Original Piano Maker(s)
Roland Founder, IKUTARO KAKEHASHI (1930 – 2017)
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Leading a digital revolution with its ingenious piano modeling technologies, Roland seamlessly captures the essence of the acoustic piano sound.
Date Established
1972
1972
Original Location(s)
Osaka, Japan, with offices in Tokyo & Osaka
Osaka, Japan, with offices in Tokyo & Osaka
Benefits & Features
- SuperNATURAL & PureAcoustic Piano Modeling technologies, capturing the essence of an acoustic piano in every note.
- PHA-50 & Hybrid Grand Keyboards, with Progressive Damper Action pedals, respond to the pressure, speed, and velocity of a pianist’s performance
- Powerful, Acoustic Projection multi-speaker systems for a deep, rich authentic acoustic sound field: 4-way/8-speaker, 3-way/6-speaker, and 2-way/4-speaker configurations
- Headphone Acoustic Projection to optimize sound sent to headphones
- Large and versatile collection of non-piano sounds–electric piano, strings, organ, and many others
- Sleek, modern luxury cabinet designs with elegant front legs and dramatic curves
- Bluetooth connectivity for Smartphone/tablet apps integration, including Roland’s Piano Every Day app
- Onboard tutorial features
Notable Dates
- 1974 — Debut of the EP-30 Electronic Piano, the world’s first touch-sensitive keyboard.
- 1977 — Fuji Roland Corporation (presently Roland Corporation) established in Matsumoto.
- 1981 — JUPITER-8 Synthesizer, a masterpiece that became the touchstone for future synthesizer development.
Notable Dates (cont.)
- 1983 — HP-300 and HP-400, the first digital pianos with MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface).
- 1984 — Opens the Roland Music School in Used, Osaka.
- 1985 — MPU-401 MIDI Processing Unit, an interface connecting a PC to a MIDI device; Roland’s first electronic drum set, the a-DRUM Electronic Drums.
- 1986 — Hosoe factory completed.
- 1990 — HP-3700 Digital Piano, the trend-setting model in the HP series.
- 1991 — GS format established, standardizing sounds and controls via MIDI.
- 1998 — UA-100 USB Audio Interface, the world’s first for recording and playback of high-fidelity digital audio with a PC.
- 2001 — Roland Music Studios Corporation launches music schools nationwide; introduction of the HPi-5 with DigiScore, an LCD built into the music rack.
- 2006 — Roland Foresta program begins.
- 2009 — V-Piano Digital Piano premiers with a new sound generator for reproducing the elements of the piano.
- 2011 — SuperNATURAL develops further in the V-Piano and JUPITER-80 products.
- 2013 — HPi-50 Digital Piano announced, combining Roland’s advanced piano technologies and latest DigiScore education features.
- 2015 — Roland expands the popular home digital piano line with the compact HP603 and HP605, along with the upright LX-7 and flagship LX-17.
- 2017 — Roland Founder, IKUTARO KAKEHASHI, passes.
- 2018 — Announcement of the GP609 Digital Piano.
- 2019 — HP700 Series introduced.
- 2019 — LX700 Digital Piano Series honored with three design awards in six months, including the Red Dot Product Design Award.
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