Roland Central Europe

TD-9 Upgrade Package V2.0 available now

Thursday, 17 March 2011, 16:51:46 +0200

NOW AVAILABLE!

TD-9 upgrade package V2.0

Upgrade your TD-9K-KX sound module and get 30 new sounds, 40 additional drum kits and mp3 compatibility.

Order at your local dealer.

BOSS World Loop Contest 2010

Monday, 30 August 2010, 10:09:13 +0200

Loop, Layer, Rock!

Enter Today and Show Us What You’ve Got!

Win an all-expenses-paid (transportation & hotel) trip to the Music & You show (Paris) to compete at the RCE Finals for the Grand Prize: a 750 € BOSS/Roland Product Voucher and an all-expenses-paid (air fare, hotel and meal budget) trip to Los Angeles, California to compete at the International Finals for the title of BOSS Loop Station World Champion 2010.

BOSS Loop Stations have inspired a whole new style of musical performance by giving musicians the ability to transform a single instrument or voice into a wall of layered sound. With an RC-Series Loop Station, any musician can build the ultimate solo live onstage using anything from a guitar to a kitchen sink. Suddenly, an ordinary performance is transformed into a massive "one-person band" experience – all in real time! Loop Stations have opened creative doors and inspired musicians to reconsider the way they perform and make music.

If your BOSS Loop Station gets your creative juices flowing, we want to hear from you!

How to enter:

Send us a five minute video of your best BOSS Loop Station creation. Make sure your BOSS Loop Station is visible in the video. Original compositions only.
Make sure to read the contest rules and regulations (Dutch version / French version).
Fill out the online entry form on this website. Upload your video to YouTube (or similar website) and paste link in the appropriate field of the online form.

Download the rules and regulations of the BOSS World Loop Contest 2010 (Dutch version / French version).

Contest closes October 15th, 2010.

BOSS unveils ME-25 Multi-Effects for Guitar

Wednesday, 21 April 2010, 16:37:50 +0200

COSM amplifier modelling, innovative user interface, USB and more

Boss� is pleased to announce the addition of the ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects to its popular line of floor-based multi-effects. The compact and durable ME-25 inherits high-quality sounds from the flagship ME-70, and packs a ton of Boss tone tools into one amazingly affordable package.

Sporting a quick and easy user interface for professionals and newcomers alike, the ME-25 features a full complement of COSM� amplifier models. The onboard Sound Library comes loaded with 60 effects combinations suitable for a wide range of playing styles. The ME-25 runs on six AA batteries or AC power, and its portable size ensures it’s ready to rock anywhere.

The ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects is stocked full of the best Boss effects — distortions, overdrives, modulation effects, delay, reverb, harmonist, and many more. The built-in expression pedal controls a number of pedal effects, including wah, octave up/down, and a unique freeze effect. Three heavy-duty footswitches allow the user to select sounds and perform other functions, such as accessing the built-in tuner, tapping in delay times, and enabling the SOLO feature.

The ME-25 is the first multiple effect processor at this price point to include renowned Boss COSM amp-modelling technology. There’s a range of classic amps from clean combos to raging stacks, along with a Super Stack function that gets big amp tone from a small practice amp. A 38-second looper is also included for real-time sound-on-sound recording.

The ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects also includes USB connectivity, allowing users to stream audio and other data back and forth with their computer. A powerful librarian is available as a free download to manage sounds, and the ME-25 is bundled with Cakewalk SONAR 8.5 LE for multi-track audio and MIDI recording.

The ME-25 is now available.

The RD-700GX1 supernatural piano kit

Friday, 16 April 2010, 15:33:30 +0200

Roland is proud to add the latest in digital piano technology to the RD-700GX with the SuperNATURAL� Piano Kit (K-RD700GX1). Comprising a dedicated expansion board and a USB memory key to update the operating system, this digital piano kit is a dream for musicians who want the utmost in authentic playability and the highest-quality piano sounds available.

