BRAND JAPAN · EST. 1972
Roland
Ikutaro Kakehashi's company gave dance music its rhythm section (TR-808, TR-909, TB-303) and pop its favorite pads (Juno, JX, D-50).
12 indexed 1973 first synth
Roland hero photo
1970s
3 MODELS1980s
9 MODELSRoland FAQ
Are vintage Rolands a good first analog synth?
A serviced Juno-106 or SH-101 is still one of the safest first analog purchases: MIDI or CV, common parts, and a huge repair community.
What's the difference between Juno, Jupiter and Boutique?
Jupiter was the flagship analog line, Juno the affordable poly, and Boutique is the modern compact recreation series.
Do TR-808 and TR-909 share a voice architecture?
No. The 808 is analog; the 909 mixes analog kick/snare with sample-based hats and ride. They became a pair in the studio, not on the schematic.