Roland Drums

The Roland company does not make traditional drums, but rather all of the Roland drums are electronic. Roland is a pioneer and world leader in electronic musical instruments and products. Its array of products includes synthesizers, drum machines, mixing boards, effect processors, and of course electronic drum sets.

Named for the French epic poem, Le Chanson de Roland, Roland was founded in Osaka, Japan in 1972 by Ikutaro Kakehashi. Kakehashi, who was born in 1930, started an electrical appliances shop in 1954, whose operations included repairing electric organs. At the same time he also started experimenting with prototype electric organs of his own, and later decided to devote himself exclusively to musical instruments. In 1972 he started Roland with a commitment to use the electronic revolution to benefit all aspects of music making.

Roland introduced many pioneering electronic music products, including the GR-500, the world’s first guitar synthesizer, and the CR-78, the first programmable drum machine. Many other Roland products left great marks upon the world of electronic music.

Roland drums are at the cutting edge of electronic drum manufacture. Roland offers very high quality simulated drum sounds and membrane electronic drum pads with unparalleled natural feel and expression. Roland calls their electronic drum sets V-Drums, and the V-Drum Roland electronic drums models, ordered from highest quality to entry level are: V-Pro, V-Stage, V-Tour, and V-Compact.