Derived from groundbreaking V-Piano� technology, and delivered through an 88-key stereo multisampling engine, the SuperNATURAL Piano Kit enhances three dimensions of piano expressiveness within the RD-700GX. Every detail of the playability of an acoustic piano’s sound is reproduced. The result is seamless tonal change that corresponds to key pressure, decaying sounds that linger and fade naturally without looping, and an authentic sound transition from note to note across the keyboard.

The SuperNATURAL Piano Kit also adds 17 new SuperNATURAL piano sounds designed exclusively for the RD-700GX. Combining the SuperNATURAL Piano Kit with the PHA II Ivory Feel keys of the RD-700GX, pianists are now able to have the full expressive capability of an acoustic grand piano in a top-of-line digital stage piano.

New Roland, Boss and Cakewalk products

Friday, 26 March 2010, 11:07:27 +0200

Roland, BOSS and Cakewalk introduce new musical gear at the Frankfurter Musikmesse

From March 24th to 27th, Frankfurt (Germany) is host to Europe’s largest music fair, the Frankfurter Musikmesse.

In this edition, the new Roland, BOSS and Cakewalk products are mainly situated in the categories “Synthesizers”, “Digital Recording” and “Digital Pianos”. In summary:

All this new gear, plus a series of accessories, options and related products are now on display on this brand new website.

For the worldwide launch of these new products, we use the online platform “Roland Connect 2010”. Via www.rolandconnect.com, all the new products from different categories are introduced to the world.

Cakewalk�: Take control of your music

Thursday, 26 November 2009, 16:28:27 +0200

Cakewalk, widely known as the developers of SONAR 8.5 Producer and Studio, also carry a vast range of musical software at an affordable price, tailor-made for beginners and for musicians wanting to concentrate on the essence of recording and editing audio and MIDI, without making any compromises on performances or sound quality. Moreover, these products feature a simple yet intuitive and attractive user interface, numerous instruments and virtual effects, and loads of ready-for-use audio and MIDI loops, all compatible with ASIO, VST and ReWire.

Music Creator 5

Music Creator 5 contains everything you need to produce music – and to get results fast! Easy recording, editing and mixing, with high-quality sounds and numerous effects — all in one software pack.

A total of 160 tracks (32 for audio and 128 for MIDI) with professional 24-bit audio quality
Create your own backing tracks using the supplied audio and MIDI loop library. Just drag & drop.
Popular studio effects, such as IK MultimediaTM Amplitude� Guitar Amp Simulator, EQ, Delay, Compressor, Reverb, etc.
Print scores, burn CDs and publish your Music on the web using Cakewalk Publisher & Burner
Cakewalk TTS-1 – software based on a genuine GM2 sound module
Cakewalk Sound Center – a user-friendly instrument combining the best sounds of our acclaimed virtual syths – exclusively in Music Creator 5
Active Controller Technology (ACT): control and mix your effects and instruments from any keyboard or MIDI Controller
Integrated mixing console featuring EQ and visual representation of settings

Guitar Tracks Pro 4 USB

Designed for guitarists and singer-songwriters, Guitar Tracks Pro is the recording solution that will take your music from riff to hit in no time. Guitar Tracks Pro gives you more than just recording software. It comes with a USB-interface to plug your guitar into and a special virtual amp for arena-ready sounds. It also features a built-in backing band that is always ready to jam along with you.

