Roland Corporation
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]
Company type
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]
History[edit]
1970s[edit]
Having created Ace Electronic Industries Inc in 1960, Ikutaro Kakehashi founded Roland in Osaka on 18 April 1972.[8] While rival companies Moog and ARP targeted professional musicians and academics, Kakehashi, who had no musical training, wanted to appeal to amateurs and hobbyists, and focused on miniaturization, affordability, and simplicity.[9]
Roland markets products under a number of brand names, each of which is used on products geared toward a different niche.[35]