of high-end. It’s a nice blend. I’m obsessed with the hybrid of live electronic equipment and live instrumentation that feels organic.

Being a singer, I appreciate something that’s been played by a human—something that feels human, like a feeling. But then I also really appreciate when something feels industrial or non-human—something that I couldn’t necessarily do naturally.

Opposites Attract

How do your environment and identity shape your creative process and sound?

I think I’m always kind of trying to reference my identity. I’m from the Canary Islands, which feel very organic, natural, and beautiful. The landscape is a mix of gorgeous sand dunes and dramatic black volcanic rock.

I love that contrast between something soft and something hard. I think that’s what the TR-8 did for me. It creates textures I can’t achieve organically. But it feels nice—not too digital-sounding. It takes me into a plastic realm that feels gritty and has a lot of flavor.

Which artists have inspired you with a similar blend of natural and electronic sounds?

I’ve always listened to records from the ’60s and ’70s, and recently I’ve been listening to Annette Peacock a lot. The way her voice is processed on “I’m the One” sounds incredible. That way of blending natural and electronic sounds is a great example, and has been a reference point for me recently.

"The process of recording is as important as the idea of the song itself."

The Spell of Sound

What are you working on now, and how would you describe your process?

I’m currently writing a song called “Magic,” and I’ve been thinking about how the process of recording is as important as the idea of the song itself, because the process is how it’s going to sound. I realized it’s important to preempt that the process is a part of it.

Harry Nilsson’s The Point is really interesting. There are a few bangers on that record, but there’s one song in particular that explores the idea that if there are points in every direction, then there’s no point at all. That whole philosophy made me take a step back. Listening to that record, I was reminded that there actually needs to be no point at all for it to make a point.

And then I started thinking, “What is the point of magic?” I thought of it as a spell, and so I wrote that song as one. It was like a beautiful conjuring of something that hadn’t happened yet but was wanting to happen.

When you have that approach to mixing and gear, it’s all about the ritual. I guess that’s what I’m looking for. The process of making great music is like a ritual. Thinking about something and then manifesting it is magical.

Has that way of thinking altered the way you present your work?

I want to be a bit more transparent about my process. That’s all I’ve got right now because, after a year of touring, sound collecting, and concept building, I lost two years’ worth of all my work on my laptop and hard drives.

I’m letting people into my process and doing my best to be more open in real time about what it’s like to write, record, and experiment with equipment. I like the idea of sharing it all so that when I release the work, it hasn’t been hiding behind a curtain.

I want to be in front of everyone in real time. I want to encourage people to ask me questions and get involved, almost like a collaboration. At the moment, it’s a blank canvas, which is exciting

"I want to encourage people to ask me questions and get involved, almost like a collaboration."

Freestyle Fusion

Your process of creating “Take a seat” is interesting. Tell us about that.

There are two versions: “Take a seat” and “Toma el asiento,” the Spanish translation. It was really impactful for me at the time. I wrote and recorded those tracks with a Flea 47 mic running through a Neve preamp.

“Take a seat” was a freestyle vocal from start to finish, recorded in a single take. The organ performance played on top was also done in a single take. I just pressed record, and Couros reacted to my voice in real time.

There was no discernible pattern throughout “Take a seat.” Therefore, the Spanish version, “Toma el asiento,” which features the original organ, doesn’t have a set timing either. So, when I recorded my vocals for it, I was, in turn, responding to the organ part, as opposed to it responding to me.

Recording “Toma el asiento” was hard because there was no metronome, and I originally wrote it using a drone—a single note we had running, rather than, say, a chord progression. If you play “Take a seat” and “Toma el asiento” at the same time, it creates an interesting effect—almost like Space Echo.

"As much as Lanzarote is known as a tourist destination and is under the radar when it comes to music, it has a rich subculture."

Island Roots

How does your identity continue to shape your music?

I put out a remix of “Take a seat” with an artist called Bikôkô. Like me, she speaks English and Spanish, which adds a bit of identity. I’m from the Canary Islands, and was born and raised in the middle of the lava fields in Lanzarote. It was quite a unique upbringing. I grew up in a place where people like Brian Eno and Björk have enjoyed visiting. There are all these incredible, kind of obscure, but well-respected artists who spent a lot of time in Lanzarote.

As much as Lanzarote is known as a tourist destination and is under the radar when it comes to music, it has a rich subculture. Locals have been wanting to change that for a really long time, and we really appreciate it when people visit who are interested in culture, the arts, and sports. That’s part of our identity as an island. We want it to be known as a place where you can come and explore the natural reverbs!

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Listening Guide: Electronic Film Scores

Stefan Wyeth — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:52:32 +0000

The use of electronic instruments in film score creation adds another dimension, with sounds that encapsulate visual aesthetics in a way different from traditional motion picture scores. As synthesizers became commercially available in the mid-1960s, they presented composers with a sound creation platform that didn’t require a symphony orchestra. However, electronic instruments can also be used alongside traditional elements to enhance them in a way that imprints a futuristic character. Here’s a guide to electronic film scores that pushed the envelope within the art form.

Playlist

A Clockwork Orange by Wendy Carlos (1971)

With the help of producer Rachel Elkind, Wendy Carlos broke major ground in electronic music in the late 1960s, exposing audiences to the sounds of the synthesizer for the first time. For her collaboration with Stanley Kubrick, Carlos used some of her own compositions, as well as her synthesizer versions of notable works by Beethoven, Purcell, Rossini, and Elgar.

Among these was a piece based on the choral movement from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony called the “March from ‘A Clockwork Orange,’” which featured early use of the vocoder. Aside from the film’s outlandish aesthetics, this work influenced many of the electronic musicians who came after.

Sorcerer by Tangerine Dream (1977)

While the William Friedkin film Sorcerer from 1977 may not be on your radar, it represented a big break for the German electronic outfit, Tangerine Dream. Recorded at Victoria Studios in Berlin, the soundtrack was the band’s first Hollywood motion picture score and reached No. 25 on the UK album charts, a significant feat for electronic music at the time.

In its creation process, the trio of Froese, Franke, and Baumann utilized an impressive array of Moog, ARP, Oberheim, PPG, and Elka instruments, as well as a Mellotron and a Rhodes. The lush, animated soundscapes they imagined for Sorcerer paved the way for many of Tangerine Dream’s subsequent soundtracks, including Risky Business (1983), Firestarter (1984), and Flashpoint (1984).

The Fog by John Carpenter (1980)

Filmmaker and composer John Carpenter is a true pioneer of independent cinema, redefining what is possible with a small budget and a team of creatives. While Carpenter has created some truly memorable soundtracks, including Halloween (1978) and Escape from New York (1981), his score for The Fog is a truly influential example of his work in the horror genre, with a creepy atmosphere.

Inspired by real-life stories of sunken ships and the EC Comics series, Tales from the Crypt, Carpenter co-wrote the film with producer Debra Hill. The score features some excellent synth programming by Dan Wyman, and Carpenter regards it as one of the best scores he’s done in his career.

Blade Runner by Vangelis (1982)

When speaking to almost any synthesizer owner, it’s only a matter of time before they mention Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and its iconic Vangelis score. The cult status of this soundtrack is due to the way the sound design and composition perfectly capture the dystopian, futurist feel of the film.

Recorded at Nemo Studios in London, the score prominently featured the CS-80, GS1, JUPITER-4, PROMARS, and Prophet-10 synthesizers, as well as the Emulator sampler keyboard, VP-330 vocoder, and the CR-5000 drum machine.

Scarface by Giorgio Moroder (1983)

Brian De Palma’s legendary Scarface features the electronic sounds of Giorgio Moroder, the pioneering Italian producer widely known for his work with Donna Summer. Besides emotive character themes, Moroder also produced songs with Debbie Harry, Paul Engemann, Elizabeth Daily, and Amy Holland that captured the film’s 1980s Miami nightlife aesthetic.

Among the instruments used in the soundtrack’s creation process were the Roland JUPITER-8 and the CS-80 synthesizers, which lent a sense of tension to the film’s action sequences, tense moments, and nightclub scenes. This bathed Scarface in a distinctive neon glow, making it a film that audiences keep returning to again and again.

The Terminator by Brad Fiedel (1984)

The electronic score for James Cameron’s sci-fi action classic, The Terminator, was groundbreaking in numerous ways. For one thing, composer Brad Fiedel (previously a keyboard player with Hall & Oates) had never scored for a major motion picture before.

To make things even more interesting, it was probably one of the first times that a blockbuster Hollywood film score was created predominantly in a garage. Using a pre-MIDI setup, Fiedel manually synced up the sequencers in his Oberheim and Prophet-10 synth rigs, which created most of the sounds on this notable score.