Supplied with UA-1G Audio-USB interface: input jack for guitar/mic, headphones jack, S/PDIF and RCA outputs, and more!
Record and playback up to 64 virtual instrument tracks at 24 Bit/96 kHz
Arrange and edit songs by point-and-click
Generate, edit and print sheet music and guitar tablature, burn CDs and publish your music on the web using Cakewalk Publisher and Burner
Professional mixing tools: Boost 11 limiter and EQ, delay, compression, reverb, etc. available on every channel
Preset settings will save you a considerable amount of time when preparing your recordings
Active Controller Technology (ACT): control and mix your effects and instruments from any keyboard or MIDI Controller
Over 2 GB of sounds created by Digital Sound Factory™, Groove Monkee™, Smart Loops™ and Sonic Reality™
Studio Instruments: Bass, drums, electric piano and strings for your virtual backing band
Virtual amplifier: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 LE

SONAR Home Studio 7 and 7XL

Home Studio 7 will turn your computer into a complete music production studio. Build a complete backing track in no time, using the integrated virtual instruments and the supplied audio and MIDI loops. Recording audio and MIDI in professional quality is made easy. And the XL version provides even more effects and instruments.

Create and edit projects with an easy to understand user interface
64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks, at up to 24-bit/192kHz quality
Generate, edit and print sheet music and guitar tablature, burn CDs and publish your music on the web using Cakewalk Publisher and Burner
Quickly build backing tracks with audio and MIDI loops and using the Loop Explorer and the supplied data
Create instrument parts using the DropZone™ sampler and genuine Roland� sounds: drums, bass, guitar, keys, orchestral sounds and more
Professional mixing: the Sonitus:fx EQ module is available on each channel of the console, plus lots of additional effects
ACT - Active Controller Technology™ - will give you full control of your mix, your effecten and your instruments

The XL version will also provide:

Step Sequencer — allows to easily create beats, synth parts, and more.
Studio Devil VGA+ — record guitar and bass parts directly with overdrive and distortion.
Studio Instruments — alles wat je nodig hebt voor je virtuele begeleidingsband: drums, bas, elektrische piano en strijkers
Dimension LE — a special version of the acclaimed Dimension Pro, offering over 400 sounds, such as bass, organ, electric piano, synths, grooves, the Garritan Pocket Orchestra, and more.
Boost 11 — add volume and punch to your final mix with this easy-to-use limiter/maximizer.

Roland reveals BA-330 Portable Digital Pa System

Wednesday, 18 November 2009, 10:46:09 +0200

Roland, manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments, is pleased to announce the BA-330 Portable Digital PA System. Using Roland’s superior battery technology, the BA-330 is the all-in-one portable PA solution for music venues, worship events, conferences, seminars, business meetings, and much more.

The BA-330 has a four-channel configuration, with two channels dedicated for microphones or instruments, and two other channels for standard 1/4” stereo inputs. Each channel has its own independent tone adjustment and effects switching for built-in effects, such as EQ, reverb, delay and widening. A Stereo Link function allows for a pair of BA-330s to work in tandem to provide an extra-wide stereo spread.

Powered by a high performance digital stereo amplifier, the BA-330 features four custom-designed 6.5” stereo speakers and two tweeters, positioned for wide stereo dispersion. While the built-in tilt-back stand enables the unit to be angled up for better sound monitoring, the BA-330 also can easily be mounted on a speaker stand.

The Roland BA-330 PA System features a unique Intelligent Anti-Feedback function previously unavailable in self-contained portable PA systems. During use, the BA-330 can automatically detect potential feedback possibilities and eliminate it immediately. This is a huge advantage over manually adjusting volume levels, as it allows performers to place the PA system behind them and easily hear themselves without experiencing feedback.

Designed to deliver high-quality stereo sound for audiences of up to 80 people, the BA-330 can run on standard AC Power or eight AA Alkaline or Ni-MH rechargeable batteries. The switchable output power allows the user to switch between the maximum power and the energy-saving Eco modes to preserve battery life. The BA-330 is also amazingly efficient, delivering a sound pressure level of 109 dB, comparable to much larger mid-range sound systems.

The BA-330 will be available in November 2009.

ROLAND INTRODUCES SP-404SX LINEAR WAVE SAMPLER

Monday, 09 November 2009, 16:20:41 +0200

Roland, manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments, is pleased to announce the SP-404SX Portable Sampler. This update to the popular SP-404 offers 44.1kHz/16-Bit sound quality, improved DSP effects, a more versatile pattern sequencer, and easier data management.

