How Roland Became the Biggest Drum Company in the World By Greg Rule & Steve Fisher What comes to mind when the word “Roland” is mentioned?
Synthesizers and digital recorders are surely at the top of the list, as Roland has produced some of the world’s most cutting-edge examples of these musical tools over the years. But now another instrument category has become synonymous with the Roland brand: Electronic Percussion. Since 1997, Roland has steadily increased its profile in the electronic drumming community – so much so, Roland can now lay claim to being the premiere hi-tech drum company in the world. Roland’s V-Drums are ubiquitous, as the V-Drum line continues to break sales records and win awards from pole to pole. From legendary masters of nuance, such as Neil Peart, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Omar Hakim, to smash-hit pounders such as Rocky Gray from Evanescence, V-Drums are in high demand in studios and stages around the world. How did Roland rise to such heights in electronic drumming? Let’s take a magical history tour of the Roland V-Drum family tree, and see how a group of innovative engineers and musicians in Japan and