Pi [π] by Clint Mansell (1998)

In 1998, a lasting creative partnership was formed between the ambitious young director, Darren Aronofsky and the alternative musician and fledgling film composer Clint Mansell. Aronofsky’s debut feature film Pi (π), is an intense psychological thriller shot on black-and-white film that put both director and composer on the map.

The score is one of the standout features of this cult classic, featuring works from Mansell alongside a carefully curated electronic music selection from artists such as Aphex Twin, Autechre, Orbital, Massive Attack, Roni Size, GusGus, and many others. This provides the perfect sonic tapestry for the heightened state of awareness you reach while watching the film.

Fight Club by The Dust Brothers (1999)

Always looking to break the mould, when David Fincher considered the musical scope for his film adaptation of the Chuck Palahniuk novel, he initially imagined alternative rock music. However, he felt that many of the bands that were creating film scores at the time might overlook the thematic complexity of the film.

Believe it or not, he sought out Radiohead for the project, who had no film score experience. The band declined, as Thom Yorke was cooling down after a busy tour schedule. Instead, Fincher enlisted the Dust Brothers, the duo who famously produced Paul’s Boutique by The Beastie Boys, and they created a gritty, beat-driven score that suited Fight Club perfectly.

The Social Network by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (2010)

Although Trent Reznor had worked on soundtracks before, including id Software’s video game Quake (1996) and David Lynch’s Lost Highway (1997), The Social Network was the first feature film he scored in its entirety, working alongside longtime creative partner Atticus Ross. Director David Fincher was a fan of NIN and had a new direction in mind when he approached Reznor to create the score.

Despite initially turning the project down due to scheduling, Reznor reconsidered and returned to Fincher, who had never envisioned working with another composer. His instincts paid off, as the soundtrack won multiple awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The project also put Reznor and Ross on a new trajectory, making them a powerhouse in film music production.

Tron Legacy by Daft Punk (2010)

When director Joseph Kosinski approached Daft Punk about creating the score for Disney’s Tron: Legacy, he had no idea of the magnitude the project would grow into. Rather than taking the simplistic approach one might expect from the sound of their records, Daft Punk created an incredibly sophisticated score that utilizes an 85-piece orchestra.

For nearly two years, Bangalter and de Homem-Christo collaborated with arranger and orchestrator Joseph Trapanese to create this epic score, drawing inspiration from Wendy Carlos, who composed the original film’s score, as well as composers such as Philip Glass, Vangelis, and John Carpenter.

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A Few Minutes with Divide and Dissolve

Ari Rosenschein — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:01:53 +0000

“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world,” wrote British-Italian writer Freya Stark. Takiaya Reed, the driving force behind Divide and Dissolve, has no problem with either the solitary life or switching up her environment. “I enjoy being alone when I’m writing music,” Reed says. “It feels like a really lonely process, and I’m into it.”

Even for an adventurer, she’s logged more miles than most. Reed graduated from high school in Texas and later moved to Melbourne. From the jump, her band, Divide and Dissolve, confronted deep emotions and uncomfortable truths through a style both crushing and dreamy. Across releases like Gas Lit and Systemic (Invada) and the group’s first for Bella Union, Insatiable, Reed has spearheaded a brand of instrumental music that transcends boundaries—and even countries.

When in Roam

“It’s more of a gut thing,” Reed says, speaking on the phone from her current outpost of New Orleans. “I don’t have a lot of attachment to where I live. I’m on tour so much that I prioritize feeling comfortable. If I feel grounded, that’s cool with me.”

Texas to Australia is quite the journey, but Reed insists the move came naturally. “I made some friends there, and they were like, ‘Oh, you should come. So I did,” she explains. “No big deal. It felt really organic the way it happened.”

Even with the endless tours and multiple releases since, those seminal years remain central to the Divide and Dissolve lore. “I lived in Melbourne for a really long time,” she says, “so that’s why it’s still an Australian band.”

Like her location, Reed’s music is difficult to pin down, incorporating elements of doom metal, drone, and neo-classical soundscapes. Her muse flows all over the map, from tectonic riffs to serene saxophone passages, all imbued with a spiritual-political fervor that speaks to her two-spirit Black Cherokee identity.

Heavy with Intention

The music is powerful by design, but Divide and Dissolve exists outside metal tropes, achieving its potency without genre baggage. “It integrates a lot of things present in heavy music,” Reed says. “It’s not traditional, but it is heavy.”

Opening with a hypnotic wind motif, “Monolithic” shapeshifts into a three-note descending guitar line as foreboding as any sludge act making the festival rounds. Still, Divide and Dissolve has more in common with the experimental end of that spectrum: a zone occupied by Sunn O))), OM, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. And it’s a purposeful din. On Insatiable, the pained guitar riffs, glacial pacing, and mournful saxophone imbue songs like “Loneliness” and “Withholding” with a feeling of generational trauma.

“Being Black and Indigenous, you understand things because you are forced into it,” Reed states plainly. “I know what genocide is. I know what racism is. I know what systemic oppression is. I know how they impacted my family, my ancestors, and it’s reflected in my music. I can’t help it.”

To Reed, that weight extends all the way to the band’s stage volume. “My band is louder than most,” she says. “You can literally feel the music. It’s super vibrational. It’s heavy in terms of the labor I put into making sure that the songs are understood by the body.”

“You can literally feel the music. It's super vibrational. It's heavy in terms of the labor I put into making sure that the songs are understood by the body.”

Achieving Synthesis

At the center of the sonic barrage is Reed, wielding her Telecaster in the battle against colonialism and injustice. “I’m interested in guitar mainly for its polyphonic elements,” she says of her self-styled approach. “I’m more drawn to my pedal board and achieving synthesis so the guitar feels more like a controller.”

In contrast to the churning, slow boil of Divide and Dissolve’s sound is the image of Reed’s smiling face. In conversation, she’s far from brooding, offering thoughtful insights in a tone that borders on bubbly. Her music may be serious, but she has plenty of time for levity.

“I’m really goofy,” Reed admits of her fun side. “I’ve been listening to a lot of ‘Pink Pony Club.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, this is awesome.’”

Meaningful Articulation

Then there’s the stylistic breadth of Reed’s output; it’s not all doom all the time. She recently composed “Symphony No. 1: Your Hands Taught Me How to Love for the First Time,” which the BBC Concert Orchestra premiered in London. “I have a classical background,” Reed clarifies. “A lot of people wouldn’t feel like, ‘Oh, I need to write a symphony.’ For me, I absolutely have to. It’s a part of my process as a musician.”

That process began as a child with the piano. “It started with my dad,” Reed recalls. “In one of my earliest memories, I remember him being like, ‘Let’s play piano together. If you can play piano, you can play anything.’”

Lately, Reed’s been using a Roland RD-2000 EX on her multidisciplinary forays. “The piano is gorgeous. I was really admiring how responsive the weighted keys are. It makes everything sound more expansive.”

Reed notes how seamlessly the RD-2000 EX integrates into her writing flow. “It’s really cool when something suddenly becomes accessible and like a limb of your body. With this piano, I’m able to articulate myself in ways that are meaningful.”

Evening the Score

Considering her video collabs with directors Sepi Mashiahof and Chichi Castillo plus a recent placement on FX’s The Lowdown, composing for films seems a logical next step for Reed. You’ll get no argument from her. “Please call me. I’m available,” she confirms. “I would love to score, and I’m capable of doing such a thing.”

Reed had to break through the hegemony of the extreme music scene, and the halls of Hollywood may prove even more challenging. “Something tragic is that a lot of this work is very nepotistic,” she says of the movie business. “That’s something I’m continuously working through and would like to change.”

There is a philosophical bent Reed displays when discussing music industry challenges. She’s an artist who contemplates life on numerous levels at once. Even the name Divide and Dissolve is multi-layered; it could refer to dismantling genres or systemic oppression itself.

“It’s personal to everybody,” Reed says of the moniker, unwilling to settle for a simple answer. “It means whatever you need it to mean. I feel that way about music. Whatever you need it to be, that’s awesome.”

"It means whatever you need it to mean. I feel that way about music. Whatever you need it to be, that's awesome."

Relaxed and Unfazed

Reed prefers to keep her creative life a movable feast, but a fixed address isn’t out of the question. For now, this is an exciting time for Divide and Dissolve, as the group expands its audience through relentless global touring, including a 2024 run with Chelsea Wolfe. None of it fazes Reed. “I feel relaxed,” she says. “The way I’ve chosen to be a musician involves travel and moving around, but it doesn’t feel negative for me. It’s a part of my lifestyle.”