The SP-404SX includes 29 DSP effects -- including filter, delay, unique voice effects, subsonic, and looper — that switch seamlessly for a smooth performance. Twelve trigger pads, three control knobs, and a Sub Pad for rapid triggering allow DJs, musicians, and sound engineers to trigger samples and jingles and apply effects on the fly at the club, gig, or theatre.

The built-in microphone, simple user interface, and optional battery operation enable recording with the SP-404SX anywhere inspiration strikes. It is also easy to import samples and utilize the high quality effects onboard for sound design or unique live performance purposes. The more versatile pattern sequencer now includes an improved quantize mode with new shuffle feel for intuitive, non-stop loop recording.

“Roland’s SP-Series samplers are popular worldwide among DJs, musicians, and sound engineers alike,” says Vince LaDuca, Product Marketing Manager. “To keep our number one market position and reach new customers, we are pleased to introduce this upgraded version of the SP-404.”

The SP-404SX is available now.

Roland proudly presents new V-Drums models: the TD-20KX and TD-4KX

Tuesday, 27 October 2009, 17:04:21 +0200

A new sensation has hit stages and venues all over the world. No pop goddess or R&B babe in a miniskirt or cat suit, by the way: we are talking about the latest additions to the highly successful V-Drums series. The new flagship model is called TD-20KX. It replaces the TD-20K. Unlike its predecessor that was available in either black or white, the TD-20KX is all about silver and chrome. The V-Pad shells (snare drum and toms) and V-Kick (bass drum) sport a silver wrap with a distinctive brushed-metal look. Users in search of other colors can replace the shell wraps with red or blue brushed-metal versions. The drum rack and cymbal arms have a chrome coating, allowing drummers to add their own hi-hat and snare stands without anybody noticing. And wait for it: the new V-Cymbals (crash, ride and hi-hat) are also silver-colored. This flash new hardware controls the powerful TD-20X module, which now also contains all the sounds and features of the optional TDW-20 expansion board.

The slightly smaller but equally spectacular TD-4KX is a significant upgrade of the TD-4K. This entry-level kit combines the TD-4K’s versatility with a host of improved features, the most important of which being that the rubber tom pads have been replaced with mesh-head pads. The previous model only had a mesh-head snare pad. Needless to say that these improvements will enhance the response, feel and playing experience.

See www.rolandce.com for details about these drum kits (technical info, options, stores).

Cakewalk� Announces SONAR ™ 8.5 Producer & SONAR 8.5 Studio Now Available

Wednesday, 07 October 2009, 13:37:00 +0200

Cakewalk, the world's leading developer of powerful and easy to use products for music creation and recording, announces a feature packed upgrade for SONAR Producer, the leading choice in digital audio workstations and SONAR Studio the most powerful digital audio workstation in its price range. SONAR 8.5 continues to innovate with new capabilities including enhanced beat creation and arrangement tools, a new drum instrument loaded with stellar kits and patterns, an enhanced audio timing toolset, new multi-stage effect plug-ins for drums and percussion sounds and vocal tracks, engine optimizations and stability improvements,and many additional workflow and technological advances, notably Windows 7 compatibility.

