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| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| TYO: 7944 | |
| Industry | Electronics |
| Founded | 18 April 1972 Osaka, Japan |
| Founder | Ikutaro Kakehashi |
| Headquarters | , Japan |
Key people | Gordon Raison |
| Products | Electronic musical instruments, synthesizers, digital pianos, electronic drums, guitar amplifiers, guitar synthesizers, effects units, mixing consoles, digital recorders, DJ controllers, vision mixers, accordions |
| Brands |
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Number of employees | 2,783 (2022)[1] |
| Website | roland |
Roland Corporation (ローランド株式会社, Rōrando Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment, and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on 18 April 1972. In 2005, its headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture.[2] It has factories in Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. As of December 2022, it employed 2,783 people.[1] In 2014, it was subject to a management buyout by its CEO, Junichi Miki, supported by Taiyo Pacific Partners.[3]
Roland has manufactured numerous instruments that have had lasting impacts on music, such as the Juno-106 synthesizer,[4] TB-303 bass synthesizer,[5] and TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines.[6] It was also instrumental in the development of MIDI, a standardized means of synchronizing electronic instruments manufactured by different companies. In 2016, Fact wrote that Roland had arguably had more influence on electronic music than any other company.[7]
- ^ a b "Roland - Company - Key Figures - Key Figures". Roland Corporation. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Roland announces plans for new global headquarters in Japan". MusicTech. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Announcement concerning Implementation of MBO and Recommendation to Tender" (PDF). Roland Corporation. 14 May 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Blast from the past: Roland Juno-106". MusicRadar. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ Hamill, Jasper. "The world's most famous electronic instrument is back. Will anyone buy the reissued TB-303?". Forbes. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- ^ Reid, Gordon (December 2014). "The history of Roland: part 2 | Sound On Sound". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ "The 14 drum machines that shaped modern music". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2018.