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Best Kept Secrets: TB-303 A Rush Hour Music Selection

Antal Heitlager — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:39:49 +0000

Amsterdam-based Rush Hour is a company that defies simple categorization. Since its founding in 1997, the collective has based its output on “impulse and faith,” regardless of its form, whether record label, distributor, or brick-and-mortar store. From releases by Carl Craig and KiNK to events in London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Berlin, Rush Hour remains committed to the international electronic music underground. To celebrate 303 Day, dig into this carefully curated collection of lesser-known gems featuring the Roland TB-303 Bass Line, courtesy of Rush Hour impresario Antal Heitlager.

antalrushhour · Roland_303day_mix_by_Antal//RH

Playlist

Make Some Room by Sade (1988)

Sade on acid. It’s so inspirational to hear the Sade team work that acid bassline into what became a crossover tune. A very precise and delicate use of machinery brings out the vibe typical of the singer’s music, while almost paying tribute to the Chicago house sound. This was released in 1988 and is exactly what makes B-side digging so much fun.

I Wanna Look To The Stars by Sideral (1994)

To me, this is actually a new discovery, but the record originally came out in 1994 on the German Klang label. I found it while digging through a secondhand pile in our store. I check almost every record that comes in, and I got completely stuck when I heard this tune. I later found out that the Spanish label Canela En Surco released a retrospective of the artist’s work in 2021. Sidereal is the pseudonym of Alex Martin, a now-cult electronic producer from Barcelona, Spain.

Rainbows Over Paradise by UR (1993)

Of course, as a house and techno lover, I dig every record that says UR. I mean, they are the essence of Detroit techno, and this B4 track is a special one. Taken from the Acid Rain series released in 1993, this tune uses the same atmospheric, emotional synth sounds as their classic track, “The Final Frontier.” In this track, the rhythm speeds up during the two-minute jam. I really love this one. I closed many nights with it, as it puts you on a high and slowly fades out. And, oh yeah, the acid bassline is incredibly catchy.

Dream 2 Science by Dream 2 Science (1990)

There’s a video of Daniel Wang breaking down how inspired he is by the acid bassline used in “Dream 2 Science,” a house record from 1990 produced by Ben Cenac, who also produced Sha-lor’s “I Am In Love” as well as the group Push/Pull’s “Bang the Drums.”

But Cenac is better known as Newcleus. Yes, the group that produced Jam on Revenge, “Computer Age,” “Space Is the Place,” and more. So you know where you are: right at the crossroads of hip-hop and house music in New York in the late ’80s. This song uses the Roland TB-303 particularly well, which is what this article is about. But I highly recommend checking out his full repertoire; it’s fantastic.

Acid Reaction by Rude Futures (2025)

Danilo Plessow, also known as Motor City Drum Ensemble, produced this one. I know him from his Inverse Cinematics period, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since for over 20 years now. Like many others, we fell in love with anything coming out of Detroit or Chicago. It’s clear where he gets his influences, and over the years, he has really grown as a producer.

This record is a response to the current geopolitical landscape. There’s love, aggression, and dark energy in it. You can hear references to past production styles, like those of James “Jack Rabbit” Martin, but they’re done in a contemporary way. Modern acid with one leg in the past and one in the present.

Dancing Ghost by CTI (1984)

Formed in 1981, Chris & Cosey emerged from one half of Throbbing Gristle after the group split. The duo produced a wealth of industrial, synth, and electronic music, and the track “Dancing Ghost” is taken from the album Elemental 7 (1984).

Personally, I really got into this sound around the time Minimal Wave released their two Minimal Wave Tapes compilations, around 2012. Growing up in Amsterdam, I was heavily influenced by the Chicago house sound, which is also why I eventually got into Italo disco.

The same goes for acts like DAF and Liaisons Dangereuses. These were all artists played by the more adventurous Chicago DJs, and in that way, the sound made its way back to Europe again. Connecting the dots slowly but surely, this track here feels like experimental acid music by true electronic pioneers.

Sexual Behavior by Deep Contest (1993)

In Holland, most of us electronic music lovers were influenced by DJ Dimitri. He was the one who consistently pushed the Detroit and Chicago sound in Holland. There are stories from back in the day that Derrick May wouldn’t even step up to the decks and would give his DJ time to Dimitri because he was so on a roll.

At Record Time in Detroit, back in the day, there were flyers on the wall for a party at the Detroit Tigers stadium featuring legends such as Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and DJ Dimitri. That tells you the level of importance this DJ had, not only in our city of Amsterdam, but far beyond.

I remember one night in 1995 at the Chemistry club night when he played incredibly well. He dropped tracks by artists like Chance McDermott, Eddie “Flashin” Fowlkes, Ken Ishii & Luke Slater—and this one. Mind you, this wasn’t Shazam-able at the time. I later found all those tunes just by digging and remembering the sounds and melodies. This record was one of them: DJ Deep & Ludovic Navarre. It sounds close to something Laurent Garnier could have produced. This is techno with a capital T—and an acid bassline.

Opus 303 by Le Mystere (1990)

This is Belgian new beat, a period I never experienced myself but discovered by digging backwards. It’s an important genre, as it was a time when electronic music really became popular in Belgium and beyond. Tracks from that period were also played on house dance floors in Amsterdam. I even think a house record by Eric Nouhan was based on this sound. This is a slower electronic jam with a very typical acid bassline. The original production dates back to 1990 and was released on the legendary Belgian label BUZZ.

Museum from Minimal Nation by Robert Hood (1994)

When I first started getting into electronic music, I mostly bought productions by Carl Craig and Masters at Work. Later, I began learning more about the deeper side of Detroit techno.

It was a former Rhythm Import employee, Nitan, who put me on to Drexciya, for instance. I remember the moment I walked into the store very clearly. There were no customers, and Nitan said to me, “You should check this record,” and he introduced me to Drexciya’s Deep Sea Dweller. Not long after we started our own store, Nitan began working at the Rush Hour store. As time went on, his interests shifted toward documenting street football and similar projects.

After a long period, he stopped working with us and sold his records. In that collection, he put me onto a very rare pressing of Robert Hood’s Minimal Nation. Do you know the blue test pressing of this record? It includes an extra track. But anyway, “Museum” was always the main go-to track for me. I believe this kick-started what they later called the “minimal” genre in Europe. But in my eyes, Robert Hood and Jeff Mills were really the first ones. And this is a badass tune, and an original release from 1994.

Acid In The House by Miss Nicky Trax (1988)

I used to live near a club called The Waakzaamheid. My brother was doing the lights there. When he started working there, he was around 17 or 18, and I was about 13 or 14. As soon as I turned 16, I got into this sound called house music. I didn’t know much about it at first, but within a year, I was really into it. I got a job in the club working in the cloakroom, collecting glasses, and handing out flyers.

During that time, I heard so many inspirational national and international DJs. The list of people I heard there is long: Derrick May, DJ Rush, Alton Miller, Darryl Wynn, Dave Lee, Jedi Knights, Aubrey, Kevin Saunderson, and many more. They played a lot of Detroit techno, Chicago and New York house, and more. I also used to listen to a lot of tapes coming out of that club. Miss Nicky Trax (Belgian new beat) was one of the artists featured on those tapes.

The post Best Kept Secrets: TB-303
A Rush Hour Music Selection appeared first on Roland Articles.

The Aesthetics of KIYOLA

Adam Douglas — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:01:56 +0000

Roland has again partnered with the high-end Japanese furniture company Karimoku for its latest KIYOLA digital pianos. Both new models are infused with Japanese cultural elements that date back more than a thousand years. For the KF-20, its gently curved lines embody the quiet beauty derived from hikimono lathe-spinning technique, while the clean lines and unique joints of the KF-25 come from sashimono, a distinctive method of joining pieces of wood without nails or screws.

More than just clever construction methods, hikimono and sashimono are part of a distinctly Japanese way of thinking. This philosophy infuses the aesthetics of the KIYOLA pianos with Japanese notions of wabi-sabi, wa, and Japandi, and harmonizes across both the external cabinet and internal electronics.

Wabi-sabi: Transience and Stillness

Tea ceremony. The quiet calm of a Japanese garden. Falling cherry blossom petals carried away by a gently flowing stream. These are all examples of wabi-sabi (侘び寂び), a uniquely Japanese aesthetic sense that finds beauty in things that are simple, imperfect, and transient.

“That is a general definition,” says Karimoku’s Takahiko Fujimori, the Deputy General Manager, Marketing Center, and designer of the cabinet for KIYOLA, “but we share a common value with it: transience and stillness.”