New features and workflow enhancements

Matrix View—simple and flexible cell-based, non-linear audio and MIDI arranging with live triggering capability.
Step Sequencer 2.0—the most powerful step sequencing capability in any DAW.
Integrated Arpeggiator—trigger Arpeggiations on MIDI or instrument tracks with in-depth control over all arp parameters. Includes hundreds of presets.
Session Drummer 3—latest version of Cakewalk’s virtual instrument for easy and fast creation of drum tracks with a new UI, stellar sounding kits and patterns from top sound designers and drummers, more.
AudioSnap 2.0—updated audio quantizing and time shifting technology with new look and refinements to all the core controls, significantly improving workflow, plus improved offline rendering.
Media Browser—the new hub for content access within SONAR; supports multiple formats to preview and import all your loops, grooves, and MIDI patterns; features presets to quickly grab content from your favorite locations.
PX-64 Percussion Strip—seven-stage processor designed specifically for use with drums and percussion.
VX-64 Vocal Strip—seven-stage processor optimized for shaping and sculpting vocal tracks.
Windows 7 Support—tested, ready, and recommended for use.
Engine optimizations and stability improvements for recording audio, and while looping.
“Hotswap” audio and MIDI devices, including control surfaces, without restarting SONAR.�
VST plug-in compatibility improvements.�
Native REX loop support featured in Track View, Media Browser, and Matrix View.�
BitBridge XR—run 32-bit plug-ins in 64-bit environments, with memory access now extended up to 128 GB RAM.
And much more.

Pricing and Availability

SONAR 8.5 is available through the distribution network of Roland. Registered users of SONAR 8.0 Producer or Studio can order their upgrade directly from Cakewalk.com. Registered SONAR 8.0 users can also buy the box version of the upgrade from an authorized Roland dealer. All SONAR V-Studio 700 or SONAR 8.0 users who upgraded after the first of July 2009 are entitled to a free upgrade of Sonar 8.5.

For more information, please visit Cakewalk.com or contact Roland Central Europe - www.rolandce.com.

The first of september 2009: the global release of Roland's brand new instruments

Tuesday, 25 August 2009, 11:24:02 +0200

Next to a new academic year, the first of September will bring the release of Roland's brand new instruments. Roland will launch its new and innovative lineup of musical products via a unique web exhibition called Roland Connect 2009.

On www.rolandconnect.com, we will present over a dozen new products from various categories. Here, the musical world will have the opportunity to discover the latest developments!

And we’ve got some pretty big fish! Long awaited, new and renewed instruments. No one will be left out in the cold. All types of musicians, of any genre or style, will find something to their liking.

Before September 1, all visitors are already welcome on www.rolandconnect.com to download the exclusive Roland desktop gadget! So, stay tuned for more Roland news!

Yours musically,

The Roland Team

New products

Friday, 19 June 2009, 16:48:43 +0200

On the occasion of the London International Music Show, Roland introduces four brand new products. First, we have the Juno-DI, a portable (battery-powered) synthesizer boasting all the best sounds from the Juno family. Guitarists, rejoyce! The FRV-1 is here! This COSM-driven effect pedal faithfully recreates the sound of the legendary '63 Fender Reverb. The new asset in our Roland Classic range is the C-330 digital classic organ. Finally, Music Creator 5, our new entry-level recording software, is a real must-have for your home studio.

Report on V-Accordion Festival 2008

Sunday, 28 September 2008, 19:44:07 +0200

The V-Accordion Festival 2008 was held on September 27th in the Gustave Eiffel Room on level one of the Eiffel Tower.

In general, all the candidates were very skillful, which didn't make the jury's task any easier. The jury was composed of: Ludovic Beier (President), assisted by Marc Berthoumieux, Bernard Marly, Marco Cinaglia (Roland Europe) and Jeroen Ravesloot (Roland Central Europe).

All contestants have really surpassed themselves and succeeded in quickly getting familiar with the V-Accordion and using its potential to the very best. Most of them only discovered these instruments during this competition.

Each contestant played for 5 minutes, all in very different repertoires, which clearly illustrates the versatility of these instruments.

4 contestants competed in the Juniors Final:

The results:
1st place : Eric Allard-Jacquin (wins an FR-3 SB)
2nd place : Alexis Lambert (wins a CD-2e)
3rd place : Ren�e Verleg (wins an R-09H)

7 contestants competed in the Seniors Semi-Final:

The results:
1st place: Jean Fran�ois Prin (wins an FR-7B and) qualifies for the Final in Rome on November 7th and 8th.
2nd place: F�licien Brut (wins a CD-2e)
3rd place: Estelle Sauvain (wins an R-09HR)

HD-1 V-Drums Lite reaches finals at the IDEA awards

Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 13:59:18 +0200

Roland's compact digital drumset, the HD-1 V-Drums Lite, was recently among the finalists at the IDEA awards. IDEA stands for International Design Excellence Awards. This title is awarded to products for their outstanding design quality. Since 1980, prominent industry leaders in design judge the products and give awards in over 80 product categories. The HD-1 reached the finals combined with the PM-01�Personal Drum Monitor in the "Entertainment" category.

