Ikutaro Kakehashi, engineer and manufacturer, is the founder of the famous Roland brand. But not only! He is known for having collaborated with Dave Smith, famous for his synthesizers, and Tom Oberheim, equally renowned in the manufacture of synths, to design a communication protocol between instruments. We have all heard about it … the famous MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) which has revolutionized the world of music and which we can not do without since the 1980s.

Roland Corporation is one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of electronic musical instruments, specializing in keyboards and synthesizers, sound modules, effects processors, electronic drums, recording equipment and amplifiers.
The company was founded in 1972 in Osaka, Japan ; their first product to be marketed was the famous TR-77 drum machine.

In 1976, launch of the BOSS brand. The company’s BOSS subsidiary produces guitar effects and drum machines. The DS-1 distortion released in 1978, still on the market, has hardly changed since it was first produced: a rock icon!

Synthesizers

The SH1000 created in 1973 is one of Roland’s first instruments on the market. It was surely one of the most compact and affordable synthesizers in all of Japan.

When it was released in 1987, the D-50 revolutionized the world of synthesizers. Built around the extraordinary Roland LA (Linear Arithmetic) synthesis, the instrument’s versatile formula blending mixed samples, virtual simulations, and built-in effects allow programmers to create incredible tones that have never been possible before. The D-50 software synthesizer perfectly reproduces its ancestor in every detail, allowing you to revive this mythical D-50 long established in your current musical works.

In 1978, Roland released the JUPITER-4 , the name JUPITER is associated with the pinnacle of development of Roland synthesizers .

The JUPITER-X keeps this tradition by combining a typical Roland design and dynamism with the revolutionary Zen-Core Synthesis System.

Programmable drum machines

In 1981, Roland released the TR-808 , one of the first programmable drum machines and arguably the most influential drum machine in history. The TR-08 is a carbon copy of the TR-808. The 808 not only broadened the sonic vocabulary of music but also defined, if not made possible, several musical genres. Cherished by producers and musicians around the world, it remains an instrument that many creative people no longer want to do without.

The TR-606 came out with the TB-303 Bass Line in 1982. It is a programmable drum machine whose size, price, and ease of use make it a home music production tool that can be used anywhere. anyone can use. His powerful bass drums, elastic drums and hats were popular with independent musicians and appeared in many genres in the 1980s, from new wave to punk to all electronic styles.
The TR-06 is a detailed replica of the classic TR-606, with some additional modern features. Our new Roland Boutique version has the distinct sound and famous look of the original, with more sound modification options, innovative sequencing possibilities, and multiple connections to manage modular devices.

Inspiring batteries

In 1997, Roland launched the TD-10 V-Drums. The V-Drums range has continued to evolve over the past two decades, and Roland remains committed to advancing the musical potential of these inspiring instruments.

Even today, Roland drums are unbeatable.
Like the V-DRUMS TD-50KVX

V-Drums is an ultimate beacon with prismatic tone modeling. The V-Drums are the most impressive live drums to date thanks to their acoustic drum design, featuring digital multi-sensor snare and ride pads, and a bass drum featuring a 22-inch wooden shell. inches.
Or, for the more amateurs, the new TD-27, TD-17 and TD-07 series will fully satisfy you.

Accordions: The successful alliance of technology and tradition

Roland FR-8x successfully combines the traditional accordion with advanced digital technology. This digital accordion responds to the requests and suggestions of many professional accordionists regarding the expressiveness and flexibility of their favorite instruments. The innovative “Dynamic Bellows Behavior” technology improves the response of the bellows which is very close to a real accordion. The library of sounds and effects has been considerably expanded, and the “loop player” function is the icing on the cake. The FR-8x combines the beauty of the acoustic accordion with the creative possibilities offered by V-Accordion technology .

Roland is arguably one of the largest manufacturers of electronic musical instruments in the world! Since its creation, the quality of its instruments has never stopped increasing. We are pleased to be able to present a large panel of their assortment to you in our store.

And did you know that Alain Boullard and Alexandre Boullard had the opportunity to meet Roland’s founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi , a dozen years ago? A memory that will forever be engraved in their history and in the history of Boullard Musique. Ikutaro Kakehashi will forever remain a visionary man , a pioneer who has never stopped innovating and who will eternally leave his mark in current and past music, and of course in the future, whether with the MIDI protocol or with the sound of his synthesizers, BOSS guitar effects units and more.

Jeremy

From left to right: Alain Boullard, Ikutaro Kakehashi, Alexandre Boullard.
At the Roland Museum, Japan, 2008.