Looking at either of the KIYOLA models, you can immediately sense what Fujimori-san is saying. “KIYOLA possesses an air that is understated,” he continues, “blending into the space and calming the heart simply by being present. We believe this humble attitude reflects wabi-sabi.”

An example of this is the sashimono-style joinery used in the KF-25, which combines wood without metal fasteners, highlighting the wood itself. Employing sashimono techniques was a deliberate choice by Roland and Karimoku.

“To be honest, we didn’t consider wabi-sabi when designing the first KIYOLA KF-10,” says Kazuhiru Kubo, the planning leader for the KIYOLA project for Roland. “But this time, we created the KF-25, which uses a sashimono joint.”

Accepting things as they are is another key aspect of wabi-sabi. Perfection in imperfection. KIYOLA has this, too. “KIYOLA embraces the depth gained through the aging of natural wood,” continues Fujimori-san. “It deliberately incorporates the wood’s inherent character—knots, variations in color, and other imperfections—into its design. Its peak is not when new; as it is used, its color changes, and even scratches become part of its history and charm.”

As time passes, KIYOLA becomes more beautiful. This is wabi-sabi.

"KIYOLA embraces the depth gained through the aging of natural wood. It deliberately incorporates the wood's inherent character—knots, variations in color, and other imperfections—into its design."

Takahiko Fujimori

Wa: The Warmth of Wood

Another Japanese concept inherent in KIYOLA is wa (和), or harmony. Wa is a defining element in Japanese cultural practices, whether that be harmony among the members of a group, or in the design of a musical instrument such as the KIYOLA. Both the KF-20 and KF-25 exhibit wa in their makeup, harmonizing both the visual and auditory aspects of the instruments.

There is the sublimely understated outer wooden cabinet, which in KIYOLA is much more than just a functional case for the electronics within. It is part and parcel of the experience itself.

“For the cabinet’s role, harmony lies in how visual tranquility accentuates the sound,” explains Fujimori-san. “A concise cabinet design that doesn’t overstate its presence reduces the amount of visual information entering the field of view, while the warmth and tranquility of natural wood eliminate visual noise, guiding concentration toward the performance.”

There is also the wood, its natural color and grain, with pieces painstakingly chosen to create a holistic aesthetic of beauty through visual harmony. Development of this balance begins when the logs themselves are purchased, and continues when cutting the wood, and finally at the cabinet production factory. And then it may still not be perfect; trained eyes in the quality control department send back one in four panels for repair. This attention to detail is exacting because it is so vitally important.

The sound of KIYOLA also harmonizes with the cabinet, literally. The piano tone of KIYOLA has been specially tuned by Roland’s engineers to elicit the “warmth of wood,” with adjustments made to EQ and speaker direction, all in the service of a sound that is in harmony with its cabinet. “Adding some spices,” says Kubo-san, “we could finally achieve the sound of the wood.”

"Adding some spices, we could finally achieve the sound of the wood."

Kazuhiru Kubo

Japandi: Cozy Minimalism

The final element that comes together in the KIYOLA cabinet is Japandi, a design philosophy that combines the simplicity of Scandinavian design with Japanese aesthetics, Nordic hygge (coziness) and Japanese wa. “Both value the small joys of daily life and respect for materials over ornate decoration,” says Fujimori-san. “We believe this functional yet warm minimalism deeply resonates with Japanese aesthetics.”

The curved legs and invitingly rounded details of the KF-20 represent “the meeting of Scandinavian design’s gentleness and Japanese delicate craftsmanship,” he says, the hikimono-inspired curves encountering the comfort of hygge.

There’s also a common value: that of lasting use. “Both Scandinavia and Japan share a mindset that loves timeless design over chasing trends,” Fujimori-san says. “We believe KIYOLA’s simplicity means that it isn’t bound by specific eras or styles, which is why it resonates.”

Made in Japan

The two KIYOLA models are currently the only pianos made in Japan, the cabinets handmade by Karimoku and then assembled at Roland’s factory in Hamamatsu. It is fitting, then, that KIYOLA should be so emblematic of Japanese culture and design. Of course, KIYOLA is more than just a piece of furniture. It is a musical instrument to be played and loved.

“We hope the customer’s happiest day isn’t just the day of purchase,” sums up Fujimori-san, “but rather after five or 10 years of use, as the wood’s color changes and memories of performances and happy family moments are etched into it, it becomes an even more irreplaceable presence.”

The post The Aesthetics of KIYOLA appeared first on Roland Articles.

Listening Guide: Post-Rock

Tom Wonnacott — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:28:37 +0000

Post-rock doesn’t announce itself with conventional hooks or choruses. It gathers slowly, built from guitars that linger rather than riff, rhythms that grow rather than groove, and songs that concern themselves with atmosphere over statement. Typically instrumental, the music is, at its best, something you bathe in rather than listen to, drifting in like the tide over long stretches of time before calmly pulling the listener into its hypnotic current.

We invite you to immerse yourself in the distinct sonic palettes crafted by post-rock’s key composers, where patience, space, and emotional weight take precedence. These records trace the genre’s evolution and offer an entry point into its constantly developing soundscapes.

Playlist

Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk (1988)

Although it predates the term itself, Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden is widely regarded as one of post-rock’s foundational pieces. With this album, the established synth-pop sweethearts abandoned catchy compositions almost entirely, replacing 4-minute earworms with long-form opuses built from improvisation.

Recording took place over many months in near darkness, with musicians encouraged to respond intuitively to what was being fed into their headphones rather than follow fixed arrangements. The resulting material was then stitched together by frontman Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene into gradually blossoming pieces which often feel both loosely assembled, yet carefully balanced.

Rather than signalling a new genre, Spirit of Eden softly challenged how rock music could be made: rethinking the role of the recording studio, prioritizing texture, and allowing mood to replace conventional form.

Hex by Bark Psychosis (1994)

The album that helped earn post-rock its name, Hex stands as one of the genre’s true origin points. The term was popularized by critic Simon Reynolds in a 1994 Mojo review, where he used it to describe music that employed rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, moving beyond the genre’s inherited structures and intentions.

Hex is sparse, restrained, and quietly radical. Rather than building toward climaxes, the album unfolds, drawing as much from dub, jazz, and minimalism as from rock itself.

Where later post-rock would become associated with crescendo, Hex is almost the opposite: inward, fragile, and deliberately anti-spectacle. It’s less a blueprint for what the genre became than a statement of what it could be: rock music cured of its excesses.

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2000)

The now genre-defining album, Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, is a double LP, made up of four unhurried pieces that each unfurl over sweeping 20-minute stretches.

The music moves patiently and deliberately. Guitars arrive in waves, often clean and chiming at first before thickening into walls of distortion. The drums evolve gradually, turning loose pulses into huge, rolling rhythms, while strings and field recordings drift in and out of the background. The album constantly shifts between timidity and unapologetic swagger, creating a sense of tension and release that transcends the speakers.

Still, despite its magnitude, Lift Your Skinny Fists is not overbearing. There is a feeling of warmth and openness running through it, as if the music’s weight is reaching outward rather than closing in. In doing so, it canonized a distinctive sound that would go on to be adopted by a new wave of 21st century post-rock bands.

The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place by Explosions in the Sky (2003)

Released in 2003, The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place marked Explosions in the Sky’s move toward a more direct, romantic sound. The album is built around modest guitar parts that interweave, turning unassuming melodic ideas into intricate passages of aching beauty. Songs grow patiently, gathering intensity before erupting into luminous crescendos. The band has described the record as a collection of love songs, and it feels that way: earnest, nostalgic, and unguarded.

The sentimental guitar tones that haunt the album are indebted to the BOSS RV-3 reverb pedal, which the band all use religiously. Guitarist Michael James explains, “The RV-3 puts this little sheen over everything that makes it sound beautiful and angelic.”

The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place is a cultural deep breath. It represents a turning point for melodic post-rock music. A moment of pause and reflection before a door is opened and the boundless potential of tomorrow is ushered in. The album remains one of the most beloved and influential releases in the genre, and has been a defining reference point ever since.

Hymn to the Immortal Wind by Mono (2004)

Hymn to the Immortal Wind presents Mono at their most emotionally charged. Formed around compositions that draw heavily on orchestral dynamics, the record features guitars, strings, and percussion working together to create a sense of scale that feels closer to symphony than rock music.

Moving between fragile passages and overwhelming storms of sound, Mono manage to immerse the listener in an intense and absorbing narrative of love, loss, and rebirth outlined in the album’s sleeve notes. Their use of delay pedals such as the BOSS DD-3 to replicate the howling winds of the story stands among the most evocative and immersive moments in instrumental rock music.