V-Accordion Festival 2008

Friday, 04 April 2008, 12:16:15 +0200

Roland presents the 2nd V-Accordion Festival (edition 2008), an international contest open to all accordionists. A great opportunity for all those that are tempted to embark on a unique adventure : to play on stage before an audience and to compete with other musicians from different countries.

It is not only about judging the virtuosity of the musicians, but also about the way in which they use the incredible possibilities offered by the V-Accordions, plus artistic performance and originality. These criteria make this contest accessible to virtually all accordionists. To enter the contest (qualifying round), a video or audio performance must be sent to Roland Central Europe. All types of accordions (acoustic of electronic/digital) of any brand and all musical styles are allowed.

The competition involves two age categories and is divided in two linguistic zones: The Juniors (under 18 years of age) and the Seniors (over 18 years of age), and French-speaking (France, Luxemburg, Wallonia) or Dutch-speaking (Netherlands, Flanders). The Juniors' final and the Seniors' semifinal are organized by Roland Central Europe and will be held on Saturday the 27th of September in Paris, on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.

The contestants can win fabulous prizes, such as V-Accordions and other Roland products. The winner of the international final, taking place in Rome (Italy) on the 7th and 8th of November 2008, will take home 5000 euros in cash!

To participate, simply send an audio or video recording of your accordion performance to Roland Central Europe ecording performance with a registration form avalaible in the network of Roland dealers or on the site: http://www.rolandce.com/v-accordionfestival/

Trends Gazellen 2008

Thursday, 27 March 2008, 12:00:00 +0200

This year's "Trends Gazellen 2008" event took place on 19 March at MUHKA in Antwerp. It is a unique platform set up by Trends magazine, which lists fast-growing companies. The magazine looks for so-called "gazelles", i.e. companies that symbolize competitive entrepreneurship. To qualify, a company need to increase its region's competitive assets and stimulate entrepreneurship.

As in the 6 preceding years, Trends' editorial staff started from the "Trends Top 100.000" to find the enterprises with the highest growth figures in each Province. The key factors were turnover, staff and cash flow. Only privately held companies that are at least five years old and have created more than twenty jobs since their inception are considered.

Based on a number of criteria, this produces a list of 200 fast growing companies, which are thought to contribute significantly to their province's economic dynamics (Antwerp for our company), and as a result, to create jobs, innovate, and exhibit creative entrepreneurship.

There are three categories: small, medium-sized businesses and "big companies" with an annual turnover in excess of 10 million euros. Roland CE belongs to the third category. It is with pride that we learned that Roland CE landed in a highly respectable 46th place! Considering that last year, we made 72nd place, it is safe to say that we are getting better at a dazzling pace! This award will receive a place of honor alongside the awards of previous years in our Oevel conference room.

New products, fresh from the Frankfurt Musikmesse

Wednesday, 12 March 2008, 13:00:00 +0200

In the light of the Frankfurt Musikmesse, Roland Central Europe launches some new products. As of today they will be available on this website. The new products are:

To view all our new products, please click here.

Roland presents Roland Classic

Wednesday, 12 March 2008, 12:00:00 +0200

Roland Central Europe launches Roland Classic, a website dedicated to the more classical Roland products. This website not only provides you with in-depth information on instruments such as the Roland C-30, the Rodgers 538, the Roland C-190 and the MX-200, but it also contains a substantial amount of video footage and pictures.

Be sure to take a look!