Across its runtime, Hymn to the Immortal Wind balances delicacy with towering sonic apogees that are earned, not abrupt. The result is symphonic in scope yet intimate in delivery, accommodating both grandeur and restraint in equal measures.

S/T (Self-Titled) by This Will Destroy You (2008)

This Will Destroy You’s self-titled sophomore release often takes the form of a solo guitar composition, with the surrounding instruments operating in a largely sympathetic role. Long, lingering melodic lines sit at the centre of each track, with the rest of the band acting primarily as support rather than counterpoint. Drums and electronic textures provide momentum and weight, but rarely distract from the slow, heart-wrenching themes that comprise the album’s core.

In performance, guitarist Jeremy Galindo dials in that expansive sound with the shimmering clean tones of a Roland JC-120 amplifier. He also makes considered use of delay units such as the BOSS RE-20 Space Echo and DD-20 Giga Delay, favouring them to augment his melodies while preserving shape and intensity.

Rather than building through contrast or complexity, S/T (Self-Titled) patiently repeats and evolves, climaxing at moments of euphoric release. By the end, the sense is not of escalation, but of arrival, as if the long, slow journey of post-rock finally comes to rest in pure melodic clarity.

The post Listening Guide: Post-Rock appeared first on Roland Articles.

Sound Behind the Song: “Nightclubbing” by Iggy Pop

Ari Rosenschein — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:18:55 +0000

It’s a rare song that can evoke a specific location within moments of kicking in. The woodsy throb of the Roland drum machine that drives Iggy Pop’s classic “Nightclubbing” does precisely that with the city of Berlin. While recording sessions for its parent album, The Idiot, also took place in Munich and France, “Nightclubbing” will never shake the specter of David Bowie’s time in the German capital. That lore comingles with the instrumentation to conjure a hazy cityscape, an auditory thumbprint. At its center, a slapback-saturated swing takes the listener on a nighttime stroll where nothing and anything could happen.

Escape to Europe

The ’70s had already been a turbulent, transformative decade for both Pop and Bowie when the pair decided to decamp to Europe. The plan was to outrun the substance abuse issues plaguing both artists. In characteristic Bowie fashion, the exercise in expatriatism led to an inspired period of creative activity crowned by his heralded Berlin trilogy: Low, Heroes, and Lodger. No less influential is the debut solo record Bowie produced for Pop: The Idiot.

The album, which shares its title with a Fyodor Dostoevsky novel, buzzes like a dim yellow lightbulb in a dilapidated warehouse. Mirroring his relationship with Lou Reed, Bowie was a longtime patron of Pop—first resuscitating the Stooges, then mixing the band’s final opus, Raw Power. Despite their intertwined pre-history, the oppressive mechanical mood of The Idiot represented a major shift from Pop’s rock formalism and hinted at Bowie’s future esoteric undertakings.

Method of Madness

Unlike the frantic off-the-floor recording method of garage acts like the Stooges, The Idiot bloomed out of loose, experimental sessions. Bowie composed the bulk of the music, hopping between a variety of instruments and layering sounds over which Pop added his droll societal observations.

The resulting tunes were darkly humorous and oddly funky, like a junkshop of toys clattering at once, creating a friendly din. “Funtime,” with its barked imperative refrain, is a declaration of purpose, yet its sarcastic tone is at odds with its title. Another highlight, “China Girl,” offers the album’s sole hint of sentimentality, and would greatly improve Pop’s fortunes when Bowie covered it on 1983 commercial juggernaut, Let’s Dance.

"Meeting at the intersection of Brecht and Kraftwerk, 'Nightclubbing' is certainly an 'ice machine,' as Pop sings in the opening verse."

Yet no single moment encapsulates the album’s disoriented mood as well as “Nightclubbing.” Pop revealed the song is meant to evoke the “incredible coldness and deathly feeling” of the nocturnal reveries in which he and Bowie indulged. Meeting at the intersection of Brecht and Kraftwerk, “Nightclubbing” resembles the “ice machine,” Pop sings of in the opening verse. For another classic Pop moment, check out the vacant way he tosses off, “Oh, isn’t it wild?” The line sounds like he couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed for anything short of the Taj Mahal, and even that would be a bore.

A Murky History

Then there’s the sauntering drum machine beat. After writing the skeleton of the song with piano and a Roland drum machine, Bowie was ready to lay live drums. Satisfied with the lean accompaniment, Pop declared the robotic result “better than a drummer,” and reportedly cranked out his lyrics in ten minutes flat.

Time is a funny thing, and the murky history around The Idiot makes it difficult to determine the precise model of the drum machine on “Nightclubbing.” However, this is certain: Shuffle-A from the Roland CR-78 sounds remarkably like the recording, though there are reports that Bowie owned a TR-77 and used it on Low.

"Satisfied with the lean accompaniment, Pop declared the robotic result 'better than a drummer,' and reportedly cranked out his lyrics in ten minutes flat."

One aspect of “Nightclubbing” not in question is its lasting influence. Grace Jones, The Human League, and Siouxsie Sioux’s project The Creatures all covered the song. Nine Inch Nails famously interpolated the Roland kick drum into their own bacchanalian ode, 1994’s “Closer,” which also featured the Roland TR-606.

If you feel like recreating the unmistakable groove on your own, the vintage sound is easy to achieve using the Roland Cloud CR-78 Software Rhythm Composer. To emulate the drippy, delayed effect of the “Nightclubbing” beat, try adding the RE-201 Space Echo or another analog-style delay. You’ll be swaggering down the midnight streets of Berlin in no time, like the vampiric Bowie and Pop of legend.

The post Sound Behind the Song: “Nightclubbing” by Iggy Pop appeared first on Roland Articles.

Careers in Music: Pete Korpela on Percussion for Film, TV, and Beyond

Nate Duchene — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:39:49 +0000

You may or may not know it, but you’ve probably heard Pete Korpela. It may have been on a major motion picture soundtrack (Avatar 2 and 3, Spiderman: No Way Home), video games (Assassin’s Creed series), TV (The Mandalorian), a beloved production (The Lion King 2019 film score and first national tour), or on arena tours with Josh Groban. Regardless of the context, this classical and contemporary percussionist is high on the call sheet of major composers, producers, and artists who need a variety of styles and sounds—and quickly.

For the past three decades, the Finnish percussionist has traveled all manner of distances, fearlessly sought out mentors, and learned Afro-Cuban to symphonic instruments without ceasing to answer the call when it came. Learn about Pete’s original inspirations, how relationships are foundational to everything, and how to show up for every gig.

One-Way Train to Music

What were your earliest musical inspirations?

There was a music class in years 3-9 of school, where you would get an hour of music every day. Everyone had to audition. The school selected 30 students every year, and then there would be harmony, theory, and choir. We all had to learn an instrument based on availability, what was needed, or what we wanted. I was originally assigned the French horn.

So, I started learning French horn but continued begging and just being a pain in the ass to my parents. I wanted a drum set, and finally, they bought me a kit when I was probably in 3rd grade. However, the rule was that I had to take lessons. I couldn’t just play rock or whatever. I had to study to learn how to play.

Throughout those years, the school would take us to watch the local symphony orchestra. I remember watching all these live musicians perform onstage and having a connection that just grew. There wasn’t one moment; it was a gradual build.

Was there a moment you felt music was “it” for you?

I saw my old teacher, Mongo Aaltonen, play congas on TV with a famous rock band, and it just blew my mind. I was like, “This is what I want to do.” So, while my parents made me study classical music, all I wanted to do was play congas and hand percussion, and I had to travel to do it. Now, I was born and raised in the eastern part of Finland, and nobody there knew anything about hand percussion. I started taking a three-hour one-way train to Helsinki for lessons, which I did throughout my high school years. Then I auditioned and got into Sibelius Academy, a college in Helsinki.

"I saw my old teacher, Mongo Aaltonen, play congas on TV with a famous rock band, and it just blew my mind. I was like, 'This is what I want to do.'"

From School to Studio

How did your education help you set a foundation for building your craft?

I was there for maybe two years, then that’s when I came to the LA Music Academy, now Los Angeles College of Music. It was a brand-new school back then, and Emil Richards, Joe Porcaro, Ralph Humphrey, and Jerry Steinholtz were the instructors. I was speaking with Drummer’s Collective in New York City about piecing together a hand percussion program for me, but then I saw an ad in Modern Drummer about a school in LA.

I was the only percussion student at LA Music Academy, so obviously, I got a lot of attention, but there was also absolutely no way to skate by. I was under a microscope. If I practiced and showed up prepared, it was good. If I didn’t, it wasn’t. And they were not shy to let me know.

Can you describe the path from graduation to a touring and working studio musician?

Well, I knew I wanted to be a studio or session musician more than a band member. That lifestyle keeps me inspired and pushes me to the next level, because to make a living as a full-time session musician, you have to adapt.

So, I attended the one-year program, and there was an instructor, Jerry Steinholtz, who knew everybody in the industry. And when I was a 20-year-old student, we would go to PAS (Percussive Arts Society) or NAMM, and he would introduce me to all these players and artist relations departments. When I graduated, I reached out to these reps and went to see players at different clubs in LA. I’d reintroduce myself, help them break down gear, and ask for lessons.

I spent a few years in Finland after graduating, but I came back to LA in 2000, focused on studying. That’s when I started taking lessons with Kevin Ricard (Dancing with the Stars, America’s Got Talent), Michito Sanchez (John Denver, Joao Gilberto), and LA studio legend Don Williams. All of them had played on TV shows, huge tours, and sessions, and their careers were peaking. I’d go into lessons with specific questions like, “What was that thing that you were doing in that song? Were you using this instrument or that instrument, etc.?”

"I was laser-focused on getting the information I wanted, but after studying with them for an extensive period, they knew my strengths and weaknesses."

A good example comes from the symphonic world. Many orchestral percussionists are exceptional on Western classical instruments, but not everyone regularly plays hand percussion. When a program includes works that really require that specific background, orchestras often bring in a specialist. Just recently, I played with the LA Philharmonic on congas; not because others couldn’t do the job, but because Matt Howard (principal) wanted someone who is comfortable and experienced with that instrument in that particular situation.

I was laser-focused on getting the information I wanted, but after studying with them for an extensive period, they knew my strengths and weaknesses. They helped me build the skills I needed. Ultimately, the more you can play, the more valuable you are to the artist, the composer, or the contractor, the more you’ll work.

A 20-Year Overnight Success

What types of timelines do you typically work with, from contact to tracking?

It varies. Most work comes in very late these days, like within, let’s say, two weeks. A lot of stuff is within 10 days or a week. You get a call, and you’re available or not. If you are, then you get the music, and you know whether you’re the principal percussionist or you’re section. Whoever is principal, it’s their job to be the quarterback, per se. They send all the instruments, make contact with the orchestration team or the music prep, and try to get parts to figure out what is needed.

Is there a specific process?

For section players, we might get a PDF folder, maybe the day before. It doesn’t mean that you know what you’re going to be playing, because the challenge is that a lot of things change. There are so many variables: they might put instruments in different places, you have to split parts between a couple of players, a couple of instruments. They add to the music all the time, or take out. You might not have time to run from orchestra bells to the xylophone because it’s on the other side of the stage, so we make plans to account for that.  

And that’s the type of experience you can’t get until you’re there, but you can’t get there if you don’t have experience. So, if there’s less work, the competition is harder, and if you get a call, you show up and you don’t deliver, then that was your chance. And then they don’t want to see you ever again. And teachers will tell you that you’ll usually get major movie calls around 40, and I know this for a fact because I got my first major motion picture calls at 40. The wait is long, and there are no guarantees—and it took me 20 years to become an overnight success, like my mentor Don Williams always says.

"The wait is long, and there are no guarantees—and it took me 20 years to become an overnight success."

Just Say Yes

What gets you through the lean times?

Thankfully, I learned so many different styles that if one area slows down, there’s something happening elsewhere. For example, we had a busy September and October recording films, and now it’s a slower moment. But I have video game concerts happening, then I’m playing with Pasadena Symphony, and then some old friends who play flamenco stuff. All of a sudden, I’m doing something else because I’m free to take on other work.

My approach has always been to say yes to everything and then figure out later if I can make it or not. And if I have to cancel something, I make sure the seat is covered with a player as good or better. The least I can do is to be a professional and help ensure their gig goes well.

A Stamp on the Bandstand

What gear and instruments can’t you live without?

About 80 to 90% of what I play is acoustic instruments, but when I use electronics, it’s because I’m trying to match an exact sound, still played live instead of from backing tracks. Or I want to have the actual sample from the recording. If I use a sample, it’s because it sounds different from if I do it acoustically.

For this, I’ll often use a Roland HandSonic (HPD-20) because it has so many sounds and the ability to modify them, along with a wide range to pitch them up or down. And then at times I’ll use the Octapad SPD-30  for both live and in-studio because I like the versatile handclaps, tambourines, and shaker sounds. Both of these instruments help speed up my work process and can cover so much territory. Also, I did five world tours with the same HandSonic and Octapad units, and I never once had them not turn on. Ever.  

Another instrument I’ve used live is the SPD-SX with a KT-10 kick pedal and an FD-9 hi-hat pedal. I’m excited to get into the new SPD-SX PRO because of the higher sample bitrate. My plan is to do a deep dive and then sample my instruments to build my own unique sample library using the SPD-SX PRO. So, in the future, even if I’m at a scoring stage, I’ll have my own instruments available in any session, even if they weren’t ordered.

"People were sold on the fact that it was humans approximating the machines and not the machines telling us what to do."

For LP acoustic drums, I have a set of Classic Congas and a Giovanni (Hidalgo) Palladium Conga 5-piece set in black. They are the gold standard of the conga sound, and if you play LP Classics, nobody is ever going to have a problem. When I was about 14-15, I picked up a set of Carlos “Patato” Valdes fiberglass congas in a pawnshop in Finland. Putting those drums onstage was the first moment I felt like a serious professional. Like I put a stamp on my spot on the bandstand, that’s how it felt.

Other tools I’ve used over the years are the LP Soft Shake, which came out in the ‘90s. They come in pairs, but I take three because they are lightweight and super easy to play. The three-shaker combo is my favorite because it is a bit louder and cuts through a mix a bit more. Another instrument is the Black Beauty Cowbell, which has a consistent, signature high-pitched tone.

I also probably have about 80 tambourines and always take lots to any job. This ensures that if something sounds off, I have options. My favorites have brass jingles (Cyclops Handheld Tambourine), which have this round, warm tambourine sound. And lately, I’ve  been enjoying the new LP Riq and Frame Drums—they’re just fantastic. I guess the beauty of the LP sound is that they’re so well recorded that they’re almost universally accepted. 

Learn Forever

What’s your advice for young percussionists and composers seeking a lasting creative career?

Number one is that you have to study. You have to study and study, and you’re never done. You’re never entirely ready, so keep learning. You have to have that hunger to learn new instruments, take lessons, learn from your colleagues, and find mentors. I have had so many teachers. And a colleague of mine, Wade Culbreath, told me, “You used LA as your college.”

Listen to so much music. Old music, new music, current music, and all different styles. Seek out legendary musicians who recorded stuff and study them and understand what they did and why they did it. If you have a good teacher, they can explain what players are doing and why. Also, learn how to record yourself.

"Know when it’s time to just play, when it’s time to ask questions, and when it’s time to contribute ideas."

Invest in your instruments and buy the best possible gear you can get. Find them used on eBay or wherever you have to. For example, I was trying to find this old Ludwig tambourine from the ’70s and ’80s; I spent years searching for it. The instruments used can be why something works and why something doesn’t, so collect different instruments because, in a way, the more instruments you can play, the better you are.

People skills. Know what to do and what not to do. The “what not to do” is so important. Know when it’s time to just play, when it’s time to ask questions, and when it’s time to contribute ideas. But there are times when it’s not your time, it’s not your moment to do that yet. Be patient with that because you’re going to be working with experienced people who know a lot of things you don’t yet.

Also, show up on time—and I mean early—and be available to help other people. Remember that it is a marathon. You’re working with other people, maybe for a day, a week, or a year. But when it’s over, you’re back in the same pool with the same people. And if you behave unprofessionally, they will all speak to one another.

The post Careers in Music: Pete Korpela on Percussion for Film, TV, and Beyond appeared first on Roland Articles.

Careers in Music: Jon Theodore of Queens of the Stone Age

Jamie Franklin and Tom Wonnacott — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:43:47 +0000

The role of the drummer is often likened to various aspects of the human form: the heartbeat, the backbone, the nerve center. The common thread is that they each provide an essential foundation for things to grow and flourish.

Jon Theodore is a drummer no stranger to helping things grow and flourish. Across a career spanning almost three decades, he’s laid down rhythm for the likes of The Mars Volta, One Day as a Lion, and Queens of the Stone Age, on a journey defined by constant exploration and development.

A staunch advocate of the Roland V71 module, Jon uses V-Drums to practice, record, and perform all around the world. Here he talks about his musical beginnings, his recent projects utilizing the Roland TD716 kit, and the future he continues to shape around a lifelong passion for percussion.

All the Time, Every Day: Falling into Music

Where does your relationship with music begin?

My first musical memory is listening to Beethoven’s 5th with my dad and being blown away by those big chords and loving how stoked he was. From that point on, I was pretty much always listening to the radio. When I was a kid, there was music everywhere all the time, and everyone always had the radio on. I even had a CD player in the shower where I pretty much only listened to Van Halen I. My friends and I mostly just sat around and listened to records when we hung out. So, music was always essential to me, and I was always listening long before I started playing drums.

I started learning piano when I was seven and took lessons for several years. Piano is the total instrument: percussion, melody, harmony, and theory all-in-one. So, when I finally found the drums at about 15, I already knew what to do because of my previous musical training.

"You can’t wait for anyone else to do it for you; you’ve got to build it for yourself the way you want it to be."

Where did things move for you after that?

Playing the drums immediately became the central focus of my life. It was the most important thing to me, and the place where I felt most at home and comfortable. So, I did it all the time, every day, all day long.

Eventually, my friends started playing instruments too, and I was like, “Maybe you should bring yours over to my house, and we can do it together.” Almost immediately, we started a band, had band practice, and started playing shows at parties. Then it was off and running. The doors closed behind me, and there was no turning back.

One of your early bands was Golden. What did you learn from that project?

With Golden, we learned how to play together and write songs. We bought audio gear, piece by piece. This was before the digital age, so we learned how to write and record with tape machines. We made our own records and tapes, booked and promoted our own shows, and made our own fliers. That really taught me that at the end of the day, you have to do it yourself. You can’t wait for anyone else to do it for you; you’ve got to build it for yourself the way you want it to be.

Lessons From a Life in Bands

It wasn’t long before you started playing with The Mars Volta. Did that bring any new challenges?

With The Mars Volta, I learned about work ethic. We practiced all day, every day. We lived together, ate together, and dreamed about making music together. We always played as hard as we could and took every show and tour that we could get. We never took time off. We would drive straight to the studio after the last show of a tour, load the gear in, and start work that day. So I learned that nothing happens without an immense amount of work and constant pressure.

I also got jumped into the world of the greater Los Angeles music business, because it was the first time that I ever had other people around me who weren’t in the band. Lawyers doing legal things, managers doing manager things, agents and producers doing their things… It was a crash course, so that was extremely valuable.

"With The Mars Volta, I learned about work ethic. We practiced all day, every day. We lived together, ate together, and dreamed about making music together."

As you moved between different projects, did each one teach you something new?

In One Day as a Lion, we got a thunderous drum sound for the ages. When we went in to record, it was only two instruments, so we could really maximize the sounds. I learned how to adjust the studio dynamics to optimize the drum sound. And with Robert Carranza engineering, we were rewarded with one of my favorite drum sounds.

With Dâm-Funk, I learned spectacular showmanship and how to boogie. No matter what, it was all about staying in the pocket because we were there to keep the crowd on their feet and dancing all night long. What I couldn’t have predicted at that point was how valuable that set of skills would be for Queens of the Stone Age.

How did that focus on groove and feel translate when you moved back into heavier rock music with Queens of the Stone Age?

Queens is a hard-rocking band, but it’s always body rock. It’s dance music. No matter how complex it gets, it always has to feel good in the body, and we want to keep the crowd moving.

With complicated tunes, it’s easy to get hyper-focused on yourself and getting your own parts right, but when you zoom out and really listen to everybody else, you hear the glue that’s holding it all together. That’s when the magic happens. Your own performance becomes a piston in the motor, and the whole thing elevates to another level. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tonight, I’m here with my brothers to play this show. It’s not just about me playing my best; it’s about this whole night being great for all of us. So that commitment to really listening and locking in with my bandmates has been a really valuable lesson I’ve learned from playing with Queens.

"No matter how complex it gets, it always has to feel good in the body, and we want to keep the crowd moving."

Sonic Landscapes with V-Drums

When did V-Drums first enter the picture?

My first experience using V-Drums was during writing. As we started to work on the songs for the record, we were doing tons of really long days hammering out parts and arrangements on huge drums and cranking amps, and we were just getting burnt out way too fast.

So, we tried playing with V-Drums and small practice amps, and we figured out that if we didn’t have everything blasting at full volume, we could play all day long at a reasonable volume and really work things out without being exhausted or blowing our eardrums out. It was a real revelation.

Around that time, I saw a friend’s band that had instruments in a warm-up room to play before shows. That led to us taking that writing setup out on our own tours. It was an absolute game changer. Getting loose and warmed up allows us to come right out of the gate swinging every night. We’d be sweaty before we even got on stage, like fighters coming to the ring.

You’re using V-Drums with Queens of the Stone Age. Tell us about how you got started with that.

I had some time off from playing shows, and I was living in a cabin in the mountains. I brought my V-Drums with me so that I could practice, and a friend of mine happened to send me some demos he’d made. I went into the shed in my socks and started playing along.

I figured out how to wire the module to the computer via USB, and within a few hours, I’d cut the tracks and emailed them back to my friend. They brought them into the studio, through the board and all the analog outboard stuff, and those drum tracks ended up making the record. It was a real eye-opener and made me realize I can do my thing from anywhere. So at that point, the V-Drums became very powerful and useful for me in terms of writing, demoing, and even doing some remote recordings.

"Having acoustic percussion and V-Drums together adds a level of depth and richness to the sound."

When did you realize the TD716 kit would be a great asset for live shows?

I needed a way to keep the volume reasonable for a chamber orchestra but still have powerful sounds that I could layer with album sounds and effects. The TD716 was a natural suggestion because we had used it so much in the rehearsal room. It’s a great tool for creativity, and it allows me to do things that are impossible with an acoustic drum set.

Having acoustic percussion and V-Drums together adds a level of depth and richness to the sound. It also does a lot for the sound quality to be able to isolate, maximize, and combine sounds. Also, playing the 808s through a massive PA is so cool, and sound effects and symphonic stuff like timpani and marching snare, too.

The feel and response of V-Drums is killer. You can adjust the tension of the heads to exactly how you want them to feel, and the snare, ride cymbal, and hi-hats have upgraded to USB triggers, which increase the responsiveness and dynamic control. All these details, along with the outstanding feel, just elevate V-Drums to an unbeatable level.

Descending into the Catacombs

Speaking of live shows, how did you wind up playing in the Catacombs of Paris?

We love playing weird shows, so we always jump at the chance. We love to have the chance to reinvent ourselves in unusual places. Josh had been trying to get permission to play in the Catacombs for 20 years. Paris finally allowed us but forbade any amplification, so rather than go in there with all our full-tilt rock-and-roll gear, we stripped it all the way down.

It was a great challenge. We brought in the string players, rebuilt the songs, and tried to make something really beautiful that was a reflection of the space. Obviously, that meant no drums or V-Drums because it had to be 100% acoustic. At one point, I was clapping, but then we found some woodblocks and some chains that we utilized. I ended up using some chopsticks from a sushi restaurant at one point.

"We love to have the chance to reinvent ourselves in unusual places. Josh had been trying to get permission to play in the Catacombs for 20 years."

How did that experience lead into what you’re currently doing on tour?

Well, when we did the Catacombs performance, it was 100% acoustic, and we only did five songs. The French filmmakers knocked it out of the park, and Mark Rankin mixed it beautifully, so we put it out. People dug it, so we started wondering if we could do a tour like this. We knew we’d need more than five songs to make a show. We decided on a set of songs that would lend themselves to this reinterpretation and started thinking about what instruments would work best.

We knew we’d need a chamber orchestra, but we weren’t interested in just having them play the songs along with us. We’d let them be the focus and rework our own parts to complement theirs. The show morphed into the three-act show that we’re now doing. Act One is the original Catacombs thing, with just acoustic instruments. Act Two is led by the orchestra, has multiple percussionists, and is very theatrical. And then Act Three is deep cuts and more traditional rock songs, played in rock-and-roll format with the V-Drums and the orchestra.

It’s been a great tour. We’ve been enjoying the challenge, and the feedback has been great. It feels special, and hopefully, we can do it again sometime with longer, more varied sets with more material.

Intensity with Intention

What’s most important to you when you’re playing?

I think what’s most important to me is the actual “doing.” If someone likes it or buys a ticket, that’s great, but what satisfies me is the actual playing. I love being in a band, you know? Working on the records, going to practice, and figuring out how to put on a good show. Every experience I have with different musicians just enriches my experience. I just try to get better with each opportunity I have.

You’ve been doing this project for over a decade now. What’s that experience been like for you over time?

This is the longest I’ve ever been in a band. I think it’s been 12 or 13 years, so I’ve certainly learned how to protect the vibe, communicate better, and contribute. I’ve learned to honor the past while keeping the inspiration going for the future. To play hard but keep it grooving.

Most of all, I reconnected with the central truth in music that’s so simple and essential but so easy to lose sight of sometimes. Listening to the other players is the most important thing.

"This is the longest I’ve ever been in a band. I think it’s been 12 or 13 years, so I’ve certainly learned how to protect the vibe, communicate better, and contribute."

What else is coming up next for you?

We have some wild shows coming up this year. We’re doing a couple of different stadium tours in Europe and the US with System of a Down and Foo Fighters. Which will be killer.

And sooner or later, we’ll put out more music. There’s never a dull moment. We’re lucky to have an audience that’s so flexible and enthusiastic, so we’ll keep partying with them until the wheels fall off.

The post Careers in Music: Jon Theodore of Queens of the Stone Age appeared first on Roland Articles.

Roland’s New Global Headquarters: Inside the Inspiration Hub

Adam Douglas — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:45:00 +0000

Since 1972, Roland has been designing the future. Yet it’s been doing this in a decidedly atomized way, with various departments such as administration and R&D occupying separate buildings, often separated by miles of roadway. But no longer. On December 10, 2025, the company unveiled the Roland Inspiration Hub, its new global headquarters, with an event showcasing the building’s unique features. More than just a corporate location, however, it will be the starting point for the future, purpose-built with architectural characteristics to help shape and inspire the next generation of Roland products. “This is not just an office,” said director Yasunobu Suzuki in his opening remarks at the event. “It is a base for delivering new musical experiences to the world.”

History in Hamamatsu

The Roland Inspiration Hub is located in Hamamatsu, a seaside town in the Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. Those unfamiliar with Japan’s musical instrument industry may be surprised to learn that Roland is not headquartered in Tokyo. While the company does indeed have offices in the nation’s capital, Hamamatsu has been Roland’s home since relocating in 2005 from Osaka, where it was founded in 1972—although its relationship with the city dates back to 1973, when it established its first factory there.

A manufacturing hub since the 1500s, Hamamatsu gained recognition for its musical instrument industry after a string of companies established themselves there in the late 1800s. The city currently hosts almost 10 such companies, as well as a world-class museum with a focus on musical instruments. Given its history and its convenient location between Tokyo and Osaka, Hamamatsu remains the ideal place for Roland’s new global headquarters.

Step Into the Roland Inspiration Hub

Planning for the Roland Inspiration Hub began in earnest in 2022, following Roland’s recognition of the need for a new headquarters. With office buildings spread out across Hamamatsu, and work-style habits in flux due to changes wrought by the pandemic in 2020, updating the company’s environment to better foster innovation became, in the words of Suzuki, an urgent priority: “Against this backdrop,” he remarked in his speech, “we decided to establish a new headquarters here as a new base” for consolidating dispersed departments and functions, and creating innovative products and services.

"We decided to establish a new headquarters here as a new base for consolidating dispersed departments and functions, and creating innovative products and services.”

Yasunobu Suzuki

Construction began in 2024 based on designs by architecture firm Mount Fuji Architects Studio, whose portfolio includes a variety of commercial and residential structures. As the new space was to be more than just a typical office building, the design evolved to meet the needs of Roland’s many different employees, from engineers to admin staff, with special sound-proofed rooms located throughout for product testing, some even at the front of the building where visiting musicians and other guests can try out products without having to pass through areas where top secret products might be seen.

Inspirational touches are everywhere you look, from internal buttresses designed to look like bass guitar strings to the meeting rooms named after legendary Roland instruments. Even the arrows painted on the ground in the parking lot bear the same design as the ones indicating signal flow on BOSS pedals.

Said Suzuki: “We named this new headquarters the Roland Inspiration Hub. True to its name, it is the starting point for inspiration and ideas, a place where the diverse skills, cultures, and perspectives of each employee intersect, stimulating one another to create innovation.”

"It is the starting point for inspiration and ideas, a place where the diverse skills, cultures, and perspectives of each employee intersect, stimulating one another to create innovation."

Yasunobu Suzuki

Sustainability From the Ground Up

Uniquely, the building that houses Roland Inspiration Hub is actually a new composite created by combining two previously existing structures. The new design incorporates the older buildings into a three-story complex, uniting them under a single roof—much like the company is doing with its various internal departments.

This is more than just a clever metaphor, however. Reusing existing materials aligns with Roland’s stated goals of sustainability. The Hub reuses two existing buildings, along with their air-conditioning and lighting systems, to minimize resource use and reduce environmental impact.

Enter the Roland Arena

The centerpiece—literally as well as figuratively—of the building is the Roland Arena. Built in the former space between the two old buildings, it’s an airy and open atrium visible from all three floors, and designed to be used not only for company meetings but also for musical performances. As big as two tennis courts, it’s here that the ambient natural light filters through, creating a luminous and inviting space for new ideas to be shared.

Along with space for events and meetings, the Roland Arena will also feature a station with Roland musical instruments, set up and ready to play whenever the need strikes. Whether that be an engineer wanting to compare the sound or feel of a new product in development with one already available, or someone just needing to refresh themselves by noodling on a keyboard for a few minutes between meetings, that will always be possible.

"Along with space for events and meetings, the Roland Arena will also feature a station with Roland musical instruments, set up and ready to play whenever the need strikes."

No Walls, No Barriers

Surrounding the Roland Arena is the aptly named Roland Circuit, a wall-less corridor that runs the circumference of the railing overlooking the Arena. Surrounding the Circuit, then, will be the work areas, unique because they have no walls. Completely open, the three floors will accommodate all employees and their desks, enabling free and easy communication between teams and departments, as well as flexible layout changes to meet day-to-day needs.

Of the 600 or so employees working at the new headquarters, “two-thirds are developers,” noted Suzuki. The new space has been designed for them with inspiration and comfort in mind.

Floors one and two will house the research and development departments, including—for the first time—BOSS, whose members were previously in a separate location. Perfectly fulfilling the goal of One Roland, it will bring together the two groups, and just in time, with recent crossover products like the PX-1 Plugout FX pedal duly demonstrating this need.

Engineers also need a space to test products, sometimes at high volume. Accordingly, the building features eight special soundproofed rooms for just this use. Numbered 01 to 08 with images of synthesizer waveforms emblazoned across the doors, they originally were to have the names of the waveforms printed as well, but older engineers decided that unlabeled graphic representations would make a great opportunity to test the junior engineers. Woe to the newbie who forgets what a Super Saw looks like!

Of course, you can’t work all of the time, and with this in mind, the headquarters also includes areas to relax. Up on the third floor, there’s a large and spacious employee lounge that looks more like a cafe than your typical break room, as well as a company cafeteria. There’s even a convenience store. It is Japan, after all.

"Completely open, the three floors will accommodate all employees and their desks, enabling free and easy communication between teams and departments."

Experience the Future

Roland’s long-standing goal is to design the future. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the Roland Experience Gallery, an on-site exhibition space for displaying Roland’s most cutting-edge products. Along with the latest from Roland Cloud and other next-generation instruments, it presents prototype products from the Roland Future Design Lab, such as the most recent Project LYDIA, which features AI-powered sound transformation software housed in a robust pedal enclosure.

More than just a showroom for instruments and tech, however, the very environment of the Roland Experience Gallery is part of the exhibition. As you move through the exhibit, the music playing over the speakers changes. That’s because it’s not just pre-recorded sound but an AI-involved ambient experience called Roland Soundscapes.

Made in collaboration with the company Qosmo and electronic music artist Sakura Tsuruta, the sounds—created entirely on Roland Cloud instruments—and composition change in response to the movements of visitors (via infrared sensors, no less), MIDI input, the time of day, and even the weather outside, generating an organic and fleeting piece of music that will only ever exist once. Remarkable, and indicative of what Roland is trying to achieve with its new building: a home base for the company to create the next generation of instruments and products.

“At our new headquarters,” summed up Suzuki, “we will maximize the passion and creativity for instrument-making that each Roland employee possesses. We will deliver next-generation products and services, along with new musical experiences that fuse music and technology, to the world.”

Roland Inspiration Hub will have its grand opening on March 2, 2026.

The post Roland’s New Global Headquarters: Inside the Inspiration Hub appeared first on Roland Articles.